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Quick answer: If you loved The Graveyard Book, try Coraline, The Jungle Book, Doll Bones, The Night Gardener, City of Ghosts and Small Spaces. Each one offers a spooky but warm story about growing up, ghosts and finding family.
Neil Gaiman's Newbery Medal winner follows Nobody Owens, a boy raised by ghosts in a graveyard after his family is killed. As he grows up, he learns the secrets of the dead and must face the man who killed his family. Readers love its spooky atmosphere and tender heart. These books share that blend of gentle chills and coming-of-age.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coraline | Neil Gaiman | 9-13 | kids who want more Gaiman |
| The Jungle Book | Rudyard Kipling | 8-12 | readers who like the inspiration |
| Doll Bones | Holly Black | 9-13 | kids who like creepy dolls |
| The Night Gardener | Jonathan Auxier | 9-13 | kids who like gothic tales |
| City of Ghosts | Victoria Schwab | 9-12 | kids who like ghosts |
| Small Spaces | Katherine Arden | 9-13 | kids who want a real scare |
| The House with a Clock in Its Walls | John Bellairs | 9-12 | kids who like classic spooky tales |
| A Monster Calls | Patrick Ness | 12+ | older kids |
| Ghost Squad | Claribel A. Ortega | 8-12 | kids who like ghost adventures |
| The Girl Who Drank the Moon | Kelly Barnhill | 10-13 | kids who like fairy tales |
| Bunnicula | Deborah and James Howe | 7-11 | younger kids |
| Wait Till Helen Comes | Mary Downing Hahn | 9-12 | kids who like ghost stories |
| The Ghost of Graylock | Dan Poblocki | 10-13 | kids who like abandoned places |
| Ghosts | Raina Telgemeier | 8-12 | kids who like graphic novels |
| The Graveyard Book (Graphic Novel) | Neil Gaiman and P. Craig Russell | 9-13 | kids who want the story in pictures |
1. Coraline by Neil Gaiman
A girl finds a door to an alternate world with a sinister Other Mother.
Best for: kids who want more Gaiman.
2. The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling
Mowgli is raised by wolves. Gaiman has said this inspired The Graveyard Book.
Best for: readers who like the inspiration.
3. Doll Bones by Holly Black
Three friends go on a quest to bury a doll that may be haunted.
Best for: kids who like creepy dolls.
4. The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier
Two Irish orphans work at a cursed English manor.
Best for: kids who like gothic tales.
5. City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab
Cassidy can see ghosts and slip into the Veil.
Best for: kids who like ghosts.
6. Small Spaces by Katherine Arden
A girl follows a strange warning on a school field trip.
Best for: kids who want a real scare.
7. The House with a Clock in Its Walls by John Bellairs
Lewis lives with his warlock uncle in a house with a mysterious ticking.
Best for: kids who like classic spooky tales.
8. A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
A boy is visited by a monster as he deals with his mother's illness.
Best for: older kids.
9. Ghost Squad by Claribel A. Ortega
Lucely and her best friend fight evil spirits in Florida.
Best for: kids who like ghost adventures.
10. The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill
A girl with moon magic grows up in a forest.
Best for: kids who like fairy tales.
11. Bunnicula by Deborah and James Howe
A family pet rabbit might be a vampire.
Best for: younger kids.
12. Wait Till Helen Comes by Mary Downing Hahn
A girl's stepsister befriends a dangerous ghost.
Best for: kids who like ghost stories.
13. The Ghost of Graylock by Dan Poblocki
Siblings explore an abandoned asylum.
Best for: kids who like abandoned places.
14. Ghosts by Raina Telgemeier
Cat and her sister move to a foggy California town where ghosts are part of the Day of the Dead celebrations.
Best for: kids who like graphic novels.
15. The Graveyard Book (Graphic Novel) by Neil Gaiman and P. Craig Russell
The illustrated graphic novel version of the book.
Best for: kids who want the story in pictures.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with The Graveyard Book: its tone, its themes, its pace or the kind of characters it puts at the center. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious titles, and we noted who each book suits best so you can match it to the reader. Where a book belongs to a series, we list the first volume so you can start at the beginning.
How to Choose
For more Gaiman, read Coraline or one of the graphic novel adaptations. If you want spooky middle-grade, choose Doll Bones, City of Ghosts or Small Spaces. For a classic inspiration, try The Jungle Book. Older kids who want a powerful emotional story should read A Monster Calls. For younger or more nervous readers, Bunnicula and Ghosts keep the chills light, while Wait Till Helen Comes and The Ghost of Graylock are for kids who want a proper scare.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What age is The Graveyard Book for?
It is usually recommended for ages 10 and up.
Is The Graveyard Book scary?
It opens with a murder, but it is mostly spooky and warm.
Did The Graveyard Book win awards?
Yes. It won both the Newbery Medal and the Carnegie Medal.
Is there a graphic novel version?
Yes. P. Craig Russell adapted it into a two-volume graphic novel.
Is The Graveyard Book a series?
No. It is a standalone novel.