The Wolves in the Walls

Author:Neil Gaiman

Illustrator: Dave McKean
Title: The Wolves in the Walls

Publication: July 26, 2005

Publisher: HarperCollins

Genre: Children

Pages: 56

Audience: 7 and up

Rating:4 out 5

Source: Public Library

Synopsis (from the cover): Lucy hears sneaking, creeping, crumpling noises coming from inside the walls. She is sure there are wolves living in the walls of her house. But, as everybody says, if the wolves come out of the walls, it's all over.

My thoughts:

 Another Neil Gaiman book to mark off my list. This book is so adorable. I love how Lucy tries to warn her parents that there are wolves in the walls, but the only response she gets is, "If the wolves come out of the walls, then it's all over." She  asks who says that, and the answer is "Everybody." It is kind of like the ever elusive "they". For example, "You know what they say?" Who is they? Does anyone know? I feel like the book was a play on that saying, perhaps. I wouldn't recommend this to a young child unless they could handle the images. I was surprised that Dave McKean would illustrate a children's book. If you recall, McKean was the artist for The Sandman series, and the images were thought provoking and grotesque at times. So, the images for this book were a bit Picasso and Sandman with a pg-7ish rating is what I would give it. Either way, the story is an adorable one!