August 16, 2009

Coraline by Neil Gaiman


After enjoying Clockwork so much, I picked up Coraline because of Philip Pullman’s endorsement on the front cover - and I was not disappointed. Gaiman introduces Coraline as the lone daughter of two absent-minded parents who often ignore her. When she discovers a hidden door in her apartment, Coraline stumbles into the creepy of her “other mother” who tries to trap Coraline by showering her with attention and love - in return for her soul. Coraline eventually needs to save her real parents from the evil other mother, thus finding happiness within her own ordinary life. Creepy, scary, and thrilling; a bit above most of my readers right now (guided reading level W) but a good goal for winter/spring.

Coraline is also being made into a movie, and a graphic novel version has already been made & released. I previewed the graphic novel online and didn’t agree with the depiction of Coraline, but would be interested to see if it is useful for students who have trouble organizing the plot & characters in their minds.

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