“You should read this book” my eight year old told me “I think you will really like it”
The book in question is Neil Gaiman’s Fortunately The Milk, and she was right, I loved it.
I’m not above reading kids’ books, in fact I love kids’ books. Actually I love all types of books, but lately I’ve been adding a healthy dose of fantasy and magical stuff to my reading diet, preferably with a pinch of goofiness thrown in – what my daughter and I fondly refer to as ‘sparkly fiction’. She is an expert in sparkly fiction, and recommends some great books to me.
Interestingly, I have actually been wanting to read a Neil Gaiman book for a while, I had no idea that he wrote books for kids as well.
Here is my 8 year old’s review of Fortunately The Milk:
The book is really funny, and kind of realistic, but is still a fantasy story. It had lots of science facts in it, so I learnt a lot. My favorite part is all the funny names that Professor Steg uses for things. For example, he says “Floaty-Ball-Person-Carrier” for a hot air balloon. Also the illustrations are scribble-y and funky.
The whole time she was reading the book, I kept hearing giggles and snorts from her. The only other author that made her grin so much was Roald Dahl, another kooky British author, who doesn’t talk down to kids, and likes to make up silly words. Another author who writes great books for adults as well.
If you like the idea of time-travelling dino-professors, intergalactic breakfast chasing, and dads who tell tall stories, read the book. It’s hilarious, and the illustrations are really beautiful.
I have just started reading The Ocean At The End Of The Lane, also by Neil Gaiman (but for adults), and am already hook, line, and sinker-ed.
One of my favorite things is discovering a new author to love.
