Creepy Coraline

One of my favorite scary stories is Coraline by Neil Gaiman. Usually known for his graphic novels and comic books, Gaiman's storytelling creates vivid imagery and veiled horror.

Coraline moves with her family into a new apartment, part of a large old house that has been divided. She immediately sets off exploring her surroundings, only to discover a locked door in her apartment. With the turn of a key she finds an apartment that looks exactly like her apartment, except for the strange woman in the kitchen. She calls herself Coraline's mother, except this woman has long fingernails, eats beetles, and has buttons for eyes. Coraline must find a way to escape before this "other" mother makes Coraline her "other" daughter.

While definitely creepy, there is nothing explicitly gruesome about this story, just unsettling. Fans of the movie Monster House and The Nightmare Before Christmas will find this an engaging book companion.

Coraline, which is being made into a movie, has its own website and a trailer for the film. The audio book version, which is read by the author, has an accompanying musical score pitch perfect with the story. A fun family read or listen.