Fortunately, the Milk
by Neil Gaiman
illustrated by Skottie Young
Harper, 2013. 113 pages.
Starred Review
This beginning chapter book made me smile on every page. The book is essentially a tall tale told by a father about what happened when he went to the store for milk for his children’s cereal. Fortunately, the milk saved the world.
Along the way, he gets beamed into a flying saucer, meets the Queen of the Pirates, walks a plank, and travels with a time-traveling stegosaurus who invented the Button.
It’s all very silly, yet logical; very outrageous, yet matter-of-fact. And the father nobly goes through all the adventures to get milk for his children.
“Well,” I told him, “it was very lucky for me that you turned up when you did and rescued me. I am slightly lost in space and time right now and need to get home in order to make sure my children get milk for their breakfast.”
This is easy to read, but is enjoyable for any age audience. No dumbing down here! Kids ready for chapter books will be richly rewarded when they tackle this book, which includes time travel paradoxes and great silliness.
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Source: This review is based on an Advance Reader Copy loaned to me by my friend Kristin. (Thank you!)
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