Neil Gaiman has done it again. Here is another tale to thrill young readers. Is it dark? Yes. Strange? Yes. But it is also captivating and magical in a way that really great children's books are.

Coraline Jones and her parents have just moved to a new flat. While exploring one day, Coraline discovers a door in the corner of the drawing room--a door that leads to a house just like hers, though it is slightly 'off' and certainly more interesting. She also encounters her 'other' mother and father in this house, who desperately want her to stay in their world, "forever and always." Coraline must summon all her courage and smarts if she is to conquer her fears and the other mother, and return to her boring old life.

Coraline is a wonderful character: smart, brave, and real. Like Nobody Owens in [b:The Graveyard Book|2213661|The Graveyard Book|Neil Gaiman|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1303859949s/2213661.jpg|2219449], Gaiman has crafted another very authentic-feeling child as a main character. The author creates an 'other' world which is frightening and richly described. Readers will feel as if they are right alongside Coraline on her strange journey, discovering these fantastical things with her. (And as a cat lover, I have to say that I loved the fact that a cat was Coraline's "trusty sidekick"!). This is definitely a darker fantasy story, but I would still recommend it to children 9/10 and up. A fascinating and otherworldly read.