Coraline
Strange, surreal tale sure to creep kids out.
Parents say
Based on 23 reviews
Kids say
Based on 100 reviews
Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free.
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Neil Gaiman's Coraline is pretty creepy, and could be disturbing for sensitive kids: The central adventure is about a girl trying to save herself, her parents, and other trapped souls from the Other Mother in a secret world. But this is a good choice for kids who like horror stories -- and whose parents would prefer it be well-written and not too gruesome. Coraline discovers a dark world crawling with rats, spiders, strange creatures, and others spookiness -- but through her creepy adventures she also discovers her own inner bravery. The book was adapted for the 2009 movie Coraline.
Community Reviews
Thrilling.
Report this review
Report this review
What's the Story?
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 in the world through the door -- from the fiendish Other Mother.
Is It Any Good?
Gaiman is well known in the world of adult literature, but this is his first book for children, and 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. Not everything will make sense to young readers, nor will they find the emotional heart that marks children's classics -- but they will find Coraline to be a brave character who uses her smarts to not only save herself, but also others the Other Mother trapped. Plus, the plot rolls along fairly unpredictably -- and with a few good scares. Ultimately, not awe-inspiring, but entertaining enough.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can about scary stories. like Coraline. What makes them fun? Thinking of other chilling tales you've heard, can you think of anything they have in common?
This author often writes for adults, too. What makes a book better suited for a kid or an adult? Do you think both can enjoy Coraline?
What do you think is the scariest part of the story?
Book Details
- Author: Neil Gaiman
- Genre: Horror
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books
- Publication date: April 1, 2004
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 8 - 14
- Number of pages: 162
- Last updated: July 12, 2017
Our Editors Recommend
-
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
A classic that both adults and kids love.
-
Inkheart
Lengthy but rich fantasy great for book-loving tweens.
-
Small Spaces
Tween horror done right: scary, not gory, with some heart.
-
A Wrinkle in Time
Classic sci-fi story still inspires and gets kids thinking.
For kids who love the scary stuff
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate