The Wolves in the Walls

The Wolves in the Walls  
Author(s) Neil Gaiman
Illustrator Dave McKean
Country United States
Language English
Genre(s) Children's
Publisher HarperCollins
Publication date August 5, 2003
Media type Hardcover
Pages 56
ISBN ISBN 038097827X

The Wolves in the Walls is a book by Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean, published in 2003 in the United States by HarperCollins, and in the United Kingdom by Bloomsbury. The book was highly praised on release, winning three awards for that year. In 2006 it was made into a musical which toured the UK and visited the US in 2007.[1]

Neil Gaiman has said the story was inspired by a nightmare his daughter Maddy, then aged 4, had that there were wolves in the walls.[1][2] In the story the protagonist, Lucy, hears wolves in the walls of her family's house, but her family does not believe her until one day when the wolves come out of the walls.[2]. The book is notable for Dave McKean's art, which utilises many different techniques, including photography, computer-generated imagery and drawing to achieve its effect.[3]

It is also available in Spanish[4][5] and German.[6]

Contents

Reception

The book was very well received, with positive reviews for both the text and art.[3][7][8][9] It won awards for the New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book (2003),[10] the IRA/CBC Children's Choice (2004) award[11] and the British Science Fiction Association award for Short Fiction (2003).[12]

Stage adaptation

In 2006 The Wolves in the Walls was adapted for stage, as a "Musical Pandemonium" (a musical for children) of the same name, with music by Nick Powell to which Neil Gaiman contributed some lyrics. It was co-produced by the National Theatre of Scotland and Improbable theatre,[1][13] and premiered at the Tramway in Glasgow in March 2006,[14][15] before touring the UK for the rest of the year, winning TMA Best Show for Children and Young People for 2006.[16] In October 2007 it was staged in New York, off Broadway at the New Victory Theater, for a two week run.[17][18][19] The production was very well received.[20][21]

References

  1. ^ a b c Rees, Jasper (March 25, 2006). "A nightmare theatrical debut - Times Online". The Times (London). http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/article743690.ece. Retrieved February 6, 2010. 
  2. ^ a b "The Wolves in the Walls - Description Details". http://www.mousecircus.com/bookdetails.aspx?BookID=4. Retrieved February 6, 2010. 
  3. ^ a b "Review - The Wolves in the Walls - Art and Photography". http://metapsychology.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?type=book&id=2016. Retrieved February 6, 2010. 
  4. ^ "Wolves in the Walls". http://www.neilgaiman.com/works/Books/Wolves+in+the+Walls/ed/154/. Retrieved February 6, 2010. 
  5. ^ Los lobos de la pared. ISBN 1594972222. 
  6. ^ Die Wölfe in den Wänden. ISBN 3551516480. 
  7. ^ "Review: Wolves in the Walls by Neil Gaiman". http://januarymagazine.com/kidsbooks/wolvesinwalls.html. Retrieved February 6, 2010. 
  8. ^ "Kidsreads.com - THE WOLVES IN THE WALLS by Neil Gaiman". http://www.kidsreads.com/reviews/038097827X.asp. Retrieved February 6, 2010. 
  9. ^ "Neil Gaiman (writer) and Dave McKean (artist), The Wolves in the Walls". http://www.greenmanreview.com/book/book_gaiman_wolves.html. Retrieved February 6, 2010. 
  10. ^ "Book awards: New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book". http://www.librarything.com/bookaward/New%20York%20Times%20Best%20Illustrated%20Children's%20Book. Retrieved February 6, 2010. 
  11. ^ "Children's Choices for 2004". doi:10.1598/RT.58.2.7. http://www.reading.org/Publish.aspx?page=RT-58-2-C-Choices_8.html&mode=retrieve&D=10.1598/RT.58.2.7&F=RT-58-2-C-Choices_8.html&key=124A1EB2-AB78-48AC-A872-239FD761255A. Retrieved February 6, 2010. 
  12. ^ "BSFA Awards: Past Awards". http://www.bsfa.co.uk/Awards/BSFAAwardsPastAwards.aspx. Retrieved February 6, 2010. 
  13. ^ "Improbable Show - The Wolves in the Walls". http://www.improbable.co.uk/show_example.asp?item_id=14. Retrieved February 6, 2010. 
  14. ^ "The Wolves in the Walls - Times Online". The Times (London). March 31, 2006. http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/article699587.ece. Retrieved February 6, 2010. 
  15. ^ Gardner, Lyn (March 31, 2006). "The Wolves in the Walls, Tramway, Glasgow - Stage - The Guardian". London. http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/2006/mar/31/theatre1. Retrieved February 6, 2010. 
  16. ^ "Theatre Awards Winners 2006". http://www.tmauk.org/awards/theatrenominations06.aspx. Retrieved February 6, 2010. 
  17. ^ "The Wolves in the Walls - Showtimes". The New York Times. http://theater.nytimes.com/show/18949/The-Wolves-in-the-Walls/overview. Retrieved February 6, 2010. 
  18. ^ "The Wolves in the Walls - Show details". http://www.newvictory.org/show.m?showID=1028522. Retrieved February 6, 2010. 
  19. ^ "National Theatre of Scotland - The Wolves in the Walls". http://www.nationaltheatrescotland.com/content/default.asp?page=home_showWolves. Retrieved February 6, 2010. 
  20. ^ Thielman, Sam (October 9, 2007). "The Wolves in the Walls - Variety review". http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117935039.html. Retrieved February 6, 2010. 
  21. ^ Van Gelder, Lawrence (October 12, 2007). "The Wolves in the Walls - New York Times review". The New York Times. http://theater.nytimes.com/2007/10/12/theater/reviews/12wolv.html. Retrieved February 6, 2010. 

External links

Novels
Single author collections
Other book-length fiction
Picture books
Blueberry Girl (illustrated by Charles Vess) · The Wolves in the Walls (illustrated by Dave McKean)
Short fiction
Books edited by Neil Gaiman
Comic books and graphic novels
Screenplays and films
Non-fiction