Junior Fiction

Don’t let the fact that this book is found in the junior fiction section convince you to miss out on this treat! Neil Gaiman is an amazing writer! The way he describes the characters and events brings imagination to life! We listened to him read the audio book and were surprised time and again at the imagery he could conjure up with simple words. Many times I felt I was listening to poetry. This is a delightful book about a baby that gets adopted by ghosts in a graveyard close to his home. He wanders there after his parents are killed. This is a coming of age story with a twist. The characters are a delight and the plot thickens as the story moves forward. If you don’t read it, at least put the audio book on for your kids-they will love it!

WHERE TO GO?

In the acknowledgements section of the book Neil Gaiman gives credit to Audrey Niffenegger for taking him on a guided tour of the Highgate Cemetery in north London, England. Their website is https://highgatecemetery.org. They claim to be one of England’s greatest treasures. Karl Marx is buried there along with 53,000 other people. The west side of the cemetery can only be visited with a guided tour. The west side is where a lot of Neil Gaiman’s inspiration came from. This is how they describe it on the site:

West Cemetery

WITH ITS SINUOUS PATHS WINDING UP A STEEP WOODED HILL AND IVY-CLAD MONUMENTS, HERE IS A SECLUDED FUNERARY LANDSCAPE AT ITS MOST EVOCATIVE

The West Cemetery is home to the most impressive architectural features of Highgate Cemetery — the Chapel, Colonnade, Egyptian Avenue, Circle of Lebanon, Terrace Catacombs and the mausoleum of Julius Beer. Visit the West Cemetery by guided tour only.

Doesn’t that sound intriguing and fun?! I am ready to book my flight right now!! The pictures online are really beautiful!

Here’s a photo from wikipedia:

WHERE TO STAY?

Want something familiar? There is a Holiday Inn only a couple of miles from the cemetery.

Holiday Inn London-Camden Lock

This hotel got great reviews on Tripadvisor and has all the amenities you are used to from a chain hotel. Gym, high speed internet and a bar. In the description it also says the rooms have plenty of room to “swing a cat”? Maybe you have to be a Londoner to understand that! HAHA! This hotel is also close to the London Zoo. One thing you should know about me is I love zoo’s! If there is a Zoo near me I am going to visit it!

Want something unique?

Camden Enterprise Hotel

This hotel is in a Victorian Era building built in 1865 and only has 21 rooms! Wouldn’t this be a great place to stay while touring and old Victorian era cemetery!? This hotel is only a mile and half from the cemetery, also in the Camden Lock area. It is near the Camden Market. The outside looks like an old, run down building, but the inside is gorgeous! Totally modern and has all the amenities. This hotel got 4.5 stars on Tripadvisor for great customer service and making their guests feel special and taken care of.

So, you may not get to England any time soon? For my friends here in Utah or close by, this book made me think of a cemetery my husband and I love to visit in Park City. The Glenwood Cemetery on Silver King Drive. This old cemetery is fun to explore as it has many really old headstones and fun paths. It is especially fun during the fall! In fact they are doing a tour on September 28th. Find more information at parkcityhistory.org/event/glenwood-cemetery-tour-2019.

This is a picture from their site:

Have a great week! Happy reading! Do you have an old cemetery you love to visit? Share with us!

Glenwood Cemetery Tour 2019