By: Neil Gaiman Average Rating: Binding: Hardcover Format: Bargain Price Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 56 Publication Date: August 01, 2003 Reading Level: Ages 4-8
There are sneaking, creeping, crumpling noises coming from inside the walls.
Lucy is sure there are wolves living in the walls of their house -- and, as everybody says, if the wolves come out of the walls, it's all over. Her family doesn't believe her. Then one day, the wolves come out.
But it's not all over. Instead, Lucy's battle with the wolves is only just beginning.
Amazon.com Review: Truth be told, Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean's picture book The Wolves in the Walls is terrifying. Sure, the story is fairytale-like and presented in a jaunty, casually nonsensical way, but it is absolutely the stuff of nightmares. Lucy hears wolves hustling, bustling, crinkling, and crackling in the walls of the old house where her family lives, but no one believes her. Her mother says it's mice, her brother says bats, and her father says what everyone seems to say, "If the wolves come out of the walls, it's all over." Lucy remains convinced, as is her beloved pig-puppet, and her worst fears are confirmed when the wolves actually do come out of the walls.
Up to this point, McKean's illustrations are spectacular, sinister collages awash in golden sepia tones evocative of the creepy beauty in The City of Lost Children. The wolves explode into the story in scratchy pen-and-ink, all jaws and eyes. The family flees to the cold, moonlit garden, where they ponder their future. (Her brother suggests, for example, that they escape to outer space where there's "nothing but foozles and squossucks for billions of miles.") Lucy wants to live in her own house...and she wants the pig-puppet she left behind.
Eventually she talks her family into moving back into the once-wolfish walls, where they peek out at the wolves who are watching their television and spilling popcorn on slices of toast and jam, dashing up the stairs, and wearing their clothes. When the family can't stand it anymore, they burst forth from the walls, scaring the wolves, who shout, "And when the people come out of the walls, it's all over!" The wolves flee and everything goes back to normal...until the tidy ending when Lucy hears "a noise that sounded exactly like an elephant trying not to sneeze." Adult fans of this talented pair will revel in the quirky story and its darkly gorgeous, deliciously shadowy trappings, but the young or faint of heart, beware! (Ages 9 and older) --Karin Snelson
I'm 26 and I bought this for myself...and I'm not ashamed! I love Neil Gaiman and I love Dave Mckean, back from the first edition of Coraline. I bought the book for myself and I'm not ashamed. I love children's literature and I love Neil Gaiman's writing & Mckean's artwork. There is such a Tim Burton-ish, Roald Dahl-esque quality which occurs when these two team up; it's a haunting beauty. I think the story is fabulous, not too scary for young kids, & the art is breathtaking. Beautiful elaborate drawings. A+
Lang lai le! I loved this book. The illustrations are fantastic. It's funny, but I recently learn the Chinese have an expression, "lang lai le." This is said when there is an unpleasant noise, such as bad singing. It means "the wolves will come out." I would recommend this book for middle school age kids as it is rather scary. I also loved Gaiman's novel, Coraline. I would recommend also the Visions in Poetry version of The Raven illustrated by Ryan Price. Prices illustrations are very similar to McKean's. In fact I feel like it is Price's illustrations that prop up the poem.
Way Too Scary for My Grandchildren I purchased this for my grandchildren 6, 8, and 10 for Christmas. When the 8 y.o opened it, his mother asked to see it and said it was too scary for any of them. I had not read it, but that evening proceeded to read the book. For my grandchildren, it is not age appropriate.
Good short (very-very short) story and very-very good drawings The review will be as short as the book: I'm a Gaiman's fan, hence I really wanted to have this book in my collection. I'm glad I got it. The story is short and simple, but creepy an good. The illustrations by Mckean are superb. I really enjoyed them.
I give it a *** for the story, and a **** for the drawings. I was going to give a *** overall, but decided a **** since it is a children book (BUT Coraline is also a children story, and I'll give it a ***** without blinking).
Excellent Childhood romp!, for adults As always Neil Gaiman is a genius and David McKeans illustrations are beautiful, and I would highly recommend this book to adults who still love childrens books, and to slightly older kids, it a tiny bit scary, but that's what makes it so great!
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