Fortunately, the Milk by Neil Gaiman
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Jan.03, 2015, under Adventure, Humorous, Mystery, Sam's Reviews
Who would like this book? Readers looking for a funny book that has something for everyone will find it in Fortunately, the Milk by Neil Gaiman with illustrations by Skottie Young.
The goods on this book: Narrated by the serious brother, the wacky plot starts out with a common family dilemma: they are out of milk. Unfortunately for this particular family, their highly capable mother has left, so their father must now take on the responsibility of going to the shop on the corner to pick up some milk.
The brother and sister wait and wait for “Ages and ages” for their father to return with the milk. When he arrives back home with the milk (fortunately), he must explain what took him so long. His explanation catapults the book into a convoluted, fantastical adventure in which the hapless father saves the world.
It turns out that their father, after purchasing the milk, was whisked up into the spaceship of globby green aliens bent on redecorating the Earth with plastic flamingoes. He escapes their threats and falls through the space-time continuum into a pirate ship, where he stands up to the Queen of Pirates, insisting that he must help his children with their breakfast instead of joining her. He demands to walk the plank, from which he is rescued by the time-traveling stegosaurus Professor Steg in the “Floaty-Ball-Person-Carrier.”
At this point in the book, the father’s wild ride has just begun. As he and Professor Steg try to return him to his children and their breakfast, they encounter a parade of preposterous characters that will delight any reader with a silly bone. The added complexity of Professor Steg’s Time Machine will captivate the reader who prefers to figure out puzzling plot twists that offer simple amusement on the surface but carry social commentary for those inclined to notice.
The imaginative pen-and-ink illustrations by Skottie Young also work on two levels, both as wonderful illustrations that complement the text and also as part of the story itself. One wonders about whether the text motivated the illustrations or vice versa.
It’s tempting to read this book quickly and be entertained by its hilarity, but rewards await those who take the time to savor the book’s language and consider its careful construction. Many satisfying discoveries hide in the humor of both text and illustrations in Fortunately, the Milk!
The details: 101 pages, 2013 Review by Samrarian
