Fortunately, The Milk
By Neil Gaiman
The premise of this short story is fairly simple. A mother has just left for a conference, leaving a father in charge of his two children. Immediately they face a dilemma, there is no milk for their breakfast cereal.
The children’s father decides to run down to the corner shop for some milk. The kids wait, and wait… and wait some more for their father to return.
When it seems as those ages have passed, their father finally returns. When asked what took him so long he delves into an amazing story that includes aliens, scientist dinosaurs, a talking volcano, time travel, and even magical ponies.
Gaiman ends the tale with hints that the father’s tall tale might not be make believe after all, and this for me is the cherry on top of what makes this such a fun little book.
Published in 2013 this would be a great book to read for ages 8-12 or a fantastic read aloud for teachers and parents to younger children. Because this is a small book, it is a quick read, which makes it a great escape for a perfect little while.
Review By: Allison Kartman