Scan barcode
bhall237's review against another edition
3.0
“And when shed finished telling me off she made me promise, cross my heart, that I would
never -
ever - swap my dad for anything ever ever again.”
A fun, short read that I happened to pick up in the waiting room of my Therapist’s office. Going in with the expectations of Gaiman’s previous works did this book a disservice though, as I was waiting for something incredibly dark to occur but never did. Still a fun little read!
never -
ever - swap my dad for anything ever ever again.”
A fun, short read that I happened to pick up in the waiting room of my Therapist’s office. Going in with the expectations of Gaiman’s previous works did this book a disservice though, as I was waiting for something incredibly dark to occur but never did. Still a fun little read!
therealbel's review against another edition
5.0
I love pretty much everything Neil Gaiman writes. I particularly loved this. A great fun story dealing with consequences of simple actions... what *would* happen if you swapped your Dad for two goldfish and then your mother wasn't happy with the swap. Dave McKean's pictures and Gainman's words make for a great book for kids aged 5 & up. Fun.
atrollreads's review against another edition
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
En litten blick i hur underliga barn kan vara när de kommer i bytartaget, och om att ibland är ändå det man redan har bättre än det man på en nyck kan vilja ha istället. Inte alltid, men ibland.
wrentheblurry's review against another edition
4.0
GENRE: Fiction, picture book, adventure.
SUMMARY: A boy's friend visits, along with the friend's two goldfish. The boy decides he must have the goldfish, and offers to trade all manner of items for them. The owner refuses all trade requests until the boy's father is offered. When the boy's mother comes home to discover that her husband has been traded away, she tells her son to go get him back, and pronto. The boy discovers this is not as easy as it seems, as his dad has been traded away elsewhere, and the boy and his sister traverse the neighborhood, trading one item for another, in an attempt to finally trade back for their father.
EVALUATION: I am a fan of Neil Gaiman, and have been for some time. The premise is strange, though it actually began in reality, when Gaiman's son, after being told to go to bed, replied that he wished he did not have a father, that he wished he had goldfish instead. I love the randomness that Gaiman sticks in his picture books, such as when the Queen of Melanesia was present to welcome a rabbit back home. The illustrations are fantastic, done in a loose, nearly surreal style.
WHY I WOULD INCLUDE IT: It's engaging, funny, and oddly interesting all at the same time. . Although this is a picture book, younger kids will not appreciate nor fully grasp the more subtle humor that Gaiman presents throughout the book, though tweens will get it, and enjoy it.
READER'S ANNOTATION: Be careful if you trade your dad for two goldfish, you may run into some difficulty trading back for him, like this son did!
ITEMS WITH SIMILAR APPEAL:
• The Wolves in the Walls by Neil Gaiman.
SUMMARY: A boy's friend visits, along with the friend's two goldfish. The boy decides he must have the goldfish, and offers to trade all manner of items for them. The owner refuses all trade requests until the boy's father is offered. When the boy's mother comes home to discover that her husband has been traded away, she tells her son to go get him back, and pronto. The boy discovers this is not as easy as it seems, as his dad has been traded away elsewhere, and the boy and his sister traverse the neighborhood, trading one item for another, in an attempt to finally trade back for their father.
EVALUATION: I am a fan of Neil Gaiman, and have been for some time. The premise is strange, though it actually began in reality, when Gaiman's son, after being told to go to bed, replied that he wished he did not have a father, that he wished he had goldfish instead. I love the randomness that Gaiman sticks in his picture books, such as when the Queen of Melanesia was present to welcome a rabbit back home. The illustrations are fantastic, done in a loose, nearly surreal style.
WHY I WOULD INCLUDE IT: It's engaging, funny, and oddly interesting all at the same time. . Although this is a picture book, younger kids will not appreciate nor fully grasp the more subtle humor that Gaiman presents throughout the book, though tweens will get it, and enjoy it.
READER'S ANNOTATION: Be careful if you trade your dad for two goldfish, you may run into some difficulty trading back for him, like this son did!
ITEMS WITH SIMILAR APPEAL:
• The Wolves in the Walls by Neil Gaiman.
michidoc's review against another edition
5.0
Delightful little story, as always - and I love it - very creepy in the end... Neil Gaiman's a genius. Illustration's are really beautiful and artistic!
Deliziosa piccola storia, come sempre - e lo adoro - davvero inquietante alla fine... Neil Gaiman è un genio. Illustrazioni veramente belle ed artistiche!
Deliziosa piccola storia, come sempre - e lo adoro - davvero inquietante alla fine... Neil Gaiman è un genio. Illustrazioni veramente belle ed artistiche!
maus652's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
The children I read it to loved it. It's a really silly story and the art is different.
bluestjuice's review against another edition
2.0
Quirky and an amusing premise, but this one didn't hook me all that much. Throughout his children's books Gaiman demonstrates his understanding of the perspective of a child, with an authentic yet respectful voice, and this story is no different (although it's quite saucy, with the siblings squabbling at each other across the pages). I just didn't find the swapping all that entertaining in itself. The art was interesting but not quite my cup of tea, as well. It's certainly not bad, just not my favorite thing ever.