About the Author

Neil Gaiman is the New York Times bestselling and multi-award winning author and creator of many beloved books, graphic novels, short stories, film, television and theatre for all ages. He is the recipient of the Newbery and Carnegie Medals, and many Hugo, Nebula, World Fantasy, and Will Eisner Awards. Neil has adapted many of his works to television series, including Good Omens (co-written with Terry Pratchett) and The Sandman. He is a Goodwill Ambassador for the UN Refugee Agency UNHCR and Professor in the Arts at Bard College. For a lot more about his work, please visit: https: //www.neilgaiman.com/

P. Craig Russell lives in Kent, Ohio, and has spent forty years producing graphic novels, comic books, and illustrations. He is well-known for his graphic novel adaptations of Neil Gaiman's Coraline and Sandman: The Dream Hunters, as well as his Fairy Tales of Oscar Wilde series. His work ranges from such mainstream titles as Batman, Star Wars, and Conan to adaptations of classic operas and a Jungle Book series. He has won several Harvey and Eisner Awards.

Reviews

"A virtuoso adaptation...a master of fantastical landscapes, Russell sharpens the realism of his imagery, preserving the humanity of the characters and heightening the horror, even as Gaiman's concise storytelling ratchets up the eeriness." -- Booklist (starred review)"A deliciously dark graphic adaptation of Gaiman's modern classic...sure to delight established fans and to mesmerize newcomers." -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review)"This adaptation of Neil Gaiman's novel reads as though it were intended for the graphic novel format in the first place.... Russell's illustrations suit the tone of the story perfectly. -- School Library Journal (starred review)"This graphic novel is as dark, creepy, and brilliant as anything out there." -- Chicago Tribune

One of the most horrifying worlds brought to print appears in Neil Gaiman's children's book Coraline (Perennial: Harper-Collins. 2006. ISBN 978-0-06-113937-6. pap. $12.95). When Coraline explores her family's new home, she discovers a doorway to a world almost identical to her own but with some startling differences. Everything there is the mirror of her old life, including her parents-except for their paper white skin and black button eyes. Does Coraline have the power to escape her horrid "other mother" and return to her normal life? And what will she find waiting for her there? Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information.

Gr 6-8-When Coraline and her parents move into a new house, she notices a mysterious, closed-off door. It originally went to another part of the house, which her family does not own. Some rather eccentric neighbors call her Caroline and seem not to understand her very well, yet they have information for her that will later prove vital. Bored, she investigates the door, which takes her into an alternate reality. There she meets her "other" mother and father. They are very nice to her, which pleases Coraline but also makes her a little suspicious. Her neighbors are in this other world, and they are the same, yet somehow different. When Coraline gets nervous and returns home, her parents are gone. With the help of a talking cat, she figures out that they are being held prisoner by her other parents, as are the souls of some long-lost children. Coraline's plan to rescue them involves, among other things, making a risky bargain with her other mother whose true nature is beginning to show. The rest of the story is a suspense-filled roller coaster, and the horror is all the more frightening for being slightly understated. A droll humor is present in some of the scenes, and the writing is simple yet laden with foreboding. The story is odd, strange, even slightly bizarre, but kids will hang on every word. Coraline is a character with whom they will surely identify, and they will love being frightened out of their shoes. This is just right for all those requests for a scary book.-Bruce Anne Shook, Mendenhall Middle School, Greensboro, NC Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

"A virtuoso adaptation...a master of fantastical landscapes, Russell sharpens the realism of his imagery, preserving the humanity of the characters and heightening the horror, even as Gaiman's concise storytelling ratchets up the eeriness." -- Booklist (starred review)"A deliciously dark graphic adaptation of Gaiman's modern classic...sure to delight established fans and to mesmerize newcomers." -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review)"This adaptation of Neil Gaiman's novel reads as though it were intended for the graphic novel format in the first place.... Russell's illustrations suit the tone of the story perfectly. -- School Library Journal (starred review)"This graphic novel is as dark, creepy, and brilliant as anything out there." -- Chicago Tribune