Coraline

Coraline's family has just moved into a new flat in what was once a large mansion house. Her neighbours, Miss Forcible and Miss Spink, are about 100 years old and think they can read danger in the tea leaves, and the crazy old man upstairs keeps mice that not only talk to him but are training to become the first ever mouse circus. It's the school holidays, so while the weather is good Coraline explores the enormous garden of her new home, discovering all sorts of nooks and crannies, deserted wells and hidey-holes in her travels. The days pass quickly, but when the weather changes and the rain pours down she is ordered inside and she quickly becomes restless. Counting the number of doors in her new house one day in an effort to relieve her boredom, Coraline discovers a door that won't budge. Her curiosity aroused, she asks her mother to unlock it, only to find a solid brick wall behind the locked door. That night Coraline hears a sound that wakes her from a deep sleep. Following the noise she is led to the same door, but instead of a brick wall she finds a gloomy corridor. Although a little frightened, her curiosity is aroused and before she has time to think, Coraline ventures down the corridor to discover a duplicate world. It's the same flat, but some of the details are just slightly different, and most surprisingly of all, she finds a duplicate mother and father who look the same but are a lot more sinister. This is a scary but riveting story for older children. The imagination it has taken to develop the story line is mind-boggling, and the story is fresh and exciting. Look out for more novels for children by this clever and accomplished author. Ages 10+ (Kirkus UK)