The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Introduction Webpage - Awards, cemetery photo tour, games, etc.
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Mapping the Graveyard
The graveyard where Bod grows up is a community with its own neighborhoods and members. It is a lot larger than the cemetery we visited. The main reasoning behind this is that the cemetery we visited has only been around for about 200 years, whereas the graveyard in the book has been around for over 2000 years!
What is the difference between a cemetery and a graveyard?
“Though these two words are used interchangeably to refer to a place where people are buried, there is a subtle difference in meaning between the two. ‘Graveyard' is the older of the two terms, and it is mostly used to refer to a burial ground which adjoins a church. In the old days, people were buried close to the church; the nobles and the rich, in fact, were sometimes buried in crypts beneath the church. With the increase in population, the old graveyards became full and new burial sites, called ‘cemeteries', came up a little way from the town/city. The word ‘cemetery' comes from the Greek ‘koimeterion' meaning ‘dormitory, resting place'. It was seen as a person's final resting place; unlike a graveyard, a cemetery does not adjoin a church. People are buried in graveyards; in a cemetery, it is possible to bury an individual's ashes as well.”
You are to draw a map of the graveyard from The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. It needs to be in full color, include a key or legend, and include the following items:
Pages that will help you with your mapping: 25, 28, 47, 61, 99, 118, 150.
The graveyard where Bod grows up is a community with its own neighborhoods and members. It is a lot larger than the cemetery we visited. The main reasoning behind this is that the cemetery we visited has only been around for about 200 years, whereas the graveyard in the book has been around for over 2000 years!
What is the difference between a cemetery and a graveyard?
“Though these two words are used interchangeably to refer to a place where people are buried, there is a subtle difference in meaning between the two. ‘Graveyard' is the older of the two terms, and it is mostly used to refer to a burial ground which adjoins a church. In the old days, people were buried close to the church; the nobles and the rich, in fact, were sometimes buried in crypts beneath the church. With the increase in population, the old graveyards became full and new burial sites, called ‘cemeteries', came up a little way from the town/city. The word ‘cemetery' comes from the Greek ‘koimeterion' meaning ‘dormitory, resting place'. It was seen as a person's final resting place; unlike a graveyard, a cemetery does not adjoin a church. People are buried in graveyards; in a cemetery, it is possible to bury an individual's ashes as well.”
You are to draw a map of the graveyard from The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. It needs to be in full color, include a key or legend, and include the following items:
- Apple tree
- Caius’ grave
- Chapel (Silas stays in the crypt here)
- Clusters of white flowers
- Daffodil patch
- Eliza Hempstock’s grave
- Gardener’s hut
- Gates
- Ghoul Gate
- Mound of the Indigo Man
- Other tombs and gravestones
- Owens’ tomb
- Unconsecrated ground
- Outer Walls
Pages that will help you with your mapping: 25, 28, 47, 61, 99, 118, 150.
The Graveyard Book
Movie Poster Project
You will create a full color movie poster advertising the film version of The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman.
Movie Poster Project
You will create a full color movie poster advertising the film version of The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman.
- The poster must be at least on 8.5 x 14 paper, and can be no bigger than full poster board size.
- You must include the following elements:
- A full-color picture that portrays the main character(s) in a scene from the action of the book OR in some kind of pose that represents the conflict of the book. It must NOT be the cover of the book.
- The author’s name
- A rating and a reason for that rating (for example rated R: mature situations, violence, profanity).
- The title of the book/movie must be prominent on the poster.
- On a separate sheet of paper you must also include stars who will play in the leading roles. They must be believable roles. For example, an old woman like Betty White would not be a good choice to fill the role of Bod. The characters that you must find actors for include:
- Nobody Owens
- Silas
- Miss Lupescu
- Eliza Hempstock
- Scarlet Perkins
- Jack Frost
- The Indigo Man
- A Ghoul
- Mr. Owens
- Mrs. Owens
- The Lady on the Grey
- When choosing your roles you must explain why you think that actor or actress is a good fit for the character. If you need help finding people you should use the website http://www.imdb.com
- You may fill the role of any of the minor characters for bonus points. Be sure to include the characters name if you choose to add the bullies, pawn store owner, other ghosts, etc.
Extra Credit Opportunity!
Comic Strip Extra Credit
Create a framed cartoon or comic strip that includes an entire chapter from The Graveyard Book.
Create a framed cartoon or comic strip that includes an entire chapter from The Graveyard Book.
- You may use any size paper, but each frame should be clearly boxed out. Be sure to leave room for captions.
- You need at least 8 frames.
- The pictures may be in either black and white or in color, but may not be done in pencil. Your project must be final draft quality, and pencil suggests an unfinished draft.
- The captions below the frames should give readers a brief explanation of what is happening, and the dialogue should sound similar to what is said in the novel.