Coraline http://www.yabookscentral.com/media/reviews/photos/original/70/91/a7/582_474073-1351359793.jpg

I am a huge Neil Gaiman fan, and Coraline is my favorite of his!

When I was teaching 7th graders, we would read this during Halloween just as a fun-time book. The kids loved it--and they especially loved acting out the parts with the rats.

This is a great book for a kid who wants something a bit creepy, but not so much so that they will want to crawl into bed with you in the middle of the night. The rats singing, "we are small but we are many..." is terrifying and full of great imagery! I can just see it being performed live as a stop-motion type of performance.

This is a quick and fun read, and I think many kids will find it chilling and enjoyable.

Reader reviewed by Nikki (sng2098)

Coraline is suppose to be a children's book, however I wouldn't classify it as a childrens book.

Coraline is a little girl that is alwasy getting called "Caroline" by the people she lives around. Her family moves to a big house that has been turned into four different appartments. In the basement two old actresses live, and in the attic is a man who is claiming to train mice to be circus preformers.

One day when Coraline is exploring she find a door that is locked, when she ask her mother about she says it goes to the other loft that no one lives in. But Coraline is presistant so her mother gives her the key to explore. At first she finds the door is blocked up with bricks, then she goes to bed and the door opens and reveals a long hallway.

Little does she know what's at the end could change the rest of her life.

Coraline is a children's horror story, however I do think it is a little to much for children. The drawings are really good, they are what I pictured the characters to be. The only thing I had is that there were parts where they sounded, especially Coraline, talked like she was English or something. I think the setting should have been more clear, but this was a good book!

Reader reviewed by Jamie

   This was an exciting ,thrilling  and creepy  adventure  ! Coraline  moved into a creepy old house and she's bored but there's a catch there was this one room in the house that was locked this is where the adventure begins ! Coraline was fed up with reality and when she went to the other side it seemed nice there she had delicious meals her other parents  (they had buttons for eyes)whom she met on her first vist  gave her toys presents and treats the neighbours were better. Other parents wanted her to stay with them and be their little girl forever.

Reader reviewed by Chaellee

Despite I am always aware of the age group a book I pick, it never ceases to annoy me when there isn't any substance to a book. That's probably the only complaint I have about this book. I first saw this book in my teacher's book cart when I was in 3rd grade, and boy did it freak me out. I read it for the first time, now an 8th grader, not 3 weeks ago. I had already seen the movie, and so I was intrigued.

After reading, I wish I could have read it when I was younger. The frightening characters, while childish to the older crowd, will definetly scare younger readers.

Final line-Fun, Spooky for youngsters, 4/5

Reader reviewed by Crimin

Coraline Jones is an explorer, shipped off to a new place with lots of stuff to find and even more stuff that is hidden.  For instance, theres a pair of actresses who live on the ground flat who tell Coraline tales of their stage-life, while their canine-companions .  And above, theres an old man - one Mr. Bobo - who has a circus instrument-playing mice.  Its all quite fascinating - but Coraline isnt at all happy with the chilly summer days and the blankets of gray mist.  Lucky for her, her other mother has just opened up the door to a new realm - a place that Coraline can explore to her hearts content.

Neil Gaiman is a new author for me to read - Ive heard of some of his books, such as The Graveyard Book (which I want to read)  -  and I really only picked up Coraline because I saw its movie counterpart and loved every haunting moment.

Now, keep in mind - Coraline is a childrens book, so the writing isnt as descriptive or as in depth as one might like, but its okay, buffered by the audience aim.  It was a good read though - and a quick one as it only took me a few hours to thumb through the entire book.

It wasnt as good as the movie, in my opinion, but still worth the time to read it.  For there are quite some differences.    

Reader reviewed by Misty

This is an interesting book because I can honestly say I haven't read
it before. I know that sounds obvious, but with kid's books, they can
all blend together and lack originality, and this did not. I think that
was partly because Gaiman didn't try to hold back and keep it gently
creepy, kid appropriate. This is a genuinely creepy book, with a girl
who is held hostage basically by her "other mother" who is certainly
not human, and wants to sew black buttons into her eyes, and who
devours souls. The main character has a nice, distinct voice, and the
book is easy to read (age appropriate) without being dumbed down. As I
am a quote person, here are some of my faves, which give a good insight into this book:



"Small world," said Coraline.

"It's big enough for her," said the cat. "Spiders' webs only have to be large enough to catch flies."



"She kept us and fed on us until we've nothing left of ourselves, only snakeskins and spider husks."



"I swear it," said the other mother. "I swear it on my own mother's grave."

"Does she have a grave?" asked Coraline.

"Oh yes," said the other mother. "I put her in there myself. And when I found her trying to crawl out, I put her back."



The sky was a robin's egg blue, and Coraline could see trees and,
beyond the trees, green hills, which faded on the horizon into purples
and grays. The sky had never seemed so sky, and the world had never
seemed so world.

Reader reviewed by GRgenius

Have you ever wondered what the world would be like looking out of a mirror as opposed to into one?  Such is the topsy-turvy reality Neil Gaiman creates in the story of Coraline.  The title characters name is a twist upon itself, which is your first sign that things are not always as they seem.  Coraline is an adventurer; braver than most, but slighter than many.  Size does not equal strength, kindness, or cunning though, when faced with evil.  Longing for an escape from the hum-drum of everyday life, she follows a doorway to nowhere&..on this particular day, however, nowhere leads to a somewhere one would only hope to dream and never experience.  In this other world, everyone and everything appears the same and yet different.  Her other mother is especially affectionate, wanting nothing more than to feed her and play games.  Coraline cant quite put her finger on it, but something there is just&.wrong.  What evil lurks behind their shiny button black eyes?  Coraline feeling none to uneasy decides to return home after her visit only to discover her parents are missing!  She knows in her heart that her other mother has them, and she knows where she must go to bring them back.  Mustering all the strength a child can hold, she sets out on an adventure she will not soon forget with her only ally, a familiar, although sarcastic, black cat from her own world, guiding the way.  Will this be enough to stop the evil lurking in the shadows?  What other secrets are being held just out of her reach? You can be sure Coraline will uncover it all and more.

Definitely recommend the book as opposed to the movie....happy reading!

Reader reviewed by Vicki

Interesting story! A little on the creepy side, especially the whole "other mother's" hand idea. It was very imaginative and a quick and easy read. I am not so sure if I would read it with my children though. I know it is a children's book, but I can see it being a little on the frightening side to a younger child. Gaiman did a great job describing Coraline and what she saw. I could imagine the other house, and the other mother etc. Well done, but not too sure if I would read it with chidren.

Reader reviewed by Lisa

in a sentence or so: Coraline
discovers a very mysterious room that leads to a very mysterious place
that so closely resembles her home that she is almost fooled into
staying there forever. almost...

Coraline loves to explore. she
is quite good at exploring too. she loves to explore in the flat where
she lives with her mom and dad, chat with her neighbors (the former
actresses) and she's unsure about the man upstairs who claims to have a
mouse circus in the making. busy parents and long days leave Coraline
feeling bored, and that is when she discovers a door that leads to her
other mother - who isn't quite what she seems...

i was inspired to read this book due to the movie that just came out, and due to the recognition that Gaiman has been getting for The Graveyard Book. i wasn't sure what to expect or what the story would be like. for those of you who are like me - i'll
tell you. expect creepy, crawly, creative, spooky, thoughtful, and
courage. the story is honestly scary at times - mostly because Gaiman crafts such a vivid mental image of the other world and things that happen are downright freakish.

something i adore about fantasy/fiction for young adolescents/upper elementary is the simple acceptance of the unknown.
little time is spent rationalizing what happens, much time is spent
with the "what to do now". Coraline's perception of the events balanced
the outrageous with thoughtful problem-solving. she is determined and
sweet, making her someone that the reader roots for immediately.

this
book was a fun, scary, and spooky adventure. there is some serious
depth to what happens to Coraline and the people she meets. Coraline's
character, combined with the powerful imagery, made this book such a
good and worthwhile read for me.

fave quote: "'She
wants something to love, I think' said the cat. 'Something that isn't
her. She might want something to eat as well. It's hard to tell with
creatures like that.'" (78)

fix er up: there are a couple nit-picks that i wish were different, but they are a bit spoilerish
so i won't post them. mostly how the story wraps up...there were some
things i considered to be loose ends that i wish had been tied up.

Reader reviewed by Nic

Smart and imaginative Coraline is bored with her life, and the food, in her parent's house. When she finds a key that opens a mysterious door in her parlor- the door that was supposed to lead to nothing at all- she finds a house like hers, a neighbor like hers, toys like hers... but much more interesting. She also finds a mom like hers... who wants her to stay there forever.

Neil Gaiman's most famous "children's" book is at least twice as creepy as any horror novel written for adults. But the scare doesn't jump out at you-- it twists around your imagination, and chills you to the bone.

Reader reviewed by Library Queen

For those who like well written scary books, put this one on your list. Coraline finds a door that leads to another apartment that looks just like hers. Only in the OTHER apartment there lives an OTHER mother and father with black button eyes and magic ways. The other mother wants to keep Coraline for herself and never let her see her real parents again. In fact, the other mother makes Coralines parents disappear. Coraline must find a way to escape, rescue her real parents, and help release more of the captives.

A talking cat contributes much to the adventure. This conversation captures the personality of both charcters.

But how can you walk away from something and still come back to it?

Easy, said the cat. Think of somebody walking around the world. You start out walking away from something and end up coming back to it.:

Small world, said Coraline.

Its is big enough for her said the cat. Spiders webs only have to be big enough to catch flies.

Coraline shivered.

To be honest the cover of this book did not attact me. I looked at it, read the back, looked at the cover again, and put it back on the shelf. But, I am constantly getting asked for a scary book and I was running low on ideas for some students. That is when I remembered this book and decided to give it a try. I am so glad I did. For someone who does not do scary books this one had just the right touch. The illustrations added so much to the story.

Reader reviewed by Lenore

Coraline is restless. She has just moved into a new house with her family and she wants to explore, but it's nasty outside so she is stuck in the flat. That's when she discovers a door that leads to nowhere. Except, as she finds out soon enough, it does lead somewhere - an alternate reality with "other parents" who have button eyes and won't let her go back to her real life.

The story focuses on Coraline's attempts to return to her real parents and ordinary life. She is a spunky and clever character and it was fun to read about her spooky adventures. Your heart will beat faster as you root for Coraline to vanquish the "other parents".

Reader reviewed by Amanda

Coraline, is a young girl living with her parents in a small portion of a large flat in London. Coraline is a very picky girl and always bored, never satisfied with activities her parents suggest for her to do and never satisfied with her parents in general, for that matter. When she discovers a door in their drawing room that just opens to a brick wall, Coraline has a feeling that the door does lead somewhere and when she figures out where, she becomes trapped in a world where a woman calls herself "her other mother" and a man her "other father." The place looks just like Coraline's flat (only better) and the man and woman just like her mother and father (only better), but as the story proceeds we quickly learn that these people never want to let Coraline go. She has to use her intelligence and wit to gain her life back.


This book gave me the creeps! It was great storytelling, though the illustrations may be a little too scary for younger children. I was a little disturbed of the drawing of a woman's face with button eyes and a bug crawling out of her mouth and I'm 24! I really did enjoy this story, though not usually a ghost story or fantasy fan, but even if you aren't into those genres or even juvenile fiction typically, give this one a try. It was a quick read that took me out of that darn reading slump! I give it a 4 out of 5.

Reader reviewed by Lulu

Coraline is a young girl with a passion for exploring. So, when she moves into her new house it is only natural that she decides to go for a look around. On her travels she meets her new neighbours: two old ladies who insist on calling her 'Caroline' and an old man with his mouse circus. Despite warnings from the old ladies and the mice, she decides to find out what exactly is hidden behind a locked, bricked up door that used to lead to another part of the house.

To her horror, on the other side of the door is her 'other mother and father' who have buttons for eyes and do not wish to set her free. With only the help of a talking black cat, she sets out to escape them.

Coraline is dark, scary yet totally unputdownable book from Neil Gaiman. If you liked Garth Nix's Ragwitch, then it would definitely be worth trying Coraline.

Reader reviewed by Kristina Read

Once upon a time there was a girl who lived in a house shared by three families. One family was her own, Mom, Dad, and Coraline. Another family consisted of two older ladies and two very spoiled pure-breed dogs. An old man and his pet mice made up the other family. Yet poor Coraline became very bored over summer break. Mother told her not to go outside, but instead explore the house. So Coraline did. And what she found around the house was much more than a few dust bunnies or lost toys, but rather a whole other world, hidden behind a brick wall, quite like her own except for one thing: the other world seemed much more exciting.

So begins the story of Coraline, a young and valiant explorer who finds herself stuck in new world full of the weird and wonderful, facing strange and haunting characters. Not to mention a performing mouse circus, chocolate eating terriers, a rather helpful cat and a wonderful set of other parents, Other Mother and Other Father, both of which will do just anything to make sure Coraline stays on their side of the brick wall, including replacing her eyes with shiny black buttons. Needless to say, Coralines sensible nature will not allow her to stay with such a pair of obsessive-compulsive parental units, and thus Coralines true adventure begins.
One curious mirror, two bedlams, and a couple of colorful cats eye marbles later, Coraline comes out on top of things, just as we knew she would.

Although oftentimes labeled as a childrens book, Coraline offers more than just a simple story that entertains and mystifies. The book offers room for the reader to explore, but not stray from the story, it also offers room for the reader to wonder and guess without being reprimanded, but instead, they are rewarded for their predictions.

My personal copy of Coraline has passed through basically each of my friends hands, as well as some people Ive overheard saying that there are no good contemporary fiction writers anymore. Both groups returned the book in a little shabbier condition, but also with a humungous smile on their face, letting me know that it was indeed what I said it was. And what exactly did I tell them Coraline was? Basically that she was a perfect reflection of me, in literary form.