Review: Fortunately, the Milk

Amazon  

The father has gone to the corner store to get milk for breakfast. Unfortunately, while he’s there he runs into a little trouble that keeps him from returning home in a timely fashion: the delay involves a time-traveling stegosaurus, pirates, aliens, and wumpires. It’s a miracle he even gets home.  When he tells his kids the story for some reason they’re a bit skeptical.

FORTUNATELY, THE MILK (Amazon) is cute. Adorable even. It’s a little book with a whimsical story and fun pictures. You could probably read it from cover to cover while in the bookstore and make a decision about it for yourself.

Neil Gaiman’s storytelling is smooth and full of everything strange and amazing. The idea that the morning milk could be so crucial to a father’s adventure and escape is, of course, absurd, but that’s part of the story’s charm. Certainly this book isn’t on the level with his other works, but I get the feeling that Gaiman wrote it on a whim, and perhaps even as a vehicle for the illustrations by Skottie Young.

You see, it’s the illustrations that make FORTUNATELY a gem. Sure they’re only black and white line drawings, but they’re quirky in their detail, energetic, and gloriously hilarious. I easily spent more time staring at the illustrations than I did actually reading the story. The illustrations are the story.

If you love Gaiman and have to own everything he writes you won’t be embarrassed to buy this book. However, FORTUNATELY, THE MILK is meant for parents looking for something fun and new to read at bedtime that won’t bore you to tears–and may even make you laugh.