Another one bites the dust. But this time, it isn't completely my fault as I'm usually not this fast of a reader. Coraline is only about 160-some pages long and it is intended for a younger audience. But it was written by Neil Gaiman so for that reason alone I say that it should be on everyone's reading list.
Coraline is about a little girl named ... well, you know. She is at that point of summer break where you have read all the books, watched all the TV you can stand and even outside adventure doesn't hold the same fascination. Her new neighbors are odd and she suspects, a little crazy. One afternoon, she discovers a door that opens up to a brick wall. Later, when she opens it again, it leads to another apartment just like her own with an Other Mother and an Other Father. They want her to stay and be their little girl. They will love her, play with her and give her everything she ever wanted. When Coraline says no, the Other Mother parent-naps her real parents and she now has to fight to free them and herself from the evil woman's clutches.
This book was so cool. It had moments that were so super creepy that I couldn't imagine reading it to any kid under the age of 12. There were also moments so beautiful and engaging that make you want to read it over and over again. Coraline as a character rang very true to me. She was a smart kid but with a few bratty tendencies and I don't mean that in a bad way. It is just the natural way they deal with the whole growing up situation we were all forced to go through. Any kid that is written all saccharine, charming and self-sacrificing has not spent enough time around children. Plus it had a cool cat. I've been around so many dog people for so long that I'd forgotten how cool cats can be. (I really should revisit my Tanya Huff books.)
Anyway, as you can tell, I liked it. Loved it. Highly recommend to everyone. Some younger kids might find it scary but if they can read Harry Potter, they will have no problems with this one.
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