Coraline

Neil Gaiman. 2002. New York: Harper Collins Children’s Books. 176 pages. ISBN 978-0-06-164969-1

Plot Summary: When Coraline’s father tells her to count the doors and windows (as an anecdote to boredom) Coraline discovers a door in her apartment that leads to a brick wall-—at least most of the time. One day the wall is gone and she goes through the door to find another apartment and other parents, almost like her own. But not quite. And they want Caroline to stay forever. Coraline must defeat the “other mother” and find her way back to her own world. On the way she must rescue her parents and the lost souls of other children who have been trapped in this diabolic place.

Critical Review: This is a really creepy book. Gaiman creates a sinister atmosphere with his evocative descriptions, and Coraline is a plucky character with wisdom beyond her years. When the “other father” tells her that she can have anything she wants, she replies, “You really don’t understand, do you?, she said. “I don’t want whatever I want. Nobody does. Not really. What kind of fun would it be if I just got everything I ever wanted? Just like that, and it didn’t mean anything. What then?” (p.120). If we all had such wisdom! Coraline is a well-written horror story for teens and adults.

Reader’s Annotation: What is really behind that door?

About the author: Bestselling author Neal Gaiman has long been one of the top writers in comics (the Sandman series) and has also written books for readers of all ages. He has won numerous awards for his writing. Born and raised in England, he now lives in the United States. He states, "All my life, I've felt that I was getting away with something because I was just making things up and writing them down." ((http://www.neilgaiman.com/p/About_Neil/Interviews/An_Interview_with_Neil_Gaiman_by_John_Krewson,_The_Onion). You can visit his website at http://www.neilgaiman.com/

Genre: Paranormal - Unexplained Phenomena.

Curriculum ties: N/A.

Reading Level/Interest Age: 11 and older.

Booktalking ideas: “She will take your life and all you are and all you care’st for, and she will leave you with nothing but mist and fog. She’ll take your joy. And one day you’ll awake and your heart and your soul will have gone.” (p.86)

Reading level/Interest age: While the ages suggested are eleven and up, this book will appeal to teens as well as adults.

Challenge issues: N/A.

Why chosen: I chose Coraline because I really like Neal Gaiman.