Fantasy · Children's
Coraline
Bored in her family's new flat, a girl opens a small door and finds a copy of her home where everything is better and her other parents want her to stay. She soon learns what those button eyes are hiding.
Facts last checked 2026-10-16
- First published
- 2002
- Pace
- Fast
- Length
- Short
- Pages
- 176
- Format
- Standalone
Read this if you want a short, properly creepy children's story that adults enjoy too.
Skip this if you want a soft bedtime read, as it is genuinely unsettling for sensitive young readers.
The feel
Content warnings
None noted yet.
Also reported by Hardcover readers:
Quick answers about Coraline
- What is Coraline about?
- Bored in her family's new flat, a girl opens a small door and finds a copy of her home where everything is better and her other parents want her to stay. She soon learns what those button eyes are hiding.
- Who should read Coraline?
- Read it if you want a short, properly creepy children's story that adults enjoy too. Skip it if you want a soft bedtime read, as it is genuinely unsettling for sensitive young readers.
- How long and how fast is Coraline?
- It is a fast-paced, short read of about 176 pages, first published in 2002.
- Does Coraline have content warnings?
- We have not noted any content warnings for this book yet.
- Can I borrow Coraline for free?
- Often, yes. Check Libby (OverDrive) to see whether your library lends Coraline; the borrow button above searches it for you.
- What should I read after Coraline?
- Readers who liked it often move on to The Ocean at the End of the Lane, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, The Haunting of Hill House.
Your shelf
Saved in this browser only. Open my shelf
Where to get it
| Store | Price | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Borrow free | ||
| Libby / OverDrive | Free with a library card | Borrow free with Libby from Libby / OverDrive |
| Print, new | ||
| Amazon | Check price | Buy new from Amazon |
| Ebook | ||
| Kobo | Check price | Buy ebook from Kobo |
| Google Play Books | Check price | Buy ebook from Google Play Books |
| Audiobook | ||
| Audible | Check price | Buy audiobook from Audible |
Prices appear here as retailer feeds are connected. Where none is shown, check the store. Links open the store in a new tab.
Some store links, including Kobo, are affiliate links: we may earn a commission if you buy, at no extra cost to you. Library links are never affiliate links. How this works
Share this pick
Because you might love it
If you loved Coraline
-
The Ocean at the End of the Lane
Same author, another story of a child up against something old and frightening, told by an adult remembering.
-
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland Another girl in a strange, upside-down world, with more nonsense and less menace.
-
The Haunting of Hill House
A grown-up horror classic with the same sense that a house can be wrong.
Fantasy
