As I mentioned when the book trailer/teaser came out, I knew immediately I was going to need to buy and read Neil Gaiman‘s latest book Fortunately, the Milk.
“I bought the milk,” said my father. “I walked out of the corner shop, and heard a noise like this: T h u m m t h u m m. I looked up and saw a huge silver disc hovering in the air above Marshall Road.”
“Hullo,” I said to myself. “That’s not something you see every day. And then something odd happened.”
Find out just how odd things get in this hilarious story of time travel and breakfast cereal, expertly told by Newbery Medalist and bestselling author Neil Gaiman and illustrated by Skottie Young.
And it didn’t take long to buy it or to read it. I, of course, read it immediately to see if it was a suitable and appropriate for my kids to read. Once I had made the determination that it was in fact a hilarious yarn with equally enjoyable illustrations, I read it to my kids who agreed with my assessment.
The problem with Neil Gaiman books is finding new ways to talk about his talent. Witty, imaginative, quirky, silly, yet deeply human, etc. Fortunately, the Milk is all of these things.
Gaiman, as has been rather definitively proven at this point, is a master story teller not matter the genre, age group or format. He has a way of finding just the right approach to characters, voice, setting, story hook, and then adds in twists and absurdities that somehow feel right and natural within the story he is telling.
This book, aimed at ages 8-12, is no different. It takes a simple concept like running to the corner store to buy milk and turns it into an adventure. There is creative word play, whimsical characters and even a few plot twists. I enjoyed the wit and creativity of the story. My kids loved it as a read-aloud bedtime story. And I my third grade daughter can read it on her own. And we all loved the evocative illustrations which add another layer of fun to the story. Truly a book for the whole family.
So if you are looking for a book to inject some adventure and laughter into family reading be sure to check out Fortunately, the Milk. you will be glad you did.
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