Coraline
A young girl discovers a door in her new home that leads to an Other World, a mirror version of her life where everything is better, the food is tastier, the toys are more interesting, and her Other Mother wants nothing more than for Coraline to stay forever.
Books in conversation with Coraline
A few of the closest reads from our full list.
Also by Neil Gaiman
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What you might want to know about Coraline
The questions readers send us most often, answered without spoilers.
Bored Coraline Jones moves into a flat in an old British house and finds a small door that opens onto a copy of her own home, where her Other Mother offers her everything she wants and buttons for eyes.
Yes. Henry Selick directed a 2009 stop-motion animated film adaptation by Laika Studios. The film expands the story with original characters and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
Coraline is intentionally creepy and intended to unsettle children. Neil Gaiman has said many adults find the book scarier than children do. It is recommended for readers 8 and up.
Coraline was written by Neil Gaiman, published in 2001 by Bloomsbury Publishing.
Coraline is 176 pages in standard print editions, though page counts vary slightly between hardcover, paperback, and large-print formats.
At an average reading pace of about 250 words per minute, Coraline takes most readers 3 to 4 hours to finish.
Coraline is a standalone novel by Neil Gaiman, not part of a series.
Coraline is available in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats from Amazon, Bookshop.org, ThriftBooks, and most major bookstores.