Fortunately, The Milk by Neil Gaiman...

How I Heard About It:  This book seems to be everywhere.  I have seen it mentioned on Twitter (of course).  I have seen articles written about it in magazines and newspapers.  I have seen awesome displays at the book stores.  It was time to buy a copy of the book and see what all the hype was about.  

What It Is About:  Well, I must admit this is a bit of a difficult book to describe.  It is unique and quite different from anything else I have read.  Basically the father of two young children goes out one morning to get milk for the kids, and doesn't return for quite some time.  When he finally does return and the children question him on where he has been, he begins to describe quite an adventure that he has just been on.  It is a whopper of a story, the kids are spellbound, and the reader is taken on an adventure like none other.  There are times when the father is doubted by his two loving children, but he seems to have an answer for everything. 

What I Thought Of It:  I found a little gem of a story here.  While shopping for books this weekend, I bought this book, and read the entire thing in one sitting last night.  At only a little over one hundred pages, this story packs a punch.  The format of the book and the subject matter isn't what I normally would read, but I found myself loving this story more and more as I made my way through it.  I kept thinking how much my students would enjoy the book.  Neil Gaiman created a strong plot with more adventure than one can imagine and the illustrations added to the adventure greatly. 

Who Should Read It:  Although this is a relatively short novel, I believe it would best be suited for a fourth or fifth grade classroom.  The story line can be a bit complex at times.  Because of the illustrations this book needs to be in the hands of the reader so they can enjoy, study, and take in the unique pictures.  Happy Reading!  

Rating:  4 Stars out of 5 Stars