Other than the very spooky cover, the first thing I noticed about The Graveyard Book was the index. There are only eight chapters! Yep. Pretty different, hey? The second thing I spotted were the illustrations. In particular, the drawing below of Man Jack paused on the landing. It frightened me almost as much as I imagined Rip Van Winkle, whom you may recall, gave me nightmares for years with his long, creeping fingers.
I’ve included a picture here, just so you know the terrifying reminiscence my eight-year-old mind fell into.
Well, it turns out, man Jack is someone to be feared. He’s a murderer. Not just any murderer, either. In fact, he’s probably the most evil antagonist I’ve ever encountered in a middle-grade novel, and as the horrifying incident happens right at the beginning, I’m confident I won’t be giving much away in saying… he murdered the protagonist’s whole family. Not just that, the protagonist, when we meet him, is a baby. Man Jack doesn’t stop there either. When the babe escapes, he chases him, intent on killing him too, until he disappears through the narrow bars of a graveyard.
Then, the adventure begins. The orphaned child is taken in by ghosts, Mr and Mrs Owens, who had no children of their own. They call the baby Bod, short for Nobody, and raise him as their own… with a little help from their friends.
Oh, and their friends are fellow phantoms. They can sing, dance, talk and do practically everything; apart from finding food for a human child... or leaving the graveyard. It’s a significant problem, I’m sure you’d agree. Fortunately, Silas comes to the rescue. Through some magical power we know little about, he can come and leave as he pleases. Not only that, he can communicate with dead people.
Phew! What’s also a relief! And there’s also music! I know. You were beginning to wonder.
Mrs Owens is the first to begin the music, singing a song to the baby Bod.
‘Sleep my little babby-oh
Sleep until you waken
When you’re grown you’ll
see the world
If I’m not mistaken.
Kiss a lover,
Dance a measure,
Find your name
and buried treasure…’
To keep the mood light, Neil—he doesn’t mind me calling him Neil, truly—entertains us by letting us know that Mrs Owens forgot the last words.
‘She had a feeling the final line was something in the way of “and some hairy bacon”, but that might have been another song altogether.’
We’ve all been there… at least I have. By the way, the following may include a few spoilers, including a fiddle player named Claretty Jake. He’s also a ghost, and his violin is rather dusty, but we won’t hold that against him. Another memorable musical moment is when Bod dances the Macabre. The town enters a dreamy reverie, and it’s the first time Bod safely leaves the graveyard.
‘The music was louder now. Bod wondered if he could hear it better because he was wearing the flower—he could make out a beat, like distant drums, and a skirling hesitant melody that made him want to pick up his heels and march in time to the sound.’
'Skirling' was new to me. I discovered it has something to do with wailing bagpipes, but there are many impressive words in this book. There are great descriptions of the sounds of voices, the colour of the sky, and the graveyard is evocatively creepy.
Over the series of eight chapters, Bod grows from boy to teenager. He encounters various challenges, ghouls, witches, ghosts, Hounds of Death, and finally confronts his biggest demon… the Man Jack. Finally—as happens to all children raised in a graveyard—Bod must return to the real world. He is destined to learn to live his life as a man, and leave behind his beloved ghosts.
Huh? Why is there a picture of The Jungle Book next to The Graveyard Book?
What a magnificent question and I’m so glad you asked. As it happens, Kipling’s tale inspired my friend Neil. Yep, we’re friends. I know you don’t believe me, but just ask Ferdinand. He’ll tell you.
Ass a matter of course, I thought I should read Kipling's adventurous tale for myself. Growing up, my sister and I were enormous fans of The Elephant's Child audio book (at that time on cassette). We listened to Jack Nicholson read it every night, dreaming of the Limpopo River, and I can still hear Bobby McFerrin's music in my mind today.
Therefore, to fully absorb the tale, I decided to watch the recent film adaptation called Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle . Happily I discovered, it was very close to the book, and another good pal of mine is amongst the cast. Benedict Cummerbach.
I know. It’s difficult being surrounded by famous people, but I do my best.
Then, while I was reading, I made another happy discovery. The Jungle Book also has several songs in it! Quite long ones too, which made me ponder. Perhaps I ought to add some to Violetta?
Wait! Stop the Jungle bus. I’ve got an even better idea. Why not ask my other great mate, Tim Mitchen, to write a musical?! I’m sure he’d love to!
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