A Book of Milliganimals

by Spike Milligan

Do you know what a Onecan is? Have you met a Gofongo or the Bald Twit Lion? Can you guess what the Wiggle-Woggle said? Another collection of goonish poems and zany drawings by Spike Milligan.

Genres: Humor, Poetry, Childrens, Fiction, Comedy, Fantasy, Animals

96 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1968

About the author

Terence Alan Patrick Seán Milligan, known as Spike, was a comedian, writer and musician. He was of Irish descent, but spent most of his childhood in India and lived most of his later life in England, moving to Australia after retirement. He is famous for his work in The Goon Show, children's poetry and a series of comical autobiographical novels about his experiences serving in the British Army in WWII. Spike Milligan suffered from bipolar disorder, which led to depression and frequent breakdowns, but he will be remembered as a comic genius. His tombstone reads 'I told you I was ill' in Gaelic.

Reviews

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this as a child and reading it now nothing has changed. Fabulous

Not for the squeamish... Sorry, the pc brigade.

MORE, MORE

[Dane Cobain · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a collection of Milligan’s entertaining poetry and prose, along with a bunch of his sketches that act as illustrations. It’s aimed at kids more than adults really, but there’s something endearing about Milligan that’s always appealed to me and his special mix of surrealism, wit and humour.

It’s probably not going to be one to go for if you’re not really a Milligan fan, but I love his stuff. Yeah!

[Ria · Rating 5 out of 5]

A silly book of nonsense poems and zany illustrations by Spike Milligan.
The first two sections deal with funny poems and verses and the final section tells the story of "The bald twit lion" who roars so loud he loses all his fur.
Good for a five minute read and as a bit of fun and probably good for those who enjoy the wacky or fans of Edward Lear would get a kick out of this and would definitely appeal to the younger audience.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hilarious!

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having read a volume of Milligan's adult poetry it seemed only fair (plus a good way to up my number of books read in 2020) to tackle one of Spike's books that is focused on children's verse. Whilst 'A Book of Milliganimals' has some exceedingly good poetry that will appeal to kids, it also includes some delightful illustrations drawn by the author and a very silly fable about 'The Bald Twit Lion' that is one of Spike's funniest pieces of writing.

There is no doubt that Spike Milligan inherited the literary legacy of Lear and Carroll, as seen in poems like 'What the Wiggle Woggle Said', and these are enjoyable. However I would suggest that its when Spike applies his signature mix of absurdist logic and puns that his verses excel. 'Silly Old Baboon' is probably the most famous poem from this book and it is very much in the Milliganesque vein of humour. 'Tiger, Tiger, Burning etc' is a shorter, condensed example of Spike's unique style and also demonstrates his ability to lampoon great writers (in this case William Blake). 'The Lion', Sardines' and 'The Pig' are also short poems that on the surface seem simple and very childish. However it takes a great writer to be able to achieve such economy of wit and create poetry that kids will engage with.

Another element of this book that makes it a 'Milligan Must Have' is the drawings done by Spike. They are deceptively artful and either reinforce the humour of the accompanying poem or provide their own laughs. His cartoon for 'Giraffe No.1' has its own funny narrative inserted into the frame, whilst the 'Onecans/Toucans' cartoon is a great visual pun.

Finally, the concluding segment of this book is the story of 'The Bald Twit Lion' and this is a wonderful short story that will appeal to kids and adults alike. There are tinges of Spike's 'Goon Show' writing herein, plus some well-observed and highly moral comments on man's innate cruelty. It may be argued that this fable, and indeed all of Spike's children's literature, is aimed at escaping from the lunacy of the adult world into a more friendly and silly make fantasy that children appreciate. 'The Bald Twit Lion' is very much in the spirit of 'Dip the Puppy' and 'Badjelly the Witch', two other classic Milligan short stories for kids.

In conclusion, if you enjoy the written work of Spike Milligan then 'A Book of Milliganimals' is a must have. If you know small children either read it to them or give them the chance to read it for themselves.

[I Read, Therefore I Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a collection of illustrations, verse and one short story for children aged 8+ by Spike Milligan that drips with his trademark silliness and unique way of thinking about creatures and the world in general. The book ends with a short story about a foolish lion who goes bald, which I enjoyed but might be a little too unstructured for kids. Sadly this book is out of print but is worth checking out for Milligan completists.

[Immy · Rating 4 out of 5]

As out there as any Milligan book, this collection of verses presents animals in the wacky way in which only Spike Milligan can see them.

An acquired taste, Milligan's work boasts notoriety whilst still being completely individual and often in-explainable in his ideas.
A fun, if confusing, read.

[Frank Ashe · Rating 3 out of 5]

I must show this to my grandkids

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

hes fucking insane is what he is

[Diamond Axe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very funny

[Daniel Henderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book as a young child. It was my first introduction to the genius that is Spike Milligan and it is a credit to his writing that he can write for children and adults alike without compromising on the silly and witty humour that is synonymous with one of the great wordsmiths if modern times.

This is a must read for children as an introduction to Spike's brilliant humour. Hilarious from start to finish.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I find these things so percular but they have to be seen as genius to be able to think these ups and stick to the poetry.

[Jay · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love every ape that there could be, from Chimpan-A to Chimpan-Zee

Very silly, very Spike Milligan. Not every page is Spike at his best but there are some absolute gems

[Ritch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Classic. Better than I remember... 'cause I was really young then.

[Duncan]

This is a brilliant resource to have to hand for any time you feel your imagination is flagging.