“The Graveyard Book”, by N. GaimanName ______
Ch. 1
1. How did the child end up in the graveyard?
2. How did the man, Jack, miss finding the baby?
3. How would the ghosts provide needed items, like food, for the child?
4. What did they name the child? Why?
5. How was the fate of the child to be decided? Why?
6. Why was Mrs. Owens permitted to keep the child?
7. Describe the Owenses’ tomb. Why was it so fine?
8. What was Jack planning? Why?
“The Graveyard Book”, by N. GaimanName ______
Ch. 2
1. What could Bod’s guardian, Silas, always be counted on for? Why?
2. What did the “Freedom of the Graveyard”, mean to Bod?
3. Who is Scarlett? What does she do at the graveyard?
4. What did Bod tell Scarlett about? What did she tell him about?
5. Where do Bod and Scarlett go to explore? Why?
6. Who, or what, did they encounter? What happened?
7. Why wasn’t Scarlett allowed to visit the graveyard anymore?
8. What did Scarlett think about Bod (and what he was)? Why?
“The Graveyard Book”, by N. GaimanName ______
Ch. 3
1. What does one grave always belong to in a graveyard? Why? Describe it.
2. Why was Bod upset with Silas? How did he feel about Miss Lupescu? Why?
3. What type of lessons did Miss Lupescu teach?
4. Why was Bod in such a rotten mood now? What did he do about it?
5. Where did Bod agree to go? Why?
6. How did Bod feel about the ghouls at first? What about later?
7. How did Bod escape from the ghouls?
8. How did Bod feel about Miss Lupescu now? Why?
“The Graveyard Book”, by N. GaimanName ______
Ch. 4
1. Why was Bod told not to go near the witch’s headstone?
2. What is “unconsecrated ground”? Why is some land left this way?
3. What does “slipping and fading” refer to on pg. 105? Why must Bod learn these ways?
4. How did Bod meet the witch? How does he feel about her? Why?
5. What happened to the witch? What revenge did she get on those responsible?
6. What did Bod want to do for Liza? Why?
7. What happened to Bod when he tried to sell the brooch? How did he escape?
8. What did Bod do for Liza at the end of the chapter? Why? How did she react?
“The Graveyard Book”, by N. GaimanName ______
Ch. 5
1. What are all the ghosts preparing for? How? Why?
2. Why did Silas bring Bod regular clothes? How does Bod feel about them?
3. Why can’t Silas participate in the dance?
4. What do the townspeople do with the flowers? Why?
5. What happened on that unusual night with the living and the dead? Why?
6. Why won’t the dead talk with Bod about the dance afterwards?
7. Why won’t Silas talk to Bod about the night before?
8. Why was Bod so excited at the end of Ch. 5?
“The Graveyard Book”, by N. GaimanName ______
Ch. 6
1. What does Silas tell Bod about his past? Why?
2. What does Silas tell Bod about being alive? (p. 179)
3. Why was Bod so forgettable in school? How did he feel about it?
4. What did Bod do to Mick and Mo? Why?
5. Why did Silas want Bod to stop going to school? How did Bod react? Why?
6. How did Mo get back at Bod? How did Bod escape?
7. How were things going for Mo now? Why?
8. How will Bod learn without actually going to school? Why must he learn this way?
“The Graveyard Book”, by N. GaimanName ______
Ch. 7
1. Why was everyone worried about Silas?
2. Why did Scarlett feel a sense of déjà vu at the graveyard?
3. How did her mother react to her little adventure? Why?
4. Why did Bod seek out the poet, Nehemiah Trot, for advice? What advice was he given?
5. How did Scarlett react to seeing Bod again? Why?
6. Why did Scarlett visit the library? What did she find out?
7. Why did Bod go see Mr. Frost? What happened?
8. How did Bod escape?
9. Who were the “Jacks of all Trades”? What did they do?
10. What did Bod want to do to each of the Jacks? Why?
11. Why had Bod’s family been killed?
12. How did Bod get rid of three of the Jacks?
13. How did Bod use the Sleer against Jack?
14. Why was Scarlett so angry with Bod?
15. What did Silas do with Scarlett? Why?
16. What did Silas do for Bod at the end of Ch. 7? Why?
“The Graveyard Book”, by N. GaimanName ______
Ch. 8
1. How was the world changing for Bod? Why?
2. Why was Silas leaving?
3. Why can’t Bod stay in the graveyard, according to Silas?
4. What did Silas give Bod to take with him? Why?
5. What did Bod “want”? (p. 304)
6. What advice does Bod’s “mother” give him? Why?
7. Do you think Bod will ever return to the graveyard? Why or why not?
8. Do you think Bod will ever see Silas again? Why or why not?
“The Graveyard Book”, by N. GaimanName ______
Ch. 1
1. How did the child end up in the graveyard?
He wandered there after an intruder named Jack entered his house and left the front door open. Jack murdered the rest of his family.
2. How did the man, Jack, miss finding the baby?
Mrs. Owens reached had and encircled the baby with her arms, creating a swirl of mist that made the baby unable to be seen by Jack. The tall man led Jack out of the graveyard.
3. How would the ghosts provide needed items, like food, for the child?
Silas can leave the graveyard and he will bring food and other items for the child as needed.
4. What did they name the child? Why?
The child was named Nobody Owens because Mrs. Owens said he looked like nobody but himself.
5. How was the fate of the child to be decided? Why?
Death is the great democracy, so all of the ghosts got a say in whether the child got to stay in the graveyard with the Owens. The Lady on the Grey ended their debate by declaring the child could stay.
6. Why was Mrs. Owens permitted to keep the child?
Mrs. Owens had promised the deceased mother of the child that she would protect him. The Lady on the Grey said, “The dead should have charity”.
7. Describe the Owenses’ tomb. Why was it so fine?
They had one of the nicest tombs in the graveyard since Mr. Owens was the properous head of a local cabinetmaker’s guild when he died and the cabinetmakers wanted to be sure he was properly honored.
8. What was Jack planning? Why?
He was planning to take care of his unfinished business with the little baby. He had to complete the job by cutting the final thread and killing Bod.
“The Graveyard Book”, by N. GaimanName ______
Ch. 2
1. What could Bod’s guardian, Silas, always be counted on for? Why?
His guardian could always be counted upon to explain matters clearly and lucidly and as simply as Bod needed in order to understand. He knew how to phrase things so Bod could understand when the graveyard folks couldn’t.
2. What did the “Freedom of the Graveyard”, mean to Bod?
While he is there he can see in darkness, the living cannot see him very well, and he can walk where other living people cannot, without it he couldn’t stay there.
3. Who is Scarlett? What does she do at the graveyard?
She is a little girl that comes into the graveyard. She is supposed to run around and get exercise while one her parents is reading on the bench near the chapel.
4. What did Bod tell Scarlett about? What did she tell him about?
Bod told her what the Latin meant on the gravestones and about things the ghosts said about her. Scarlett told Bod about particle physics and atoms.
5. Where do Bod and Scarlett go to explore? Why?
They wander through the graveyard looking at the tombstones and Bod tells her about the different inhabitants there. She liked to hear the stories and ask Bod questions.
6. Who, or what, did they encounter? What happened?
They encountered an old spirit they called the Indigo Man. They were warned to leave by the SLEER. The SLEER guards objects until the master returns. Bod feels uneasy there and they leave.
7. Why wasn’t Scarlett allowed to visit the graveyard anymore?
Her parents were scared when they couldn’t find her and they would e moving to Scotland.
8. What did Scarlett think about Bod (and what he was)? Why?
She said he was the bravest person she ever knew and that he was her friend. She said this to him because she was leaving to move far away and would miss him.
“The Graveyard Book”, by N. GaimanName ______
Ch. 3
1. What does one grave always belong to in a graveyard? Why? Describe it.
One grave belongs to the ghouls because it is actually a ghoulgate. It is the one that has a feeling of abandonment with cracked stone and/or glass and scraggly grass and weeds all around it.
2. Why was Bod upset with Silas? How did he feel about Miss Lupescu? Why?
Bod was upset that Silas was leaving for a prolonged period of time. She is the woman who will look after Bod while Silas is gone. She teaches him about the different spirits in the graveyard. He doesn’t like her at first since the food she brings is gross and she is ugly.
3. What type of lessons did Miss Lupescu teach?
She teaches Bod all about things in the graveyard, like the Ghoulgate and how to call for help in many different languages.
4. Why was Bod in such a rotten mood now? What did he do about it?
He was in a rotten mood because no one would play with him and he thought Miss Lupescu was too tough on him. He went to an old grave, sat down and felt sorry for himself and hated everyone.
5. Where did Bod agree to go? Why?
He agreed to go through the Ghoulgate since the three ghosts seemed friendly enough and they were paygin attention to Bod.
6. How did Bod feel about the ghouls at first? What about later?
At first, Bod really liked the ghouls and he thought they were nice. Later, he decided that he didn’t want to be a ghoul and he would rather just go back home.
7. How did Bod escape from the ghouls?
A large grey doglike creature that was really Miss Lupescu caught him and grabbed him from the ghouls clutches. A night-gaunt flew down and scooped him up to fly him to safety (for the third time in his life).
8. How did Bod feel about Miss Lupescu now? Why?
He liked her, since she saved his life and she also brought him chips and smiled at him now. She taught him the names of the constellations and he was sad to see her go.
“The Graveyard Book”, by N. GaimanName ______
Ch. 4
1. Why was Bod told not to go near the witch’s headstone?
Mrs. Owens said is wasn’t healthy for a human body to be near the area since it was damp. He might “catch his death” there.
2. What is “unconsecrated ground”? Why is some land left this way?
It is land not blessed by the church. Some land is left that way in order to bury criminals, people without faith or suicides. These people can’t be buried with the other people in the cemetery.
3. What does “slipping and fading” refer to on pg. 105? Why must Bod learn these ways?
It is the way of the dead to slip through shadows and fade from awareness. Bod must learn it so the living won’t see him.
4. How did Bod meet the witch? How does he feel about her? Why?
He fell out of an apple tree and hurt his leg. She helped him and he immediately liked her. She was nice to him and he felt sorry about what had happened to her.
5. What happened to the witch? What revenge did she get on those responsible?
She was drowned and burned by the townspeople and buried without a headstone. She got revenge when a carpet was brought that contained the plaque in its fibers and all of those responsible for her death died of the plague.
6. What did Bod want to do for Liza? Why?
He wanted to buy her a headstone because she said that it was all she really wanted, a way to mark her resting place.
7. What happened to Bod when he tried to sell the brooch? How did he escape?
The man locked Bod in a closet and called a friend about the brooch since it was worth a lot of money. He escaped with Liza’s help, she used a spell to make him invisible. Once the men left, Bod sneaked out.
8. What did Bod do for Liza at the end of the chapter? Why? How did she react?
He made her a tombstone using a paperweight he painted her initials on because he appreciated her help escaping from the two men. She was happy he did that for her.
“The Graveyard Book”, by N. GaimanName ______
Ch. 5
1. What are all the ghosts preparing for? How? Why?
They are preparing to dance the Macabray by cleaning and tidying up around the graveyard. They are getting ready for a very special night when they will dance with the living.
2. Why did Silas bring Bod regular clothes? How does Bod feel about them?
He said that Bod was now 10 years old and should begin wearing normal clothes of the living. It will help him to stay camouflaged. Bod thought they were a little complicated, especially the shoes.
3. Why can’t Silas participate in the dance?
Only the living and the dead can participate and Silas is neither.
4. What do the townspeople do with the flowers? Why?
Everyone in the Old Town gets a flower, every man, woman and child. The old saying goes, “One to leave and one to stay and all to dance the Macabray”.
5. What happened on that unusual night with the living and the dead? Why?
They danced together on the night of the Macabray. Liza told Bod that the living don’t remember it, but the dead always do.
6. Why won’t the dead talk with Bod about the dance afterwards?
They were forbidden to speak of it so they wouldn’t talk to Bod about it.
7. Why won’t Silas talk to Bod about the night before?
He tells Bod there are mysteries out there, things that are forbidden to talk about.
8. Why was Bod so excited at the end of Ch. 5?
It was snowing! It was only the third time in his life he had seen snow.
“The Graveyard Book”, by N. GaimanName ______
Ch. 6
1. What does Silas tell Bod about his past? Why?
He tells Bod that his parents and sister were killed by a man that is probably still looking to kill Bod. He wants Bod to be careful so he is not hurt or killed.
2. What does Silas tell Bod about being alive? (p. 179)
Being alive means you have infinite potential. You can do anything, make anything, dream anything.
3. Why was Bod so forgettable in school? How did he feel about it?
He sat halfway back in class and didn’t answer much. His name is not on the roll or in the school database.
He was the model pupil, forgettable and easily forgotten. Bod didn’t mind, he was used to fading.
4. What did Bod do to Mick and Mo? Why?
He told the other kids to stop giving them their money. He led them into a small graveyard and when they tried to hurt him, he disappeared. They got scared alone in the graveyard and left. Bid didn’t like them picking on other kids.
5. Why did Silas want Bod to stop going to school? How did Bod react? Why?
He was worried that people would now start to notice Bod and then come looking for him. It would be dangerous for Bod if people could track him down.
6. How did Mo get back at Bod? How did Bod escape?
She told the police that he had been breaking windows and she had seen him breaking things in her yard. Silas pretended to be hit by the police car and the cops got nervous and when they weren’t looking, Bod and Silas disappeared.
7. How were things going for Mo now? Why?
She was having the worst week of her life. Nick wasn’t speaking to her, her uncle (the policeman) was mad at her, and nobody seemed to remember Bod, or notice that he was missing.
8. How will Bod learn without actually going to school? Why must he learn this way?
He will learn using books from libraries and talking with the ghosts. It is too dangerous for him to be found since Jack is still looking for him!
“The Graveyard Book”, by N. GaimanName ______