View source for The Wolves in the Walls

{{Short description|2003 graphic novel by Gaiman and McKean}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}}
{{italic title}}
{{infobox book
| name             = The Wolves in the Walls
| image            = The Wolves in the Walls Cover.jpg
| author           = Neil Gaiman
| illustrator      = Dave McKean
| country          = United States
| language         = English
| genre            = [[Children's literature|Children's]]
| publisher        = HarperCollins
| pub_date         = 5 August 2003
| pages            = 56
| media_type       = Hardcover
| isbn             = 0-380-97827-X
}}

'''''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 Publishing|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.<ref name = "Times">{{cite news
| url = http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/article743690.ece
| title = A nightmare theatrical debut – Times Online
| accessdate = 6 February 2010
| work = The Times
| location = London
| first = Jasper
| last = Rees
| date = 25 March 2006
}}{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

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.<ref name = "Times"/><ref name="MouseCircus">{{cite web
 |url         = http://www.mousecircus.com/the-wolves-in-the-walls/9780380978274/
 |title       = The Wolves in the Walls – Description Details
 |accessdate  = 27 June 2018
}}</ref> 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.<ref name = "MouseCircus"/> 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.<ref name = "Meta">{{cite web
| url = http://metapsychology.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?type=book&id=2016
| title = Review – The Wolves in the Walls – Art and Photography
| accessdate = 6 February 2010}}</ref>

It is also available in Spanish,<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://www.neilgaiman.com/works/Books/Wolves+in+the+Walls/ed/154/
| title = Wolves in the Walls
| accessdate = 6 February 2010
}}</ref><ref>{{cite book
| title = Los lobos de la pared
| isbn = 1-59497-222-2
| last1 = Gaiman
| first1 = Neil
| date = September 2006
| publisher = Astiberri
}}</ref> German<ref>{{cite book
| title = Die Wölfe in den Wänden
| isbn = 3-551-51648-0 | last1 = Gaiman | first1 = Neil | last2 = McKean | first2 = Dave | year = 2005 | publisher = Carlsen}}</ref> and Italian.<ref>{{cite book
| title = I lupi nei muri
| isbn = 88-04-52288-7 | last1 = Gaiman | first1 = Neil | year = 2003 | publisher = Mondadori}}</ref>

==Reception==
The book was very well received, with positive reviews for both the text and art.<ref name = "Meta"/><ref>{{cite web
| url = http://januarymagazine.com/kidsbooks/wolvesinwalls.html
| title = Review: Wolves in the Walls by Neil Gaiman
| accessdate = 6 February 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
| url = http://www.kidsreads.com/reviews/038097827X.asp
| title = Kidsreads.com – THE WOLVES IN THE WALLS by Neil Gaiman
| accessdate = 6 February 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
| url = http://www.greenmanreview.com/book/book_gaiman_wolves.html
| title = Neil Gaiman (writer) and Dave McKean (artist), The Wolves in the Walls
| accessdate = 6 February 2010
}}</ref> It won awards for ''[[The New York Times]]'' Best Illustrated Children's Book (2003),<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://www.librarything.com/bookaward/New%20York%20Times%20Best%20Illustrated%20Children's%20Book
| title = Book awards: New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book
| accessdate = 6 February 2010
}}</ref> the IRA/CBC Children's Choice (2004) award<ref>{{cite journal |url = 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
| title = Children's Choices for 2004
| journal = The Reading Teacher
| date = October 2004
| volume = 58
| issue = 2
| pages = 189–203
| doi = 10.1598/RT.58.2.7
| accessdate = 6 February 2010
}}</ref> and the [[British Science Fiction Association]] award for Short Fiction (2003).<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.bsfa.co.uk/Awards/BSFAAwardsPastAwards.aspx 
 |title=BSFA Awards: Past Awards 
 |accessdate=6 February 2010 
 |url-status=dead 
|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110519040516/http://www.bsfa.co.uk/Awards/BSFAAwardsPastAwards.aspx 
 |archivedate=19 May 2011 
}}</ref>

==Adaptations==
===Stage adaptation===
In 2006 ''The Wolves in the Walls'' was adapted for stage, as a "Musical Pandemonium" 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]],<ref name = "Times"/><ref>{{cite web
 |url         = http://www.improbable.co.uk/portfolios/the-wolves-in-the-walls/
 |title       = The Wolves in the Walls – Improbable
 |accessdate  = 27 June 2018
}}</ref> and premiered at the [[Tramway (arts centre)|Tramway]] in Glasgow in March,<ref>{{cite news
| url = http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/article699587.ece
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070211084149/http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/article699587.ece
| url-status = dead
| archive-date = 11 February 2007
| title = The Wolves in the Walls – Times Online
| accessdate = 6 February 2010
| work = The Times
| location = London
| date = 31 March 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite news
| url = https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2006/mar/31/theatre1
| title = The Wolves in the Walls, Tramway, Glasgow – Stage – The Guardian
| accessdate = 6 February 2010
| location = London
| first = Lyn
| last = Gardner
| date = 31 March 2006
}}</ref> before touring the UK for the rest of the year, winning [[Theatrical Management Association|TMA]] Best Show for Children and Young People for 2006.<ref>{{cite web
 |url         = http://www.tmauk.org/awards/theatrenominations06.aspx
 |title       = Theatre Awards Winners 2006
 |accessdate  = 6 February 2010
 |url-status  = dead
 |archiveurl  = https://web.archive.org/web/20130227024309/http://www.tmauk.org/awards/theatrenominations06.aspx
 |archivedate = 27 February 2013
}}</ref> In October 2007 it was staged in New York, [[off Broadway]] at the [[New Victory Theater]], for a two-week run.<ref>{{cite news
| url = http://theater.nytimes.com/show/18949/The-Wolves-in-the-Walls/overview
| title = The Wolves in the Walls – Showtimes
| accessdate = 6 February 2010
| work = The New York Times
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
 |url         = http://www.newvictory.org/show.m?showID=1028522
 |title       = The Wolves in the Walls – Show details
 |accessdate  = 6 February 2010
 |url-status  = dead
 |archiveurl  = https://web.archive.org/web/20070910063315/http://www.newvictory.org/show.m?showID=1028522
 |archivedate = 10 September 2007
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
| url = http://www.nationaltheatrescotland.com/content/default.asp?page=home_showWolves
| title = National Theatre of Scotland – The Wolves in the Walls
| accessdate = 6 February 2010
}}</ref> The production was very well received.<ref>{{cite news
| url = https://www.variety.com/review/VE1117935039.html
| title = The Wolves in the Walls – Variety review
| accessdate = 6 February 2010
| first = Sam
| last = Thielman
| date = 9 October 2007
}}</ref><ref>{{cite news
| url = http://theater.nytimes.com/2007/10/12/theater/reviews/12wolv.html
| title = The Wolves in the Walls – New York Times review
| accessdate = 6 February 2010
| work = The New York Times
| date = 12 October 2007
| first = Lawrence
| last = Van Gelder
}}</ref>

===VR adaptation===
In January 2018, a ''Wolves in the Walls'' VR adaptation was released for [[Oculus Rift]] and [[Oculus Rift S]] headsets by Fable Studio, a venture headed by [[Edward Saatchi]] and Pete Billington and staffed by former employees of [[Oculus Story Studio]], as its premiere title.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/jessedamiani/2019/01/29/fables-wolves-in-the-walls-launched-lucy-as-a-virtual-being-and-the-implications-are-massive/|title=Fable's 'Wolves in the Walls' Launched Lucy As A Virtual Being -- And The Implications Are Massive|last=Damiani|first=Jesse|website=Forbes|language=en|access-date=2019-11-18}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nerdist.com/article/wolves-in-the-walls-vr-neil-gaiman-dave-mckean/|title=WOLVES IN THE WALLS is the Future of VR Filmmaking|website=Nerdist|access-date=2019-11-18}}</ref> The VR adaptation was well-received, and in August 2019, ''Wolves in the Walls'' won a Primetime Emmy for outstanding innovation in interactive media,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2019/digital/news/wolves-in-the-walls-emmy-1203307718/|title=Neil Gaiman VR Experience 'Wolves in the Walls' Wins Primetime Emmy|last=Roettgers|first=Janko|date=2019-08-23|website=Variety|language=en|access-date=2019-11-18}}</ref> and a [[Peabody Award]] in 2022. A second chapter of ''Wolves in the Walls'', ''It's All Over'', premiered at the April 2019 [[Tribeca Film Festival]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2019/digital/news/wolves-walls-tribeca-1203197492/|title=Fable's Neil Gaiman VR Experience 'Wolves in the Walls' Gets Sequel at Tribeca|first1=Janko|last1=Roettgers|date=25 April 2019}}</ref> and a third and final chapter, ''They're Everywhere'', released in November of the same year.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://vrscout.com/news/wolves-in-the-walls-ep-3-now-available/|title=The Final Chapter of Wolves in the Walls Arrives on Oculus Headsets|first=Bobby|last=Carlton|date=7 November 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://venturebeat.com/2019/11/07/emmy-winning-fable-debuts-final-chapter-of-wolves-in-the-walls-vr-story/|title=Emmy-winning Fable debuts final chapter of Wolves in the Walls VR story|date=7 November 2019}}</ref> All three chapters were ported to [[Oculus Quest]] in November 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://uploadvr.com/wolves-in-the-walls-oculus-quest/|title=Wolves in the Walls Oculus Quest Release Confirmed|date=7 November 2020}}</ref> The VR adaption received a 2022 [[Peabody Award]] in the Immersive & Interactive category.<ref>{{Cite web |title=83rd Peabody Award Nominees |url=https://peabodyawards.com/awards/nominees/}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Portal|Children's literature}}
* [http://www.librarything.com/work/6071 LibraryThing page]
* [http://www.harpercollins.com/book/index.aspx?isbn=9780380978274 Harper Collins book information page]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20100401185943/http://www.gaimanmckeanbooks.co.uk/wolves.htm Book page at Gaiman/McKean Books]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_P4AxAagHU Promotional video for US stage show]

{{Neil Gaiman}}
{{BSFA Award Best Short Fiction}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wolves in the Walls, The}}
[[Category:2003 children's books]]
[[Category:Books by Neil Gaiman]]
[[Category:British picture books]]
[[Category:American picture books]]
[[Category:Fantasy books]]
[[Category:HarperCollins books]]
[[Category:Books adapted into plays]]
[[Category:Off-Broadway musicals]]
[[Category:British children's books]]