This is Gaiman’s ( American Gods, 2001, etc.) first novel for children, and the author of the Sandman graphic novels here shows a sure sense of a child’s fears-and the child’s ability to overcome those fears. A drawing-room door that opens onto a brick wall becomes a natural magnet for the curious little girl, and she is only half-surprised when, one day, the door opens onto a hallway and Coraline finds herself in a skewed mirror of her own flat, complete with skewed, button-eyed versions of her own parents. 8-12)Ī magnificently creepy fantasy pits a bright, bored little girl against a soul-eating horror that inhabits the reality right next door.Ĭoraline’s parents are loving, but really too busy to play with her, so she amuses herself by exploring her family’s new flat. A skewed amalgam of Wayside Stories and Wimpy Kid that is sure to please fans of both. The stories are presented in a different typeface from Harvey’s comments and Tommy’s, and the whole is designed to look like a battered journal, crinkled paper and all. The arch and dry (and sometimes slapstick) humor of Angleberger’s first will keep the pages turning. Though Tommy’s not forthcoming, it’s pretty easy to guess what he’s uncertain about, but it’s never easy to guess the next twist in this kooky charmer of a Cyrano mystery tale. Yoda counsels students on everything from American Idol outcomes to overcoming fear of softball failure to what to do when you get a little water stain on your pants in just the wrong place. Tommy’s friend Harvey, a skeptic, comments on each story, and another friend, Kellen, illustrates. Tommy compiles this case file, written by himself and other students who have benefited (or not) from Dwight/Yoda’s help, in an attempt to decide. Sixth grader Tommy has a dilemma: He doesn’t know whether to trust the advice of Origami Yoda, who dispenses wisdom from his perch on the finger of mega-nerd Dwight.
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