Customer Reviews

The Wolves In The Walls

5 star:		(30)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I discovered Neil Gaiman in the airport bookstore on a recent business trip. I became a convert after reading the first few pages of "American Gods". What a delight it was to find that my newest, favoritest author also writes children's books. ...

Parents beware, this book is scarier for adults than it is for kids. Adults remember the things that scared them at night, in a distorted sort of way. Creatures living in the walls seems to be one of those things that might have given us nightmares when we were kids. However, for me, the scariest part wasn't the wolves themselves, but the unsettling notion that there was so much space behind the walls. What other things might live in the invisible spaces of our homes? <Shiver....>

Despite my own perspective of the story, my ... son admires Lucy's courage. You see, you cannot tell a story about overcoming your fears without the idea of "fear" itself. WitW delivers just enough fear to compel the reader. The ending is light-hearted and fun, so make sure your children read the book to its completion.

The illustrations are top-notch and really compliment the mood of the story well. They are a little unsettling, to be sure, but I also remember how I loved the terrifying illustrations in "Where the Wild Thigs Are" as a child.

Creepy, funny, and heroic, WitW is destined to become a classic picture book. ...

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.

***CONTAINS SPOILERS!!***

Similar to The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish, The Wolves in the Walls is another picture book written for children. Having been so used to reading adult fiction by Neil Gaiman ' books such as Stardust and Smoke and Mirrors ' I was so amazed, when I started to read his children's books, at how amazing they were. These last few books, especially, have a been great reads because they are enhanced with the brilliance of Dean McKean's illustrations.

Unlike TDISMDFTG, The Wolves in the Walls is a little more haunting ' Lucy is certain she hears wolves in the walls, and when the wolves come out of the walls, it's all over (because 'they' say so). Though while there's a certain creepiness to it, the book is also quite funny ' again, the sibling banter that can be found in my last Neil Gaiman review. While I was on pins and needles wondering what would happen once the wolves came out, I thought it was so funny what the wolves did once they got in the house ' ate jam on toast, threw parties, played the tuba.

And then the ending ' just priceless!

The novel reads similar to a Dr. Seuss book, with all of it's rhyming words here and there, but it's all Neil Gaiman. Definitely not something you would expect out of a children's book. Now, whether this book is a good read for young children is debatable ' it's similar to Coraline, in that creepy and disturbing kind of way. It might be wise to ease children into Gaiman's world via The Graveyard Book, instead of The Wolves in the Walls, as it's just a little less creepy.

It was a very refreshing read!

Neil Gaiman writes wonderful books for children with very sophisticated illustrations that I love! He uses many different art techniques, photo montages, collages, pen-and-ink drawings and painting to render the unsettling and often bizarre world of a child's imagination. In this book I particularly like the hidden faces of the wolves in the clouds.
The story features Lucy and her cuddly pig who can hear wolves living in the walls of the house. Lucy tries to warn her family, but no one believes her. Her tuba-playing father thinks she has an overactive imagination, her jam-making mother says it's rats, her brother knows it's bats but they all tell her that "when the wolves come out of the walls, it's all over."
Well the wolves do come out of the walls and they are freaky and scary and funny and portrayed with a keen sense of the fantastic. And it is all over - until Lucy comes up with a solution.
This is sold as a children's book but, as with all Gaiman's books, the artwork makes it much, much more. It's scary and quirky and funky and witty.
And...a huge visual feast.

Lucy is scared, she hears wolves in the walls but her family doesn't believe her. Each one suggests what it might be and then says anyways if it was wolves "then it's all over". Lucy has no idea what "it" is. But then one night the wolves do come out of the walls and the whole family runs down the hill and camps out for a few night wondering where they should move to. Lucy is the now only one brave enough to coax her family into getting their own house back.

Wonderful story, probably a bit too scary for very young children but olders will find it just the right amount of scary without being frightening. And it's funny too! I was surprised when I saw the illustrator was Dave McKean because I hated his work in The Graveyard Book, and many of my readers agreed with me. This book is obviously done in McKean's signature style. Full colour pages and a wonderful mixed-media art with collage, painting, sketching and slightly Picasso-like faces. Highly recommended!

Lucy knows that there are wolves living in the walls of her house. She can hear them hustling and bustling, creeping and crumpling. She tries to warn her family, but no one believes her. "You have an overactive imagination," says her father. "You must be hearing mice, I suppose," says her mother. "Bats," says her brother. Lucy however knows better, and everyone who's anyone knows that when the wolves come out of the walls, it's all over.

When the wolves do come out of the walls, as Lucy has told everyone they would, her family doesn't know what to do. They take up residency at the bottom of their garden, and while they're debating as to whether to live in a hot-air balloon or a tree house, Lucy decides to confront the wolves and reclaim the family's house.

Don't be fooled by the picture-book format; this is most definitely a book for older readers. The many different art techniques, from photo collages to paintings to pen-and-ink drawings, give a bizarre air to the book, yet it's one that is effective due to the quirky nature of Lucy's story.

Lucy is a character every reader will love: she is resilient, brave and thoughtful, and she does not tolerate anyone or anything terrorizing her family. Her attitude toward getting the wolves out of her house is inspiring and ingenious, because everyone who's anyone knows that when the people come out of the walls, it's all over.

--- (...)

Wolves in the Walls is what is called a sophisticated picture book- one that appeals to readers who think they're too old or too cool for picture books. I saw it in a comic book store and thought the creepy story would interest older elementary kids. I bought it for the school media center I work in and read it out loud to my fourth graders, who are always demanding creepy, scary books. Even the reluctant readers loved it. They fought over who would get to check it out. I'd say that gives this book the official kids' seal of approval.

Neil Gaiman writes really spooky kid's books. If you like stories that make you see things in your peripheral vision in the dark shadows of your room at night, he's the man to look to. Just like with Coraline, his voice is as distinctive and cool here as with his more adult pursuits.

Gaiman and McKean team up once again on yet another highly stylish, atmospheric children's offering with "The Wolves in the Walls." While the story is average at best lacking the originality in some of Gaiman's more imaginative offerings it still is a perfectly suitable tale to captivate the young ones. Where the book stands out, and of great aesthetic value to adults, is in Dave McKean's stellar artwork. Once again readers are treated to moody, surreal images that at times seem almost, 'too good,' for its own good. Overall this book is not quite up to par with the highest of quality we've come to expect from Gaiman & McKean but still very worthy of your time.

Whitney Wolves in the Walls

By Neil Gaiman

I would rate this book a four stars.
If you like creepy things this book is for you.
I like it when the wolves were scared of the family.
I hated it when the family had to go outside and stay there.
I also liked it when the wolves came out of the walls.

The wolves came out of the walls. The family went outside but then they decided to be in the walls for a little while. But then the family came out of the walls and the wolves
Were scared so then the wolves went out of the house and ran where no family can
Come out of the walls.

This book is for CHILDREN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!