Coraline, by Neil Gaiman

Have you ever been completely frustrated by your lot in life? Do you wish things were different...better? Young Coraline just moved with her family to a large house in the country, and nothing is going right for her: Her parents are distracted by work and don't seem to have much time for her (and neither can cook a satisfying meal). Her elderly neighbors are all crazy and just can't seem to get her name right. And there's no one even close to her age to play with (even the stray cat that hangs around the house runs from her). Life can't get any worse, can it?

One day while exploring the new house, Coraline finds a strange locked door that opens onto a bricked wall. At least...it does at first. One day Coraline chances to unlock the door and finds herself in another world. A world that, st first, seems just like the one she left behind. But there are differences: Food is prepared exactly to her liking, animals speak and dance, and she seems to have everything her heart desires. And, of course, there is The Other Mother, a button-eyed woman who gives Coraline all the attention she wants and actually seems to want her around. In fact, she asks Coraline to stay with her forever. It seems a dream come true.

But there's a catch.

A horrifying catch.

Soon Coraline finds herself trapped in this nightmarish other world, and all she wants is to get back home. If only she can find her way...

I stumbled upon Neil Gaiman's Coraline sevreal years ago and it stuck with me...so I decided to re-read it for review. To date, it is still one of the most disturbingly creepy stories I've ever read (heavy horror hitters like King and Koontz have nothing on Coraline). If you're looking for something to give you nightmares, this is it!