The Graveyard Book, Newbery Winner 2009

I'm not a big fan of horror, or horror-lite even. I am put off by most dark humor. But I do love The Jungle Book, and this book is heavily inspired by Rudyard Kipling's classic tale. I knew that going into the work and was able to draw several comparisons myself. As for which I prefer The Jungle Book will always win, though this isn't a bad send up.
There are several things that I wish were more fleshed out. The Jacks of All Trade for Instance. I don't quite understand what that was all about even now. I don't think that the sleer was ever properly fleshed out either.... Okay so there were a few plot holes, but they didn't detract enough from the story to keep me going. If I was really going to nitpick this story I would say that the problem was that the chapters were long. At a certain point, 10:45 PM, I wasn't quite ready to go to sleep so I started another chapter. I am among the most stubborn people ever and hate stopping in the middle of a chapter... Chapter 7 was around 90 pages long.

Seriously, Neil Gaiman, was that really necessary?

By the point I finished that chapter it was super late but there were only a few pages left. So I finished the book. But ultimately a great read and one that I plan to read with one of my tutoring students after we finish Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.