Coraline: the Book

So. When Steve and Mary were on their honeymoon, they entrusted a set of keys to Pete to pick up packages and mail. And so, Pete grabbed Steve's copy of Coraline and The Graveyard Book for us to read.

Um, Coraline is amazing! I blogged about the movie awhile back - when Pete and I saw it opening night - and the book is JUST as good (if not better).

Coraline is a children's book written by Neil Gaiman. So, as it is a children's book, I read it to two five-year-olds (both named Zoe!) when I was at work one day. They LOVED it (as did I) and even the slight creepiness and horror that is there didn't really scare them. The descriptions are fantastic. The writing is superb. It follows the movie pretty closely (which I've always liked in book/movie combinations) and it was nice to have thoughts of certain visuals to go along with the book.

The story begins when Coraline and her family move to an old house that is divided into family flats. Two old movie stars live downstairs, and a man lives upstairs, who trains rats to perform in a circus (or so we read). Coraline loves to explore, and as her parents ignore her more and more, she follows a tiny door into another dimension - one where magic happens! One where her parents pay attention to her! A dimension where her old lady neighbors are young again and perform for an audience of doggies! The thing is - all the people here have buttons for eyes.

She switches back and forth between real life and extraordinary life, before she gets trapped with her "other mother" and "other father", after her REAL parents have been kidnapped. What happens, you ask? Well, you'll just have to read.

It's short - only like 150 pages, maybe - and it's just amazing. I would highly recommend this book, regardless of your age or whether or not you've seen the movie.

PS: I started reading The Graveyard Book. Also a children's story, it's a lot creepier than Coraline. I'm about halfway done. Keep you updated!