“Ladies of Light and ladies of darkness
and ladies of never you mind
this is a prayer for a blueberry girl…”
The opening stanza of Blueberry Girl

I discovered the poem “Blueberry Girl” when I went to hear Neil Gaiman speak a few years ago in Palo Alto. He read it at the end of his session and it was captivating. Gaiman had written it for his goddaughter, and hadn’t planned on publishing it, but it had become so popular that he was planning on turning it into a children’s book. It was the first book since Harry Potter that I ordered months in advance. And when I received it, I was not disappointed.

The words are a beautiful, magical blessing that sums up everything I want to say to my daughter. Fantasy artist Charles Vess illustrated it and the art is captivating and romantic. In short, it is everything I think a children’s book should be. It created in me a sense of fairy tale magic I have not experienced in a very long time. On the other hand, it speaks to me on a very deep emotional level as an adult woman. It is rare I feel so strongly about books, but Blueberry Girl is a very special exception. It is the gift I give to new baby girls, so much do I love it.

It takes a special kind of author to be able to write for so many different kinds of audiences. But again and again I find that Neil Gaiman never lets me down, no matter what my mood. Whimsical, depressed, happy, macabre, sad, motherly, fearful, Neil knows how to suit any frenzy my mind might be in. Maybe that’s why he is one of my favorites.

Give it to any woman or girl that you know or love.

Grade: A +

I am reviewing the delightful little book Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman for two reasons. Reason 1: Upon discovering that American Gods by Neil Gaiman had been voted one of the best books of the decade by Time Magazine, and Reason 2: It’s my friend and fellow Gaiman lover Steve’s birthday. Happy Birthday Steve! I will not yet attempt to dissect American Gods here. Not yet. I’m not ready.

While I proclaim myself quite the Gaiman fan, books more than comics, I stumbled across Odd quite by accident. I was at Books, Inc. (one of my favorite bookstores) looking for a birthday card for a friend (not Steve, different friend) about five minutes before I was due at his birthday party, and there displayed amongst the Halloween offerings was Neil Gaiman’s “newest” book, Odd and the Frost Giants. But wait, I said to myself, I’ve heard of this book before, is it really new? But one the other hand I had never seen a book with such a title before, and I do own a lot of Gaiman, so maybe I was just confused? Why these thoughts even bothered me, I’m not sure, I bought the book, walked towards the restaurant where I was to meet my friends, then remembered I forgot the birthday card.

Odd and the Frost Giants is a fairy tale about a young boy named Odd and his “hero’s journey”. He stumbles across three animals who are actually the Norse gods Odin, Loki, and Thor stuck animal form. These three somehow enlist the boy to help them defeat the Frost Giants who are guarding the gods’ kingdom of Asgard.

Only Neil Gaiman, usually known for his darker offerings, could tell a fairy tale the way a fairy tale should be told. The story is captivating and whole. The moral is clear and wonderful, and the book is perfect for children and the parents who have to read it to them. The character of Odd is one that anyone who has ever felt out of place or different, from ages 5-95, can relate to warmly.

For an adult, it’s a quick read at 117 pages, but if you read it to your child or give it to a child, it will last a few days. I highly recommend it even if you have never read Gaiman before. For those of you who have never read Gaiman, this is just a taste of the wonderful wittiness that is Gaiman. Once you have finished this, and you have liked it, move onto Stardust. You won’t be disappointed.

Grade: A