The Wolves in the Walls

It's clearly a story for children, but Gaiman doesn't dial down the horror for their benefit. In fact, the little girl is the only character who keeps her cool as the horrors unfold around them.

I listened to the audiobook version, but for best results should have had the illustrations open to bring Gaiman's excellent narration to life.

This graphic novel by Neil Gaiman is called The Wolves in the Walls. The illustrations are by Dave McKean, just like in Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book, and they seem to be computer-generated, like the movie Coraline. The artwork definitely has a spooky feel that goes with the suspenseful plot. This is the story of a family of four who lives in a big, old house that has wolves living in the walls. Needless to say the wolves come out of the walls and proceed to live largely at the expense of the family. The young daughter of the family decides that while the wolves are dangerous and intimidating, the house is not theirs. She endeavors to take it back.

Like Coraline or The Graveyard Book, or a Tim Burton movie, this story has a darkish hue show more to it, so older elementary students (Grade 4) might be the best audience. The drawings are kind of creepy and twisted. Older kids might really like that! I like that it is the girl protagonist who saves the day while her parents and brother are too scared to. That bit of the story would be a good balance to all of those stories of a male hero. show less

Lucy warns her parents and little brother that there are wolves in the walls of their house, but they each insist that the noise she is hearing is made by mice, rats, or bats. Then the wolves come out of the walls, and it is all over. Or is it? Fortunately, Lucy has to return to get her beloved pig-puppet and, at her prompting, her family also return. Now they are living in the walls...

One of a number of children's book collaborations between author Neil Gaiman and illustrator Dave McKean - other titles include Coraline, The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish and Crazy Hair - The Wolves in the Walls features an engrossing and somewhat creepy story, and mixed media artwork that perfectly captures the atmospheric thrills of Gaiman's show more text. I really enjoyed this one, and (as always) appreciated Gaiman's understated sense of humor. The text here is quite extensive for a picture-book, making this more of an illustrated short story, so I'd recommend this one more to middle-grade readers, than to the younger children who usually consume picture-books. Needless to say, I'd also recommend it to Gaiman and McKean fans. show less

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.

I don't often indulge myself with buying children's books, but the whole premise of this one was just so weird I really couldn't help myself. What's it about? It is about exactly what it says it's about. Lucy hears the noises and warns her family, but of course they don't believe her -- until the wolves come out of the walls. And that's when it gets more than a little creepy.

The two things that I love about kids' books are the wonderfully ridiculous stories they contain and the art they use to tell those stories. Dave show more McKean's art isn't like anyone else's that I've ever seen and it's perfect for this story. At turns creepy and cute, I just love his style. It's bizarre in the best possible way.

All in all, this is a fantastic children's book that I wouldn't actually recommend reading to small children -- unless of course they're not yours and you don't have to be around when they wake up in the middle of the night screaming about critters in the walls, in which case I say go for it. ;) show less

The Wolves In the Walls tells the story of young Lucy. She keeps hearing scritches, scratches and other noises in the walls. She in convinced that there are wolves behind them but her family keeps fluffing off her fears, but not without throwing out an ominous warning, "If the wolves come out of the walls, then it's all over." You must read on to find out what happens to Lucy, her pig puppet, and their family when Lucy's fears come true.

This may be our favorite new picture book. My son picked it randomly off the shelf at the library and while I usually put his random selections back, seeing Neil Gaiman's name on the cover made me rethink that plan. I was not at all disappointed. We've already read it a number of times since bringing it show more home and it is definitely on our "need to own" list. It is a modern day horror story for the preschool and kindergarten set that you won't regret you brought home.

In addition to the great storytelling, Dave McKean's artwork is also phenomenal. The whole book is in dark, sepia tones and manages to seamlessly combine two-dimensional and three-dimensional aspects. Many of the characters look just as you would expect to seem them in such films as Coraline, The Corpse Bride, or the Nightmare Before Christmas. I'm a sucker for the incredible artwork found in modern day children's books and this one definitely takes the cake. show less

When the wolves come out of the walls, it is up to Lucy to convince her family that they are capable of saving their home. “Everybody knows that when the wolves come out of the walls, it’s all over.” These are the cryptic words repeated by Lucy‘s mother, father, and brother in Neil Gaiman’s picture book, The Wolves in the Walls. Lucy is certain that the noises—“hustiling, bustling, crinkling, crackling”-- she hears emanating from the walls of her house are wolves, but the rest of her family insists that it is something normal like rats or bats. After all, if the wolves were to come out of the walls, it would all be over—even though no one can clarify what “it” is. Frustrated, Lucy talks to her beloved pig puppet show more about the wolves, and her family is eventually forced to believe her when the wolves come bounding out of the walls one dark night. Terrified, the family flees to the garden, but when Lucy realizes she’s forgotten her pig puppet she bravely ventures back to the house by herself where she finds the wolves making a mess of everything from her mother’s homemade jams to Lucy’s socks. When Lucy returns to the garden she bravely rallies her family members --who are all ready to move elsewhere--to re-take their home.
With a combination of characters and situations that feel both real as well as quirky and off-beat, this picture book stands out from the pack. Dave McKean’s illustrations that combine actual photographs with drawing perfectly emphasize the overall sense of a mingling of reality and fantasy that characterizes this book. Lucy is a plucky heroine, and certain scenes—such as going back to the house for a beloved toy—create emotions that children, as well as adults who remember a cherished toy from their childhood, will appreciate. A tuba playing father, jam making mother, and video game playing brother make up Lucy’s slightly unconventional family and add defining characteristics to the supporting characters.
While the story is dark, it is not so much so that it is scary, making The Wolves in the Walls appealing to a wide age-range of children. It would also make a fun read-aloud and would be ideal for asking children to project what will happen in future pages or to create their own stories about what else might be living in the walls. Recommended for grades 2-6. show less

Collaborators Gaiman and McKean are back, this time with a children’s book both haunting and whimsical that will resonate with children and adults alike. The pair, most famous for their work together on The Sandman graphic novel series, spin a tale about Lucy, who hears noises coming from the walls of her house. No one in her family – with the exception of her pig puppet – believes her claim that there are wolves living inside the walls. And besides, they tell her, everyone knows that “If the wolves come out of the walls, it’s all over.” But late one night, they do. Yet far from being over, the adventure is just getting started for this brave little girl and her family.

Gaiman is one of the premier fantasy writers of our time show more and his talents seem ably suited to children’s books, with their similarity to the comics format in which he made his reputation. As always, Gaiman’s stories are multilevel and steeped in metaphor, and Wolves is no exception despite being nominally written for children. For example, the wolves of the story can represent many things besides the night fears of children, including addiction and other destructive forces than can enter an adult’s life. And children respond to such symbolism instinctively, although the dark nature of the story may prove to be too much for younger children despite the lighter tones inserted by Gaiman. McKean has illustrated this book in his signature style, which combines drawing, painting, collage and found objects to create images both striking and haunting. Together, Gaiman and McKean have created a rarity, a children’s book that will be a rich experience for both children and grown adults.
Reviewed by Book Dads show less