Fantasy & Science Fiction

Gaiman, Neil. (2008). The graveyard book. (D. McKean, Illus.). New York: Harper Collins Publisher.

Summary:
Neil Gaiman has created a dark, but entertaining book about a young boy who barely escapes the grasp of a murderer and ends up in the most unlikely place – a graveyard. Mr. and Mrs. Owens take the young boy into their care, but there is one problem they are ghosts. They name the young boy Nobody Owens, Nob for short, and he is granted ‘Freedom of the Graveyard.’ Nob encounters many adventures as he is brought up by the Owens, Silas, and the many dead of the graveyard. Neil Gaiman starts each chapter with the dark and graphic illustrations of Dave McKean which leads readers to believe that the book is very dark. However, he has included enough humor and adventure to make The Graveyard Book a very entertaining book.

Genre: Fantasy
Format: Chapter Book
Suggested Grade Level(s): 5th – 8th
Awards:
2009 Newbery Award Winner
2009 ALA Notable/Best Book

Wiesner, David. (1999). Sector 7. New York: Clarion Books.

Summary:
Through interesting illustrations, David Wiesner creates a wordless story about a normal field trip to the Empire State Building that turns into an unusual trip for one little boy. As the little boy is trying to see the sites on this foggy day, his red scarf, hat, and gloves magically disappear – a cloud has taken them. The cloud then takes the little boy to Sector 7 – a cloud making factory. While there the little boy finds out that the clouds are tired of their usual shapes and want to create new shapes. As the boy draws different shapes, the clouds begin to change into these shapes. The Sector 7 workers notice the change in the clouds, find the boy, and send him back to the Empire State Building. Even though the Sector 7 workers tried to stop the clouds from changing, the clouds had other plans.

Genre: Science Fiction
Format: Picture Book
Suggested Grade Level(s): K – 3rd
Awards:
2000 ALA Notable/Best Book
2000 Caldecott Award Honor Book