Sigh...It is to no avail.
I can't find a copy of the book I want.
Sigh....
Here's my conundrum:
I've read Neil Gaiman's Newbery winner, The Graveyard Book, and enjoyed it immensely (as did Aitana, age 13, and Paolo, age 9, and if these two both approve, it has to be a winner in my eyes). I won't gush more about this title, since there are plenty of professional critics who do so much more eloquently that I could.
But the version we've all read is the one illustrated by Dave McKean. This is the HarperCollins version with the optical illustion image on the cover. At first glance, one sees a strange, angel-wing tombstone, but on closer examination we see the silloutte of a boy. It's a wonderful cover (which I like more and more each time I look at it).
Dave McKean's work is wonderful too, from his blending of digital and paint, to his surrealistic and warped images, to the dark strain that runs through all his work. He and Gaiman are an impressive team, and I find it hard to think about Gaiman without thinking about McKean's images too. I'm not sure I like McKean's work - his images leave me a little queasy - but I am a fan, nonetheless.
His illustrations in The Graveyard Book. They are smokey, and ethereal, and well-paired with the text, especially the opening image of the man Jack's
wicked blade (I get a shiver just writing that).But the images are less appealing as the book moves on, and the three heads and the pizza at the end are an utter disappointment (sorry for the spoiler).
So what's the conundrum?
There is another.
The U.K. version of the title features illustrations by Chris Riddell, whose light-handed line seems the perfect pairing for this title. Just look at the cover! Silas' arched eyebrow, the muddled-mix of headstones in the background, and the clever look on Bod's face.
Why can't I get a copy of this version? The only place I've been able to find it is on amazon.uk.com.
Oh and
those tantalizing pics to be found on the web, like this...and this...
Sigh...
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