Mirrormask (Children's Edition)

By Neil Gaiman

Book Overview

Helena is about to embark on a most amazing journey. Raised in a family of circus performers, she's always dreamed of leading a more ordinary life. But when haunting music draws her into a strange and magical realm, one where anything can happen, her real life is stolen by a runaway from the other side. Helena must rescue the realm from chaos in order to win back her own not-so-ordinary life. MirrorMask is a breathtaking film written by bestselling author Neil Gaiman and brought to life through the vision of acclaimed artist and director Dave McKean. This original novella is Helena's tale in her own voice, written by master storyteller Neil Gaiman and accompanied by original art by Dave McKean and images from the film; it is a stunning and magical journey.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060821094
• ISBN13: 9780060821098
• Release Date: September 2005
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Length: 80 Pages
• Weight: 0.69 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 7.4" x 7.1"
• Age Range: 8 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 3 to 7

Customer Reviews

"One day you'll be the death of me." "I hope so."

When I saw this book and looked through it, I thought one thing. "Wow - for a "children's edition", this thing really has a lot of words. I think I'll take a peek inside." The next thing i know, I'm inside the house with my head stuck to a small book, looking through it as if it held something amazing. I've always had this thing for fairytales and, well, mirrormask is a modern day telling of something worthwhile. It has its harrowing portions for the young and it has the funny little portions for the not-to-young, and it has the drawings that one can expect along the way. It really was more than I thought I would EVEr find in a book like this. It had the dark side and the light side and the point to all the sides. Altogether, it was like the movie and yet it was its own thing. If you do not know mirrormask, it rests in the hands of a young girl. She is part of a circus, her father's pride and joy, and everyone would think she would love it there. Her mothe rloves to point out that kids would love to run off and be part of this world, but all she wants to do is "run off and join Real-life." This provokes her mother, who says "you will be the death of me." And then her mother becomes ill and, truly, it seems like she might be the death of her mother. While her mother is sick, she finds herself pulled into this othe rworld, where the queen there is sick and no one knows why. They only know that light is faltering and darkness is arising. So the girl, consumed by enough darkness, tries to cure this world of its affliction. The book is a thing that is a child inside, and I like that. I liked the movie, too, but thebook has more of the fairytale feel to it. It is light in places and dark in others, and it teaches a system of notions and emotions to people who perhaps don't know them or need a nice reminder. Me - I enjoy the reminders and I enjoyed this book, liking the characters and the fact that darkness has a lot of the same reasons as light does. This is uplifting and, at the same time, dark and Gaimanesque.

An appealing, visually vivid format is presented.

Helena has been raised in a family of circus performers and dreams of a normal life - until haunting music leads her far from home to a magical world where her real life is stolen. Her only hope is to rescue her new home from a threat - if she can. MirrorMask is a film: Gaiman's story here pairs with artist/director Dave McKean to provide a blend of novella and art, supplemented by images from the film. An appealing, visually vivid format is presented. Diane C. Donovan California Bookwatch

"Let them join the circus. I want to join real life."

I personally found the fantastical MIRRORMASK to be an enjoyable read. The story itself wasn't too terribly gripping but I loved the way in which it was written. Neil Gaiman is a master at creating new worlds and painting vivid imagery with his captivating words. But please note that while this is called the "children's edition" I'd have to say it is more like a young adult read. Granted it's a short book with only 80 pages of storytelling intersperced with pictures taken from the movie as well as illustrations from Dave McKean, in a sense it is too grown-up for real young kids to enjoy.

Reviewing the Children's Book- not the Script Book

The Children's book, like all of McKean's work, is beautiful. The story is good and funny, although not as full or deep as some of Mr. Gaiman's work. I wish the movie had wider distribution. My children are enjoying the book.