Dave McKean's illustrations are nothing short of amazing. They are collages of everything you can think of -- photos, paintings, drawings -- with a highly unusual, beautiful effect. Parents will like looking at these pictures as much as children will!


An instant classic   September 21, 2003
 14 out of 17 found this review helpful

When did we all decide that being afraid was a bad thing?

I mean, being scared in the real world is no fun, but getting a spinal chill from a book or film is an excellent way for anyone - adult or child - to experience the emotion with a certain degree of safety. As adults, we all know the difference between fantasy and reality, and it's up to us to teach our children this most important of distinctions.

I think Neil Gaiman's new book does just that with style, humor and a certain snarkiness that kids will love.

As in his other book for younger readers, the magnificent CORALINE, Neil's protagonist is a young girl who knows much more of her corner of the world than the adults that surround her. She hears the odd noises behind the plasterboard and shouts warnings to anyone who will listen, but like most noisy children in fantasy stories she is hushed and ignored...and absolutley right.

When the wolves do come out of the walls, it is in a spectacular frenzy of horn-blowing and sinister merriment, made all the more frenetic and creepy by the masterful illustrations of Dave McKean. This man is more than just a pop artist - his work should be treated as seriously as possible...it's that visceral, that beautiful.

Reading this book with your child can have so many varied benefits: it entertains, frightens and encourages; it can open up discussions about the nature of fantasy versus reality, about wolves...even about the Queen of Melanesia (don't ask...just read the book).

There is no blood, no violence towards children, just wonderful writing coupled with breathtaking art. The book is a tresure, like it's creators.


Not just for kids.   September 10, 2003
 12 out of 13 found this review helpful

Once again, Neil Gaiman has done it again, "it" being crafting an imminently readable and likeable book for all ages, from 6 to 60, as he did with "Stardust" and "Coraline."

"The Wolves in the Walls" has that same eerie, disjointed, disquieting look that "Coraline" had, though not as powerfully as the latter work. It is about a girl named Lucy, who lives in a lonely hill top house with her parents and brother. One day she hears wolves in the walls, but no one believes her. When the wolves do come out of the walls, her family has to decide how to deal with it.

Ostensibly a book geared toward younger readers, this book works on other levels for the critical, interested reader of all ages. The illustrations by Dave McKean are very much sort of a dark collage, a collage by a madman. Everything is rendered in geometric, shadowy disarray... the mundane becomes sinister, and pervasive throughout the book is a sense of subdued yet black surrealism, featuring angles and proportions of insanity, much like "Coraline." The book speaks to childhood fears through an adult milieu, while addressing adult fears in a more subdued manner.

While this book does not deliver the emotional punch or satisfaction of "Coraline" it is nonetheless a good book, one I highly recommend. It also has a great sense of humor, rare for such a dark work -- who can not laugh at the mother who makes enough jam for an army, or the wolves "dancing their wolfish dances." Check it out.


Librarian/Mother responds   October 18, 2003
 12 out of 57 found this review helpful

Speaking as a librarian, I would say this "picture book" poses a problem because it is not for the usual picture book audience, young children. Actually, I am not sure who it is for. Older kids who like R.L. Stine's horror stories might like this, but the book is so short it really doesn't give them a substantial read.

Speaking as a mother and a critic of the culture, I would not bother with this dark book for my school aged, sensitive children. The strawberry jam takes on the appearance of blood on the wolves' faces, and the family scared out of their home, sleeping on the night ground is quite horrible. You see the girl curled up in a fetal position on the black grass between knarled trees with visions of the wolves torturing her pet stuffed animal pig she left inside. As in the author's other book, Coraline, the parents are ineffective. The main character looks a lot like Coraline, with sunken,black, buttony dots for eyes, and yellow-gray skin. As a critic of the ugliness and fearfulness expressed endlessly our culture, I reject this book. True, the family goes back inside, tired of the wolves finally. But that does not negate the overall, unnecessary darkness of the book.

The ending uses a pat children's book technique, the same as used by David Small's book Imogene's Antlers, where the girl's antlers are gone, but the she awakens with a peacock tail to deal with. So after the wolves, we learn there are elephants (in the walls.) Why, Mr. Gaiman could do sequels galore to this gem, kind of like Nancy Shaw's Sheep in a Jeep series (Sheep in a Shop, Sheep on a Ship, Sheep Out to Eat, Sheep Take a Hike, etc.) But I'm not holding my breath for The Elephants in the Walls or whatever else may stampede across the paper out of Mr. Gaiman's dark pen.
cz


Gaiman and McKean spin another exciting tale   August 20, 2003
 9 out of 10 found this review helpful

Neil Gaiman is one of my favorite authors. Often working in the realms of science fiction and fantasy in his writing for "adults," Gaiman has successfully carried his creativity, masterful storytelling, respect for his audience, and of course, his charming British wit, into his children's stories. Following "The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish," and "Coraline," Gaiman brings children and adults alike an adventurous tale in "The Wolves in the Walls."

Our heroine, Lucy, is convinced that wolves live in the walls of her house. Her mum, dad, and brother brush off her assertions, until the wolves finally come out. Driven from the house, Lucy takes it upon herself to solve her family's dilemma.

The best thing about Neil Gaiman as a children's author is his clear respect for kids. He knows kids aren't stupid, and his stories make children the heroes, using their unique point of view to conquer their own fears and rescue their loved ones. Lucy in "Wolves" is no exception: she's definitely a kid - she consults with her pig puppet frequently - but she's not helpless - she saves the day in the end.

Gaiman's longtime collaborator, Dave McKean, makes this story truly special. His unique artistic notions have made him famous in the comic book world (especially for his cover art for Gaiman's "Sandman" series) and his work in "Wolves," covering a wide range of styles, makes this story visually exciting.

The vivid story and art might scare the youngest of children, but nobody is put in real danger, and most children (and adults, too!) will find this exciting tale a pleasure to read aloud.