I enjoyed the movie when I saw it, but the book is better, although a shorter time period. I enjoy Neil Gaiman's adult stories and this has the feel of one his short stories expanded. I don't really agree that this book is violent at all, though there are a few scary moments, and the over all feeling of the book is creepy. Tweens that enjoy the horror genre would get a lot out of this book and it's MUCH better written than most of what's out there in that vein. (Can I tell you how much I despise the Goosebumps books? They're like Harlequin romance novels for kids. Why do we encourage bad writing?)
Coraline
(2004, Fiction - Horror, Written by Neil Gaiman)
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Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Creepy tale isn't for sensitive children.
Themes in this book include: family relationships
updated 01.28.10
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 9–12
The good stuff
What to watch out for
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Role models:
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Violence:
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Sex:
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Language:
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Consumerism:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
This review of Coraline was written by Matt Berman
Parents need to know that this story is pretty creepy -- and certainly not for sensitive children. But it's a good choice for kids who want horror and whose parents would prefer it be well-written and not too gruesome. Coraline's world includes rats, spiders, strange creatures, and other low-level spookiness.
Families Can Talk About
Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
- Families can talk about Coraline's relationship with her parents and the other adults in her life.
- Is Coraline happier in the real world, or in the world she finds on the other side of the 14th door?
- How are the two worlds different?
- Which one would you rather live in?
Have you read it? Review It!
More on Coraline
Book Summary
In Coraline's new house, she discovers a door that sometimes opens onto a brick wall and sometimes doesn't. Venturing through, she discovers a world that mirrors her own, though the mirror is disturbingly distorted. There's more fun and better food, but her parents and neighbors are reflected with troubling differences. Returning to her own home, Coraline finds that her real parents are missing, only appearing in the hallway mirror. With the help of a cat that can talk in the mirror world, Coraline returns to rescue her parents -- as well as the souls of other children that she finds imprisoned there -- from the fiendish Other Mother.
Is It Any Good?
Author Neil Gaiman is well known in the world of adult literature, but this is his first book for children. It's a strange, surrealistic tale, fun for kids who like their stories creepy. The black-and-white illustrations by Dave McKean are correspondingly sinister. But it lacks the emotional heart that marks the best children's books.
Not everything makes sense here, and Coraline is not a character to bring out readers' empathy. But the atmosphere is mildly scary, and the story rolls along fairly unpredictably. It's not an awe-inspiring debut in the children's book world, but it's enjoyable enough.
Publisher’s Details
Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books, Publication date: 4/1/2004
Number of pages: 162, Price: $15.99 (hardcover)
Read Aloud: 9+, Read Alone: 9+
Number of pages: 162, Price: $15.99 (hardcover)
Read Aloud: 9+, Read Alone: 9+
Our Members Say
See all 42 member reviews
Most Recent Reviews
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I rate this title on for age 12 and give it
If you like creepy, this is great!
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I rate this title on for age 11 and give it
- My highlights are:
GREAT!
Loved it. It is very creepy though, so don't read at night. Also younger children should NOT read it. Please wait until at least 10, 11 or 12 preferably. There isn't really any violence or romance, but lots of adventure that will tell kids to "be strong". The pictures also really go with all of the details of the author, so children under the age of 10 should talk to an adult while reading it.
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I rate this title on for age 9 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
Uhhh...
Good book cuz i luv being scared but this book WAS reeeally creepy. coraline is told to sew buttons on her eyes and is locked behind a mirror in a cabinet with ghosts of dead children whos souls have been stolen. goes through a trap door and is almost killed by something like a bald naked fat human body who has been told to kill her. coraline goes back but parents are gone coraline goes chasing after souls and disobeys her parents.
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I rate this title on for age 11 and give it- My concerns are:
- My highlights are:
- Educational
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I rate this title on for age 11 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
I LOOOOOOOOOVED IT!
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Ratings at a Glance
| 33% | of parents say it gives kids positive messages |
| 33% | of parents say it's too violent |
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For Your Family
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