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The Wolves in the Walls
 
 

The Wolves in the Walls (Hardcover)

by Neil Gaiman (Author), Dave McKean (Illustrator)
4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (18 customer reviews)

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Product details

  • Hardcover: 56 pages
  • Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC (15 Sep 2003)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0747569533
  • ISBN-13: 978-0747569534
  • Product Dimensions: 26 x 25.6 x 1.6 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 366,304 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Product Description

Amazon.co.uk 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 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. The book is recommended for ages nine and above. --Karin Snelson, Amazon.com

Review
'[Gaiman] is, simply put, a treasure house of story, and we are lucky to have him in any medium' Stephen King 'An extraordinary novel by a very gifted storyteller. Adults find it terrifying; children lap it up. It's utterly original, and written with elegance and power.' Philip Pullman, Observer Books of the Year 'It is a masterpiece' Terry Pratchett

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Customer Reviews

18 Reviews
5 star:
 (14)
4 star:
 (3)
3 star:
 (1)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.7 out of 5 stars (18 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Scary and oh-so-neatly put together, 16 Oct 2003
By Jack Shuttleworth (Coventry, UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
Perhaps an even better plot than Gaiman's wonderful "Coraline" - not a single word wasted or idea which isn't used more than once. Very funny, great positive heroine and other characters, wonderful internal logic and a couple of excellent twists. And its scary too.

Dave McKean seems to have added a new depth to his illustrations, adding a richer feel to his near-perfect synergy with Neil Gaiman's texts. He echoes the economy of the words, with a small number of key images defining the world perfectly with no superfluous crowding - this is not to say it is sparse - the place is vidily rich - with hints of wolves and perhaps even an elephant if you look hard enough.

The typography is also wonderful for young readers because it virtually scores how to read the text out loud, it is near impossible to read without moving your lips.

The plot is firmly in the world of make-up stories with kids - a ordinary (ish) family in a real house . . . and a little turn of phrase that comes to transform their world. Once you've said "everyone knows that when the Wolves come out of the walls . . . " everything that follows makes perfect sense and generates heaps of giggles too.

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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Dark fun, 4 Jan 2004
I bought this for my new born son to one day enjoy. Dark and funny, he will have to pry it from my cold dead hands. Dave's art is as hot as it has ever been and Neil's writting will give children well earnt nightmares for years to come.

A fantasy family tale with wicked undertones, it will enthrall and entertain ALL family members. The final few frames had me laughing like a drain.

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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Dark and Very Funny, 23 May 2008
By Mrs. K. A. Wheatley "katywheatley" (Leicester, UK) - See all my reviews
(TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)      
This is one of those very rare books which manages to satisfy every reader. It's a picture book, which is great to read to smaller children (ones who like being frightened I might add). It has a sophisticated text, and the pictures are really detailed, which makes it great for older readers, and it's hilarious, well written and nicely tense, which makes it perfect for parents.

The artwork is more reminiscent of a graphic novel than the usual standard of illustration in kids' books. It adds a real air of menace to the story, which revolves around a family who find that wild wolves and their evil, partying ways are gradually breaking into the house from the cavities in the walls and taking over, forcing the family to retreat and come up with a plan for reclaiming their house.

It is very, very funny and has some lovely twists. Highly recommended. My four year old loves it, although she is rather macabre, so ordinarily I'd go for six and ups for this one.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Surreal and Wonderful
Beautiful artwork by Dave McKean combined with the kind of surreal writing that there should be more of in the world. Read more
Published 1 month ago by A. Nottingham

5.0 out of 5 stars THE WOLVES IN THE WALL
This is a great book for the slightly older child who likes their stories to be a little bit scary. Neil Gaiman is a brilliant writer for adults and his children's books are a... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Y. J. Fielding

5.0 out of 5 stars Graphic Art and Story Telling at its best.
Gaiman is one of the best storytellers that I have come across. One of my favourite authors. This book is imaginative and ingenious. The images bring the story to life. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Misty Fied

4.0 out of 5 stars Wolves in the Walls
Quite a good book but my 7 year old didn't like the images - however, my 2½ year old loved it.
Published 3 months ago by Mrs H

5.0 out of 5 stars what a winner!
I have a problem where I tend to go for the pictures before the words, and this was no exception. At the time i discovered this absolute marvel of a book I was just learning about... Read more
Published 8 months ago by K. Davies

5.0 out of 5 stars Dark & disturbing, just how kids (might) like it.
The prospect of exposing my 5 and 8 year-olds to the writing of Gaiman and the graphical beauty of McKean was one that was far too good to miss, so I bought this book, despite the... Read more
Published 20 months ago by N. Page

5.0 out of 5 stars Wolves in the Walls
Neil Gaiman is fantastic at imagination. This fascinating tale is perfect for children or adults who appreciate graphic novels. Read more
Published on 18 April 2007 by B. Martin

5.0 out of 5 stars Brooding & dark - Gaiman at his best.
This has all the elements of a good, jolly 'join-in' story for children: lots of repetition of words and themes; eye-catching illustrations with bold colours; lots of silly ideas... Read more
Published on 6 Jun 2005

5.0 out of 5 stars Just delightful!
First of all let me say I love Neil Gaiman's work, but I have to state that this book is very much a work for children. Read more
Published on 22 Dec 2004

5.0 out of 5 stars English Association Prizewinner
Winner of the Key Stage 2 Fiction category of the English Association's 'English 4-11' Best Books Awards. Read more
Published on 19 Jul 2004 by engassoc

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