Coraline

Jul 04, 2008 Cara Marie rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: comic

My rating here is for the graphic novel as an adapation, rather than for the story itself. I should probably stop reading comic adaptions of Neil Gaiman's books, because they never seem to really sing.

Part of it is how this is a very straight adaptation - I would have preferred it to have relied less on the boxes of text narrative, which seem to generally be taken straight from the book. The comic doesn't do anything other than what the book does, which I find disappointing in an adaptation. I'd...more

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Jul 20, 2008 Karin rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: youngadult, graphic-novels, 2008-reads

I was extremely excited when I saw the Coraline in graphic novel form. When the book first came out I totally fell in love with it. For a children’s book, it was completely frightening. The graphic novel does a great job of hitting the high points of the story and the illustrations are great, but I don’t think it should be used as a replacement for the original book. The illustrations that are in the book publication are even creepier than the color illustrations in the graphic novel. For exampl...more

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Jul 21, 2008 Robin rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: those who like quirky graphic novels

Shelves: graphic-novels, 2008-list

This is the second graphic novel adaptation of a young adult novel that I've read recently. The first was Artemis Fowl which I liked and now this one. Oddly enough the written version of Coraline seemed much darker to me than this version so as much as I liked it, I didn't think it was as creepy and disturbing as the original.

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Jan 05, 2009 Eli rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: comics

Good story; adaptation was a big disappointment. P. Craig Russell has done some great comics, and at worst he still draws a very pretty picture, but this was mostly flat and literal-minded. The characters aren't very expressive (Coraline, who looks about 15 and very conventionally pretty, often just seems bored and mildly worried) and, with a few exceptions, the backgrounds aren't either... so it's hard to tell why Coraline would ever think the other house or the Other Mother was particularly co...more

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Apr 08, 2008 Monica Edinger rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fairytale

I think Coraline looks too old and it is (as someone else noted here) creepier. The original has very scary illustrations, but not many.

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Jun 02, 2012 Sam Ang rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: comics, fantasy, horror

The full article of the review is available here:
http://bookunderthesun.blogspot.sg/20...

Well, I guess everyone will have the same impression as I did the first time I read the title - "Shouldn't it be Caroline? Must be some typo there." And that is the same response people gave her.

Young Coraline was not happy with her life despite the fact that she was only a kid. The adults around her acted a little weird sometimes, making her the more mature one in her mind and she felt bored about that. Her...more The full article of the review is available here:
http://bookunderthesun.blogspot.sg/20...

Well, I guess everyone will have the same impression as I did the first time I read the title - "Shouldn't it be Caroline? Must be some typo there." And that is the same response people gave her.

Young Coraline was not happy with her life despite the fact that she was only a kid. The adults around her acted a little weird sometimes, making her the more mature one in her mind and she felt bored about that. Her parents worked all day in front of the computer and nobody played with her. The fact that people kept calling her 'Caroline' didn't help much either, making her felt more that adults were stupid.

So when she found the door which usually opened to a brick wall opened to the Other World, with the Other Mother and Other Father on that side, she was quite surprised. The Other World was much fun than this original one, and everyone remembered her name as 'Coraline'; this world was her dream come true, since what she wished for at her world did happen in this world.

Of course, she still longed for her own world and her own parents, but her parents were missing when she returned to her own world. The Other World did not look as friendly then, since she found out later that, with all her sweetness, the Other Mother will discard her once she is not interested in her anymore. Coraline will had to muster all her intelligence, courage and will to get past the Other Mother, get back her parents and go back home in one piece.

The story is quite simple, yet a master writer like Neil Gaiman turned it into quite an adventure, even if this is meant for kids. The plot is straightforward, yet I enjoyed the way it was presented. Young Coraline is very intelligent for her age, and in the story she had to face horrors to get to her destination. She observed her environment and took note of things, and she solved them in ways that were simple yet slightly ingenious, ways that only a kid will think of, which one of the reasons for me to love Coraline.(less)

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Oct 28, 2011 Megan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: artsy-fartsy, childrens-and-ya, reviewed

Wow. I skimmed through some other reviews after finishing this and a lot of people really don't like the graphic novel version of this book. I've never read the novel version so I can't compare the two myself but I guess I can understand how a reader might not want or agree with someone else's artistic interpretation of a beloved story since we all take something different from them. I have seen the film version though and I have to agree with those other reviewers that I preferred the darker, g...more

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Jul 27, 2009 Sylvia rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: comic-manga-graphic-novel

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Sepotong kisah di acara kopdar GR II

MC 1: Acara yang kita semua tunggu-tunggu, yaitu launching novel grafis karya Neil Gaiman...

MC 2: Coraline!

MC 1: Kita dengarkan rekan kita yang akan membaca potongan kisah Coraline

(Lita membacakan potongan kisah dari novel grafis Coraline)

MC 2: Tepuk tangan dong untuk Lita

MC 1: Kini saatnya kuis yang akan memperebutkan lima copies novel grafis Coraline

MC 2: Kita panggilkan Indri untuk memberikan kuis

MC 1 (menyerahkan mic ke Indri dan berkata pada MC 2): Maaf y...more Sepotong kisah di acara kopdar GR II

MC 1: Acara yang kita semua tunggu-tunggu, yaitu launching novel grafis karya Neil Gaiman...

MC 2: Coraline!

MC 1: Kita dengarkan rekan kita yang akan membaca potongan kisah Coraline

(Lita membacakan potongan kisah dari novel grafis Coraline)

MC 2: Tepuk tangan dong untuk Lita

MC 1: Kini saatnya kuis yang akan memperebutkan lima copies novel grafis Coraline

MC 2: Kita panggilkan Indri untuk memberikan kuis

MC 1 (menyerahkan mic ke Indri dan berkata pada MC 2): Maaf ya partner, gw mo ikutan kuis. Loe kerja deh sendiri yaaa...

Dan MC 1 pun ikut bergabung bersama peserta kopdar dan berhasil mendapatkan satu copy. Betapa senangnyaaa...!

--

Membaca Coraline dalam bentuk novel grafis (sebut komik aja deh) dibanding dengan membaca novelnya tentu saja beda. Terlebih lagi di komik tergambar ilustrasi yang memukau yang membuat komik ini menjadi makin menarik.

Kisah dimulai dengan kebosanan Coraline yang tak menemukan apapun yang bisa dia lakukan. Terlebih lagi sejak hujan mulai turun, dia makin tak bisa keluar rumah, mengekplorasi dan menjelajah sekeliling rumahnya. Maka Coraline menjelajah seisi rumahnya dan menemukan sebuah pintu. Pintu yang tak menuju kemana-mana karena tertutup tembok. Namun suatu malam tembok di pintu itu hilang, terlihatlah sebuah lorong gelap yang menuju ke sebuah rumah yang sama persis seperti rumahnya.

Di dalam rumah itu bahkan ada ayah dan ibu yang mirip dengan orang tuanya, hanya saja mata mereka bukan mata biasa, melainkan kancing hitam besar (kok bisa-bisanya Coraline nggak takut ya? Kalo gw sih udah ngibrit pasti). Anyway, perlakuan ayah ibu bermata kancing itu sangat berbeda dengan perlakuan kedua orang tuanya yang asli. Mereka begitu perhatian dan sayang padanya. Tidak seperti kedua orang tua aslinya yang tidak peduli padanya.

Coraline diminta untuk tinggal di rumah itu, namun Coraline menolak dan kembali ke rumah aslinya. Namun ternyata sesampainya di rumah, kedua orang tua aslinya tak ada lagi disana. Coraline pun dengan keberanian setinggi gunung, kembali ke rumah orang tuanya yang bermata kancing untuk mencari kedua orang tua aslinya. Beruntung Coraline ditemani seekor kucing hitam, karena ternyata kucing itu cukup banyak membantunya dalam petualangannya di negeri aneh tersebut.

Ternyata selain jiwa ayah ibu aslinya yang diculik, ada juga jiwa ketiga anak kecil yang ditawan oleh si ibu bermata kancing. Coraline pun berusaha menyelamatkan mereka. Lumayan seru juga ketika Coraline menatap lewat batu berlubang dan bisa menemukan jiwa-jiwa yang disembunyikan tersebut.

Apakah COraline akan berhasil dalam usahanya tersebut? Tentu saja dia berhasil! Kalo nggak kan judulnya pasti KEGAGALAN CORALINE :p Tapi yang seru diikuti adalah bagaimana Coraline bisa menyelesaikan tugasnya dan bagaimana cara dia melarikan diri dari cengkraman si ibu bermata kancing itu. Ada satu pertanyaan Coraline yang tak terjawab oleh si kucing, "Sebenarnya dia itu makhluk apa sih?" Ada yang bisa jawab? :) *bukan, ini bukan kuis berhadiah Coraline* :p

Eh, eh, tapi setelah baca novel dan komiknya, jadi pengen nonton filmnya yaa... *bergegas menuju lapak vcd*(less)

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Jun 28, 2009 Suryati rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: komik, novel

Sambil nunggu anakku main game di Timezone aku ke toko buku Gramedia dan tertarik Grafik Novel Coraline, karena berupa grafik novel jadi dalam waktu sebentar akhirnya tamat. Ini satu-satunya buku yang pernah kubaca sampai selesai di toko buku dan tidak perlu dibeli.

Bukunya sendiri berkisah tentang seorang anak perempuan yang bernama Coraline yang baru pindah rumah dan harus menyesuaikan diri dengan lingkungannya. Coraline bukan Caroline, koreksi terhadap tetangganya yang selalu salah menyebutkan...more

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Sep 03, 2008 Shippseattle rated it 4 of 5 stars

I read the print novel and I'm now reading the graphic novel Coraline lives with her preoccupied parents in part of a huge old house--a house so huge that other people live in it, too... round, old former actr...more [close] Coraline lives with her preoccupied parents in part of a huge old house--a house so huge that other people live in it, too... round, old former actresses Miss Spink and Miss Forcible and their aging Highland terriers ("We trod the boards, luvvy") and the mustachioed old man...more I read the print novel and I'm now reading the graphic novel Coraline lives with her preoccupied parents in part of a huge old house--a house so huge that other people live in it, too... round, old former actr...more [close] Coraline lives with her preoccupied parents in part of a huge old house--a house so huge that other people live in it, too... round, old former actresses Miss Spink and Miss Forcible and their aging Highland terriers ("We trod the boards, luvvy") and the mustachioed old man under the roof ("'The reason you cannot see the mouse circus,' said the man upstairs, 'is that the mice are not yet ready and rehearsed.'") Coraline contents herself for weeks with exploring the vast garden and grounds. But with a little rain she becomes bored--so bored that she begins to count everything blue (153), the windows (21), and the doors (14). And it is the 14th door that--sometimes blocked with a wall of bricks--opens up for Coraline into an entirely alternate universe. Now, if you're thinking fondly of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe or Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, you're on the wrong track. Neil Gaiman's Coraline is far darker, far stranger, playing on our deepest fears. And, like Roald Dahl's work, it is delicious.
What's on the other side of the door? A distorted-mirror world, containing presumably everything Coraline has ever dreamed of... people who pronounce her name correctly (not "Caroline"), delicious meals (not like her father's overblown "recipes"), an unusually pink and green bedroom (not like her dull one), and plenty of horrible (very un-boring) marvels, like a man made out of live rats. The creepiest part, however, is her mirrored parents, her "other mother" and her "other father"--people who look just like her own parents, but with big, shiny, black button eyes, paper-white skin... and a keen desire to keep her on their side of the door. To make creepy creepier, Coraline has been illustrated masterfully in scritchy, terrifying ink drawings by British mixed-media artist and Sandman cover illustrator Dave McKean. This delightful, funny, haunting, scary as heck, fairy-tale novel is about as fine as they come. Highly recommended. (Ages 11 and older) --Karin Snelson [close]

date added 09-28-07 edit book

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Oct 24, 2011 Kat rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, graphic-novels-comic-books, fantasy, tweens-and-teens

Basic plot: Coraline is largely overlooked by her parents and ends up in a parallel world where her "other mother" is overly interested in Coraline.

Ah, the basic problem of being a kid: either your parents aren't interested enough or are too interested. This is one of the paradoxes of parenting. Finding a happy medium is nigh impossible.

The art for the graphic novel is good, but not mind-blowing. After having seen the movie, the art really threw me off. Nothing looked the same at all (not that t...more

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Oct 27, 2011 Claudia rated it 5 of 5 stars

Coraline was just an ordinary girl. When she moves into her new house, she is surprised to find a door leading to nowhere. Or so she thinks. During the night, Coraline finds that behind the door, is the same world she lives in. But when she finds her parents, they are nothing like her real parents. Her mother ,with the button eyes, claims to be her other mother and the world Coraline has just been exposed to is the other world as well as everything and every person
in it is "the other" somethin...more Coraline was just an ordinary girl. When she moves into her new house, she is surprised to find a door leading to nowhere. Or so she thinks. During the night, Coraline finds that behind the door, is the same world she lives in. But when she finds her parents, they are nothing like her real parents. Her mother ,with the button eyes, claims to be her other mother and the world Coraline has just been exposed to is the other world as well as everything and every person
in it is "the other" something. Coraline enjoys her stays in the other world with the other mother and other father. It's all fun, food, and games for little Coraline, but a black cat appears and starts giving her hints and clues of the real meaning behind why the other mother really wants her there. After a show with the other Ms.Spink and the other Ms.Forcible, her other parents tell her that if she wants she can live in the other world with her other parents forever. But there is one condition; Coraline has to have buttons sewed into her eyes. Coraline tries to runaway from the situation the, but the other mother traps her in the closet like room behind the mirror in her other house. It's there that she meets the ghosts children and discovers the other mother's dirty secret. Coraline manages to escape the room and the other world, but when she returns to her real world, her parents aren't there. She and the black cat then set off knowing where Coraline's parents are. The black cat advices Coraline to challenge the other mother adding that she may not play fair but she will not resist. So Coraline follows along with the advice given to her and The other mother plays. Coraline has to find the eyes of each of the three ghost children and find her parents. Thankfully she accomplishes finding the three children's eyes ,but even though she knows where her parents are trapped, the ghosts alert her that even if she finds her parents, the other mother wont let her go. So Coraline thinks and finds a way to escape and thankfully she and the black cat escape. Coraline finally sets the ghosts childrens spirits free and throws away the key that unlocks the door putting everything to an end.(less)

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Jul 20, 2009 Sam rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: comic-and-graphic, childhood-adventour

wwuuiihh,
karena bacanya pake misi: tengah malam, pake lilin, ditemani coffee au lait plus doughnuts plus masi agak plu.. yasud, kepala sambil berdenyut2..

tp ceritanya tetep bagus,
memang ga semenyeramkan itu.. if only i were still 9 y.o kayak CORALINE (yg di buku ini namanya salah terus di-spell sama tetangga sekelilingnya). Tapi ilustrasi dan cerita yang cukup, ga berlebihan merupakan gambaran fantasi yang ga norak.. mata kunci cukup ko membuat aq mendelik ;p klo ajah si ibu yang satunya lagi de...more

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Apr 06, 2009 N. rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I'm not sure if I can properly write a review for this book because I first watched the animation and loved the visual aspect of the film so much that I don't think anything else can compare. I'm curious about reading the actual novel rather than this graphic novel. I had thought that it was a graphic novel originally, which is why I had gotten this book. I had wanted to go straight to the source of the author, but instead got another interpretation by another visual artist on the story, so, of...more

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Jan 10, 2010 Mia Queen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: kids-just-wanna-have-some-fun, graphic-novel

“Kau betul tidak paham, ya? Aku tidak mau semuanya terkabul. Tak ada yang mau begitu. Apa asyiknya kalau aku punya semua yang kuinginkan? Semudah itu, dan itu semua tidak berarti apa-apa. Sesudah itu apa ya?”

Kalimat yang paling memorable dari novel grafis yang saya baca siang ini. Fiuh, stress juga 2 kali dalam minggu ini baca novel grafis, keduanya memiliki sisi gelap dan lucunya kedua memiliki nilai yang kuat.

Saya nonton filmnya dulu sih, baru baca novelnya, dan keduanya memuaskan. Bikin meri...more

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Feb 20, 2008 Bill rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: gn-elem, gn-middle-hs, fantasy

A graphic novel version of the well-known horror novel in which a young girl's work-absorbed parents go missing, and she discovers a parallel universe inhabited by her other-mother (truly evil), other-father, nasty rats that do other-mother's bidding, and a talking cat. P. Craig Russell's adaptation has the right tone for upper elementary and middle school readers—very creepy but not terrifying. Also, his panel designs and panel flow should present a fresh and thoughtful style that will engage a...more

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Dec 07, 2008 Jess rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Gaimon fans who love graphic novels, kids who can handle 5th grade horror

Recommended to Jess by: the novel version

Shelves: z_08, horror, juniors, graphic-novel

Coraline, an often bored girl with an affinity for exploring, finds an other world--complete with an Other Mother, Other Father, Other house, and sort forth--behind a room door previously sealed by bricks.

I didn't like it as much as the novel version, but I rarely like graphic novel version of books better. Oddly enough, it didn't feel as creepy as the novel illustrated by Dave Mckean. I chalk this up to the difference between shank and four hole buttons. Don't get me wrong - this is still a ten...more

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May 07, 2013 Erin Boyington rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, horror, graphic-novels, y-a

The Story:
The Other Mother is a better version of Coraline's real mother, with one key difference: she has buttons for eyes, and she wants to make Coraline just like her.

Coraline is one of my favorite children's books: it's one of the most deliciously sinister horror stories I've ever read, and there is zero gore. Gaiman is the master of dark fantasy, and this book deserves a place with the classics. Coraline becomes a true heroine as her courage and ingenuity are tested by her attempts to outwi...more

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May 03, 2013 Faith K rated it 4 of 5 stars

I am currently reading the graphic novel Coraline by Neil Gaiman. In this book I am focusing on the main character, Coraline. In the book Coraline feels sad and frustrated because she had to move away from her friends and family. Inside Coraline feels trapped and lonely. The only friend she has is a cat. Not any cat, but a talking cat. She has weird old neighbors and no one to play with or hang out with. Her parents are hard and very strict. On day she finds a door. She finds it mysterious and b...more

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Apr 26, 2013 Jonathan Kieran rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

I had been idly hunting the graphic novel adaptation of Gaiman's 'Coraline' for a few years, content to let it be more of a casual treasure hunt than an "immediate satisfaction" buy-it-now-get-it-in-two-days Amazon experience. Sometimes, it's a lot of fun to do that with certain books; lingering denial only increases the sense of magic and allure. Finally I discovered the adaptation in a little indie bookshop that featured an impressive collection of graphic novels. What a treat! Though the stor...more

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Mar 20, 2013 Madison Gervais rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic-novel, picture-book, chapter-book, science-fiction

Annotation

This is book is a graphic novel about a girl named Coraline who has just moved into a new home along with her parents. Just like every other child as soon as they moved in Coraline chose to explore the house and open every door. Coraline however never expected to find what she ended up finding. Behind a door in her house was another house just like the one she lived in, only a little bit better. There was a mother and a father there, they cooked great food and she had hundreds of toys...more

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Feb 07, 2013 Al rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Coraline discovered the door a little after they moved into the house.

When Coraline steps through a door in her family's new house, she finds another house strangely similar to her own (only better). But there's another mother there and another father, and they want her to stay and be their little girl. They want to change her and never let her go.

Acclaimed artist P. Craig Russell brings Neil Gaiman's enchanting, nationally bestselling children's book Coraline to new life in this gorgeously il

...more

Coraline discovered the door a little after they moved into the house.

When Coraline steps through a door in her family's new house, she finds another house strangely similar to her own (only better). But there's another mother there and another father, and they want her to stay and be their little girl. They want to change her and never let her go.

Acclaimed artist P. Craig Russell brings Neil Gaiman's enchanting, nationally bestselling children's book Coraline to new life in this gorgeously illustrated graphic novel adaptation.

From School Library Journal

Starred Review. Grade 6-8–This adaptation of Neil Gaiman's novel (HarperCollins, 2002) reads as though it were intended for the graphic novel format in the first place. Insatiably curious Coraline is an explorer dedicated to discovering everything she can about the area around her family's new home. When she comes upon a door in their flat that seems to go nowhere, enters an alternate world that at first is full of interesting things and delicious foods–everything that she has longed for. However, the dangerous creature there–called the other mother– intends to keep her forever. After Coraline's parents are kidnapped into the other world, she sets off on a mission to rescue them. Russell's illustrations suit the tone of the story perfectly, from the horrific black button eyes of the people in the other world to Coraline's very telling facial expressions. The style is realistic, which makes the moments when the other world loses its solidity even more eerie. The pacing never lags, and Coraline's transformation into a girl who understands that having everything you want is the least interesting thing of all is natural. For readers who enjoyed the novel, Coraline is sure to complement their reading experience. Those who come to the book first as a graphic novel will be just as captivated.–Alana Abbott, James Blackstone Memorial Library, Branford, CT
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Starred Review Russell, a 35-year veteran of comics and frequent collaborator with Gaiman, offers an adaptation of Gaiman’s 2002 novel Coraline (illustrated by Dave McKean), a tale of childhood nightmares. As in the original story, Coraline wanders around her new house and discovers a door leading into a mirror place, where she finds her button-eyed “other mother,” who is determined to secure Coraline’s love one way or another. This version is a virtuoso adaptation, streamlining passages that function best in prose and visually highlighting parts that benefit most from the graphic form. A master of fantastical landscapes, Russell sharpens the realism of his imagery, preserving the humanity of the characters and heightening horror, even as Gaiman’s concise storytelling ratchets up the eeriness. The adaptation loses none of Coraline’s original character; she’s clever, resourceful, intrepid, and highly determined when it comes to doing what must be done. Comics fans will delight in this version, and readers familiar with the previous book will greatly appreciate the opportunity to explore the story in a successful new way. Grades 4-7. --Jesse Karp

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Dec 01, 2012 Blair rated it 4 of 5 stars

Genre: Graphic Novel

Summary: Coraline discovers a secret door in her new house that transports her to another world where a mother and father want to change her and keep her there forever. Coraline must fight to save her true identity and return to her normal life.

Critique: A. Format of text
B. This story was told through using text boxes inside pictures and dialogue bubbles throughout. I thought it was very interesting how the text in this story was displayed and it made it very easy to read be...more

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Mar 20, 2013 Anthony Mitchell rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: graphic-novel-modren-fantasy

Summary: This graphic novel is a journey in the mind of a young girl named Coraline(not Caroline). She takes an 'Alice in Wonderland' journey through an adjacent room of a large house that is suppose to be blocked off by bricks. Once she magically enters this room she finds an alternate universe with another mom and dad and neighbors. The catch is her parents have buttons for eyes, and her alternate mom is really creepy. As Coraline struggles between the real world and her alternate one,she begi...more Summary: This graphic novel is a journey in the mind of a young girl named Coraline(not Caroline). She takes an 'Alice in Wonderland' journey through an adjacent room of a large house that is suppose to be blocked off by bricks. Once she magically enters this room she finds an alternate universe with another mom and dad and neighbors. The catch is her parents have buttons for eyes, and her alternate mom is really creepy. As Coraline struggles between the real world and her alternate one,she begins to talk to spirits of lost souls and a talking cat, who guide her in a journey to find her real parents and get back to the real world.

Response: Although this book is the same format and somewhat genre as 'Stitches',I did not enjoy it as much as 'Stitches'. Coraline wasn't as real for me as 'Stitches'. Both books had the same theme, which was a child misunderstood by their family and using there imagination to cope with loneliness.
The main character in 'Coraline' seemed be less troubled than the David character in 'Stitches'. From reading the background information in 'Stitches' it is apparent that 'Stitches' was based on the real life events of the author. 'Coraline' might of been based on some child's vivid imagination and family interactions,but that is not explained in the book. I noticed how in the first few pages of the graphic novel,Coraline keeps stating,"It's Coraline,Not Caroline,CORALINE!". This leads her to wonder on page 22,...'Caroline wondered why so few of the adults she had met made any sense and who they thought they were talking too'. The first thing Coraline noticed once she went into the other world was....'The people on the other side of the doorway pronounced her name correctly.'.

Classroom Connection: The best reading strategy for this graphic novel is a group setting with a teacher serving as a moderator/facilitator to guide the students through the text. Several panels don't have dialogue, and with guided assistance, the student could be encourage to add their interpretation of the events and ask the teacher about those panels that were confusing. I would have my students pick out a scene with no dialogue and add their own.

CCSS range of text complexity: Interest grade level is 4th to 8th,according to teachingbooks.net and Lexile measure is 740L. For students in 4th to 5th grade I would suggest some assistance with the book but not much. Unlike the other graphic novel I read,'Stitches',this graphic novel does not have the sensitive subject matter or in your face serious issues that would require adult supervision. Scholastic.com has the Interest level at grade 6 and Grade equivalent of 5.2.
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Nov 28, 2012 Ross rated it 4 of 5 stars

It may sound like heresy, but I found this graphic novel more satisfying than "World's End." Particularly as the story was less epic in scope and had a greater sense of relevance and immediacy. The "realistic" style of the comics artwork, which makes Coraline look like a teenager, is a great departure from the style used for the children's story (as well as the movie.) All these changes made this seem more like a "lost" chapter of "Sandman"—only without the trademark characters and with a genuin...more It may sound like heresy, but I found this graphic novel more satisfying than "World's End." Particularly as the story was less epic in scope and had a greater sense of relevance and immediacy. The "realistic" style of the comics artwork, which makes Coraline look like a teenager, is a great departure from the style used for the children's story (as well as the movie.) All these changes made this seem more like a "lost" chapter of "Sandman"—only without the trademark characters and with a genuinely likeable human heroine.

I cannot stress how important it is to like the main character in what is, after all, a horror story. The audience is not as likely to yell "Don't go down that hallway! Don't open that door!" if the main character is not someone you care about. I think Gaiman took greater pains to make us like Coraline than he did with the (by and large) disaffected youths who appear in the "Sandman" series.

Which leads to the old saw, "WHY THE HELL DO THEY STAY IN THE HAUNTED HOUSE?" In the case of Coraline Jones the answer seems to be that Gaiman's character is a little more fearless than the average victim. She does not even appear afraid (just mildly curious) when she finds out that rats are hiding out upstairs. Her apparent lack of fear does NOT, however, keep "Coraline" from coming across as a genuinely creepy read.

If I have a complaint, and it's a fairly major complaint, though, it's that the color scheme seems all wrong for the subject matter. In the comic muted colors clash with bright greens and pinks (actually alluded to in the novel.) in a way that is queasy but does not really serve the author's vision. Though these are not primary colors they do not evoke a dark and creepy mood. All I can say is that the colorist was trying to do something different.

FINAL NOTE : The graphics novelization seems, by and large, to be an improvement on the children's film version. Not only does it obviously play to an older audience, but the annoying character of Wybie, who wasn't even in Gaiman's novel, has been eliminated. By doing without Wybie the focus of the story falls squarely on Coraline, who is more than capable of carrying the entire story herself. She remains one of the quirkier characters in horror literature, (this side of Clive Barker) at least in recent memory.(less)

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May 05, 2013 Alex rated it 4 of 5 stars

It turns out there’s almost no version of Coraline that doesn't win over its audience. The story works perfectly as a graphic novel, perhaps because Russell is such a broad talent. The original was great, the movie was pretty good as well, but the graphic novel is awesome. It’s still wonderfully exotic, fun, creepy, and just a little bit subversive. Perfect for kids and adults.

The Graphic Novel is a very entertaining read that I had trouble putting down. I think Gaiman has a wonderful imaginati...more

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Nov 04, 2012 Courtney rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: odu-libs

Genre: Graphic Novel
Summary: This adaptation of Coraline brings new life through panels and speech bubbles. This graphic novel beautifully illustrates this fun adventure that Coraline finds when walking through a door she finds in her families new house. After meeting her other mother and other father, she must fight to return to her old life.

Critique:
a. The area of comment is the organization of the panels and speech/thought bubbles to create a visually pleasing story.
b. Coraline is an exciting...more Genre: Graphic Novel
Summary: This adaptation of Coraline brings new life through panels and speech bubbles. This graphic novel beautifully illustrates this fun adventure that Coraline finds when walking through a door she finds in her families new house. After meeting her other mother and other father, she must fight to return to her old life.

Critique:
a. The area of comment is the organization of the panels and speech/thought bubbles to create a visually pleasing story.
b. Coraline is an exciting story of a girl who finds another world, but in this graphic novel, the reader is able to follow along with this story as you move from panel to panel. Russel successfully creates a visual story that is easy to follow as the organization makes it easy to know which panel is next because your eye seems to just move to the right place as you follow along. The speech bubbles are also in an orderly fashion that allows the reader to read in the correct order without getting lost.
c. Coraline is stuck between two worlds and the illustrations do an amazing job in showing the differences between the two. For example, when Coraline is with her other mother and father, the illustations are much darker than when she is back home. On page 27, Coraline has not yet opened the door at this point and the illustrations are very bright. On page 28, she unlocks the door. It is at this point that the illustrations get very dark, creating a darker tone, which lets the reader know that something is about to happen.

Curriculum Connection:
Graphic novels are great books to get elementary students excited about reading. Coraline would be a great book for 3rd and 4th graders. I would love to introduce this book to promote visual literacy in the classroom. After reading this novel, a great activity would be to have students create their own graphic novel about their life. It would promote visual literacy and help students learn about different types of novels while practicing with framing and speech bubbles.
(less)

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Jul 15, 2009 e.c.h.a rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: komik-manga-manhwa-novel-grafis, koleksi-teman, fiksi, fantasi

Whooa merinding kok syerem..........Gk nyangka gw ni buku bikin gw merinding. Baca malem-malem, eh pas gambar "Ibu satunya" langsung berenti, tutup buku lanjut besok pas terang hahahaha Yang bikin serem gambar apa ceritanya ya? Kayanya dua-duanya mendukung deh.

Gk bisa bandingin dengan novel & filmnya karena gw belum baca novelnya & belum nonton.

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Mar 03, 2013 Nadia Gonzalez rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: graphic-novel, picture-book, chapter-book, science-fiction

Summary: Coraline by Neil Gaiman is a graphic novel about a young lady named Coraline who moves into a home with her parents. Coraline feels a certain type of weirdness when she meets her new neighbors. She meets the two elderly women and the old man upstairs that train mice for the circus. Although there is this weirdeness she finds herself bored and wanting to explore her new home. Coraline's parents are always busy working or tending to their new home therefore at times they tend to ignore he...more Summary: Coraline by Neil Gaiman is a graphic novel about a young lady named Coraline who moves into a home with her parents. Coraline feels a certain type of weirdness when she meets her new neighbors. She meets the two elderly women and the old man upstairs that train mice for the circus. Although there is this weirdeness she finds herself bored and wanting to explore her new home. Coraline's parents are always busy working or tending to their new home therefore at times they tend to ignore her.
As Coraline was exploring she came across a door. When she opened the door there a was a brick wall behind it. She found this to be a bit strange and began to ask questions. Later Coraline returns to the door and opens it. At this time she finds that there is a dark hallway. Her curosity spikes and she goes through the door. She discover that she is in a entirley different world. This world is kind of like her own but something doesnt feel right to her. As continues to explore this other world she finds that she has another mother, father, neighbors with button eyes, and cats and rats that can talk.
Coraline finds this other world weird so she returns home only to find that her parents are mising. The other mother has kidnappedthem and Coralin must find a way to rescue them. On her journey to rescue her parents form the eveil other mother she meets the souls of three other children who were kidnapped and have been stuck in the other world for some time. Coraline rescues her parents and sets th souls of the three children free. But it isn't over. The hand of the other mother follows Coraline,but she is far to smart and plays one last trick which leads to the hand to fall deep in well. Coraline saves the day!
The illustrations illustrate Coraline fun and scary adventure. The reader is able to follow along form picture to picture with ease and the speech bubbles are in order which allows the reader to follow and not get lost. The illustrations show the differences the world in great detail giving the reader a different feeling wen she walks through the door of the othe world and her own.

Response: I found this Coraline to be a creepy but yet interesting book. I found it interesting because I can remember sometimes wishing for new parents whenever I got mad at mine. This book teaches that one should becareful what they wish for and that the grass isn't always greener on the other side. After reading this book I researched it and found that there is aother version of Coraline and of course a movie. I don't know if I'm interested in reading the other version, but I would like to see how close the movie comes to the verson I read.

Classroom Connection: Coraline can be used to introduced graphic novels. This would be a great book to introduce visual literacy to students . With the book spatial skills can also be taught. After reading Coralline, an activity that will allow students to show their understanding of visual literacy and spatial skills would be to have them write theri own graphic novel about thier lives.

Text Complexity: This book is a 740 lexile and the Guided reading level is W interest grade level is fourth to eighth grade. I beelive that students should be able to read Coraline by the beginning of fourth grade. (less)

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Oct 23, 2012 Jacqueline Campos rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: grades-6-8, graphic-novel, fantasy, horror, supernatural, print

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. What is behind the door? In this adaptation of the book Coraline and her family have just moved to a new flat and it is summer vacation. Coraline finds herself bored with nothing to do, that is, until she discovers what lies behind the door that is locked. All Coraline wished for was something to do and now she may regret that wish.
She calls herself other mother, and she makes promises to make life more fun and interesting and to always be there. Yet, her eyes are black buttons and she seems...more What is behind the door? In this adaptation of the book Coraline and her family have just moved to a new flat and it is summer vacation. Coraline finds herself bored with nothing to do, that is, until she discovers what lies behind the door that is locked. All Coraline wished for was something to do and now she may regret that wish.
She calls herself other mother, and she makes promises to make life more fun and interesting and to always be there. Yet, her eyes are black buttons and she seems too eager. Go along on this nightmarish tale of trying to get back to reality and undo the wish that things would become more interesting.

This book reminded me of any Tim Burton movie you can think of, and I believe he did the movie version for this book. The story gave me the creeps. The pictures of the other mother are truly terrifying if you image that they are real. I was amazed at how calm the character was, but then I think it was only because the graphic novel version seems to simplify the story line a lot.
The message to me was that be careful what you wish for and to listen when people tell you not to do something. Coraline was warned not to unlock that door, yet she did anyways. It was another classic horror movie mistake, like when people run upstairs instead of out the door when being chased by a killer.

I would have the student also read the book and then do a compare and contrast with a Venn diagram. I would also have them write a response explaining which version they liked better and why. I also think that since this is a higher level book based on the content, I would have the students pick a book and give me a graphic novel version that they create of one or more of its chapters to help them visualize the story.

I could not find the information for the graphic novel but the original book has a lexile of 740/ a Guided Reading level of W. It is recommended for independent reading by beginning of fifth grade. I would not recommend read aloud for this book because of the content. (less)

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title link	preview: Coraline: The Graphic Novel
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