(Image from Barnes & Noble)

If his children ran out of milk for their cereal, most fathers would just tell them to eat toast.  Or eggs.  Or pancakes.  Or fruit.  Or just about anything that didn't require a trip to the store.  Not the dad in Neil Gaiman's new children's book, Fortunately, the Milk.  He heads right out to save the day.  Well, breakfast, at least.  

Of course, the story wouldn't be any fun if the dad simply drove to the store, picked up some milk and came home (even if he grabbed a dozen doughnuts to go with it).  And, considering the author of this little tale, we know it's going to be—above all—fun.  So, instead of encountering minor troubles like traffic jams or rude drivers or inflated prices at the supermarket, this heroic father faces off with ferocious aliens, a burbling volcano, and a bossy pirate queen.  To name just a few of the hurdles in his quest to save his children's breakfast.  After all, it is the most important meal of the day.  The big question is:  Can he do it?  Or are his kids doomed to eating their cereal with, gulp, pickle juice?  No child deserves that terrible fate ...

As you can probably tell, Fortunately, the Milk is everything we've come to expect from the always quirky Neil Gaiman.  The tale's outrageous and silly and fun and just a delight all around.  Most of all, it explains one of the great mysteries of the universe—why do parents take so long to complete a task as simple as bringing home a carton of milk?  Kids will be mesmerized by this short, funny adventure (made even more amusing with illustrations by Skottie Young).  It might just entertain their parents, too.  Unless, of course, they're out fighting otherworldly creature in order to save their children's breakfasts.  Then, it might hit a little too close to home :) 

(Readalikes:  Nothing I can think of ...)

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