Whispers in the Graveyard
Encyclopedia
Whispers in the Graveyard is a children's novel by Theresa Breslin
, published in 1994
. It won the Carnegie Medal
, and is described on the Carnegie winners website as "a gripping, powerful and haunting story". In 2009 Heinemann
published a play adapted from the novel written by Richard Conlon
and Theresa Breslin.
. Solomon has a very hard time with life as his Mum left when he was young, his Dad is an alcoholic and everyone picks on him including a bullying teacher called Mr Watkins.
Solomon hears that bodies buried in a graveyard died of smallpox
and if disturbed could spread the infection again, but the real danger is of a supernatural nature.
boy in the last year of primary school who is considered to be stupid and lazy, though he is actually dyslexic. He is bullied by his form teacher at school, and at home his father, who it is revealed is also dyslexic, drinks all the time and neglects him. Solomon often goes to the local graveyard for refuge.
Overhearing a discussion between a council official and Professor Miller, he is upset to hear that his special place is to become a construction site. When the graveyard's protective rowan tree is uprooted by workmen, he has bad dreams and hears mysterious whispers. Driven by his father's behaviour to spend the night in the graveyard, he witnesses one of the workmen being swallowed up by the ground after unearthing a mysterious chest marked with the word "Malefice".
He later discovers that the word means "witchcraft", and that a victim of the Scottish witch hunt
is buried there. It seems she has awoken and is intent on vengeance. Amy Miller, the professor's young daughter, who has struck up a friendship with him, is drawn to the graveyard. Solomon follows to protect her from the evil presence which tries to possess her. With his father's help, he manages to rescue her and save himself.
With the encouragement of Ms Talmur, one of the teachers from school who has helped him throughout the book but leaves to get a promotion at the end, he begins to change his life, although he knows it will be an uphill struggle. His father agrees to attend an Alcoholics Anonymous
class to perhaps change his life also.
's Weekend Review as "one of those rare books that makes you want to put your life on hold for as long as it takes to finish it... formidably good writing, full of wit and wisdom, from which children will go away encouraged rather than demoralised at the possibilities of the human condition."
It is used in classrooms to promote good writing and also discussions about dyslexia and bullying.
Theresa Breslin
Theresa Breslin is a Scottish author, primarily of young adult fiction. She began writing when working as a librarian, and has published 29 books, five of which have also been sold as audiobooks....
, published in 1994
1994 in literature
The year 1994 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-New books:*Kevin J. Anderson - Champions of the Force, Dark Apprentice and Jedi Search*Reed Arvin - The Wind in the Wheat*Greg Bear - Songs of Earth and Power...
. It won the Carnegie Medal
Carnegie Medal
The Carnegie Medal is a literary award established in 1936 in honour of Scottish philanthropist Andrew Carnegie and given annually to an outstanding book for children and young adults. It is awarded by the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals...
, and is described on the Carnegie winners website as "a gripping, powerful and haunting story". In 2009 Heinemann
Heinemann (book publisher)
Heinemann is a UK publishing house founded by William Heinemann in Covent Garden, London in 1890. On William Heinemann's death in 1920 a majority stake was purchased by U.S. publisher Doubleday. It was later acquired by commemorate Thomas Tilling in 1961...
published a play adapted from the novel written by Richard Conlon
Richard Conlon
Richard Conlon is a playwright. Born 1965 in Hemel Hempstead, he now lives just outside the Dorset town of Shaftesbury.His plays for young people are published by Heinemann, an arm of Pearson Education. As well as his own original works he has adaptedBenjamin Zephaniah’s novel ‘Face’ and ‘Whispers...
and Theresa Breslin.
Plot introduction
Whispers in the Graveyard is about a twelve year old boy called Solomon, who has a learning disability called dyslexiaDyslexia
Dyslexia is a very broad term defining a learning disability that impairs a person's fluency or comprehension accuracy in being able to read, and which can manifest itself as a difficulty with phonological awareness, phonological decoding, orthographic coding, auditory short-term memory, or rapid...
. Solomon has a very hard time with life as his Mum left when he was young, his Dad is an alcoholic and everyone picks on him including a bullying teacher called Mr Watkins.
Solomon hears that bodies buried in a graveyard died of smallpox
Smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
and if disturbed could spread the infection again, but the real danger is of a supernatural nature.
Plot summary
Solomon is a ScottishScot
A Scot is a member of an ethnic group indigenous to Scotland, derived from the Latin name of Irish raiders, the Scoti.Scot may also refer to:People with the given name Scot:* Scot Brantley , American football linebacker...
boy in the last year of primary school who is considered to be stupid and lazy, though he is actually dyslexic. He is bullied by his form teacher at school, and at home his father, who it is revealed is also dyslexic, drinks all the time and neglects him. Solomon often goes to the local graveyard for refuge.
Overhearing a discussion between a council official and Professor Miller, he is upset to hear that his special place is to become a construction site. When the graveyard's protective rowan tree is uprooted by workmen, he has bad dreams and hears mysterious whispers. Driven by his father's behaviour to spend the night in the graveyard, he witnesses one of the workmen being swallowed up by the ground after unearthing a mysterious chest marked with the word "Malefice".
He later discovers that the word means "witchcraft", and that a victim of the Scottish witch hunt
Witch trials in Early Modern Europe
The Witch trials in the Early Modern period were a period of witch hunts between the fifteenth and eighteenth centuries, when across Early Modern Europe, and to some extent in the European colonies in North America, there was a widespread hysteria that malevolent Satanic witches were operating as...
is buried there. It seems she has awoken and is intent on vengeance. Amy Miller, the professor's young daughter, who has struck up a friendship with him, is drawn to the graveyard. Solomon follows to protect her from the evil presence which tries to possess her. With his father's help, he manages to rescue her and save himself.
With the encouragement of Ms Talmur, one of the teachers from school who has helped him throughout the book but leaves to get a promotion at the end, he begins to change his life, although he knows it will be an uphill struggle. His father agrees to attend an Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous is an international mutual aid movement which says its "primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics achieve sobriety." Now claiming more than 2 million members, AA was founded in 1935 by Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith in Akron, Ohio...
class to perhaps change his life also.
Reception
Whispers in the Graveyard received many positive reviews, and was notably described in The IndependentThe Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
's Weekend Review as "one of those rare books that makes you want to put your life on hold for as long as it takes to finish it... formidably good writing, full of wit and wisdom, from which children will go away encouraged rather than demoralised at the possibilities of the human condition."
It is used in classrooms to promote good writing and also discussions about dyslexia and bullying.