WHO: 5th and 6th grade readers who choose to participate. Fans of all things spooky, creepy, and Halloween-y are sure to love the preview and the cover – but readers who are drawn to warm, loving characters, humor, and stories about communities coming together are sure to love the Newbery Medal-winning story inside, too!

WHAT: A Halloween library celebration inspired by Neil Gaiman’s celebrated novel, The Graveyard Book! After reading the book, listening to the audiobook, or reading the graphic novel versions of the story, readers that choose to participate in this optional book club will gather in the library for a lunch time meeting. (And I can’t reveal it quite yet, but this book club has a very exciting computer science component, too! Watch for details later this month about a BIG upcoming family event inspired by The Graveyard Book, and created by 5th and 6th grade FABLab students!)

Here’s a summary of the spooky but heartwarming story: “Bod is an unusual boy who inhabits an unusual place—he’s the only living resident of a graveyard. Raised from infancy by the ghosts, werewolves, and other cemetery denizens, Bod has learned the antiquated customs of his guardians’ time as well as their ghostly teachings—such as the ability to Fade so mere mortals cannot see him. Can a boy raised by ghosts face the wonders and terrors of the worlds of both the living and the dead?” (Source)

The Graveyard Book is the winner of the Newbery Medal, the Carnegie Medal (fun fact: it’s the only novel ever to win both of these prestigious awards!), the Hugo Award for best novel, the Locus Award for Young Adult novel, the American Bookseller Association’s “Best Indie Young Adult Buzz Book,” a Horn Book Honor, and Audio Book of the Year. Copies of the traditional novel will be available from our school library, and this version as well as the audiobook and graphic novel retelling are available at the public library, from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and many other booksellers.

WHEN: The book club will take place during 5th grade lunch on Monday, October 29. (More details coming soon about the evening family event, which will take place later that week.)

WHERE: The Learning Village Library!

WHY: Because Halloween is the perfect holiday to inspire some creepy, cozy, award-winning reading!

Happy early Halloween, my friends – can’t wait to celebrate with you in October!