Coraline

I didn't even realize we had this book in the library at work until a week or so ago. A girl came up to me to renew Coraline by Neil Gaiman and my next thought (after "we have that?") was... "Sweet!" Ok, so I sometimes read on the job. But really... it kind of actually is my job. Part of my duties as librarian is to know the collection... just like part of my duties as "Media Specialist" is to crawl around on the floor unplugging and plugging things. All of that to say... I read Coraline during my down time at work yesterday.

Creepy. Really. It goes like this: Coraline's life is a bit blase. Luckily she discovers a passage in her apartment that takes her to another world with her other family waiting for her. The most noteworthy aspect of her other family (and the other people) are their shiny black button eyes. Coraline soon realizes that this other world is hella creepy (excuse my language, but really, I do mean "hella"). Too bad she's locked in. Now Coraline must locate her true parents, free the souls of dead captive children, and defeat her evil other mother... not to mention the singing rats. And all the while the other world is retracting into a two dimensional drawing... Creepy. In a good way.

Gaiman is also the author the 2009 Newbery award winning The Graveyard Book. I haven't read it yet since it was deemed a bit too scary for the elementary crowd, but I hope to soon. The dude is a bit twisted.

Recommendation: When you're in the mood for something dark but still want to keep it light and easy.