Coraline

This haunting children's novel follows a young, curious girl named Coraline, who discovers a hidden world inside a locked cupboard in her home. Inside this world, everything is better. Her father isn't glued to his computer and her mother has time for her. However, this short novel quickly turns dark when Coraline realises that her real parents have been kidnapped and it's up to her and her cat to track them down. This dark yet insightful fairy-tale undeniably proves that Gaiman has mastered the ability to craft a non-condescending and highly immersive fantasy book that also appeals to adults. Much like Rowling's Harry Potter, Gaiman's protagonist, Coraline, is an intelligent, inquisitive, slightly contrary child. This character depiction will appeal to children and adults alike, invoking feelings of parental inattention, boredom and, most importantly, an innate curiosity of what lies behind a locked door. Labelled by Gaiman as "refreshingly creepy," this novel has charmed thousands of readers with its unusual and positively terrifying Tim Burtonesque darkness and inimitable style of writing. Gaiman's work is always unique and Coraline stands apart as one of the author's most distinctive stories.