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Neil Gaiman/Chris Riddell 3-Book Box Set: Coraline; The Graveyard Book; Fortunately, the Milk
This exclusive box set contains the British editions of three bestselling Neil Gaiman classics in paperback, including the Newbery Medal and Carnegie Medal winner The Graveyard Book; Coraline; and Fortunately, the Milk, all illustrated by acclaimed artist Chris Riddell.
The editions of Coraline, The Graveyard Book, and Fortunately, the Milk in this box set contain the illustrations from the British editions, which are both hilarious and moving. Acclaimed artist Chris Riddell has won the Kate Greenaway Medal twice, among other awards and honors.
These paperbacks have never before been published in the United States and are available here only in this special box set.
The editions of Coraline, The Graveyard Book, and Fortunately, the Milk in this box set contain the illustrations from the British editions, which are both hilarious and moving. Acclaimed artist Chris Riddell has won the Kate Greenaway Medal twice, among other awards and honors.
These paperbacks have never before been published in the United States and are available here only in this special box set.
512 pages, Paperback
First published September 8, 2015
63 people are currently reading
1040 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
June 4, 2025
We've been reading the Chris Riddell illustrated version of Coraline each night to our 1.5 yr old who loves all things creepy ! So exciting to be able to put an actual book I read to her on here! She LOVES the movie & it makes bedtime a breeze! I always end the day with a book, & start it with a book (with many in between) once for me (obv at night after I read aloud to my little one, & in the morning I wake up & turn my book on until the baby wakes up, & read to her during bfast!), second time for my mini! So fun !!! 🥹
October 9, 2016
Obviously this collection is a great buy. It has three very different yet awesome stories, and some very gorgeous illustrations by Chris Riddle. I'm thrilled to own a copy.
I even wrote a more detailed review about the stories in it, but now, two months later, it's disappeared. That should teach me to backup reviews, but in this case I spent quite some time writing and it was all for nothing.
Instead I should have found a book to read.
But, never mind that.. The collection is great. And one I'll definitely be revisiting over and over again.
I even wrote a more detailed review about the stories in it, but now, two months later, it's disappeared. That should teach me to backup reviews, but in this case I spent quite some time writing and it was all for nothing.
Instead I should have found a book to read.
But, never mind that.. The collection is great. And one I'll definitely be revisiting over and over again.
September 29, 2015
Illustrations can make or break a book's experience -- good ones will enhance the book's atmosphere, and bad ones will wreck your ability to envision what the author describes.
Fortunately, Neil Gaiman has connected with some great illustrators over the years. And one of the illustrators who best works with Gaiman is Chris Riddell, who has illustrated the three books in this collection: the whimsical "Fortunately the Milk," eerie children's horror story "Coraline," and the elegant, gothic "The Graveyard Book" (which won the Newbury Award). All three books are enchanting on their own, and Riddell's illustrations perfectly fit Gaiman's eerie, eccentric writing style.
"Fortunately the Milk" skews the youngest of the three stories (despite some jokes clearly intended for the grown-ups), and is possibly the most exciting story about buying milk since... ever. It's also the one in which Riddell's illustrations shine the most, since the whimsical, oddball story lends itself well to the charmingly exaggerated black-and-white pictures.
In the story, a family has run out of milk. The mother is away at a conference, and the kids are unable to eat their Toastios... and when the dad comes back, he doesn't have milk. Why? The answer is an increasingly convoluted tale of abduction by globby green aliens, the Queen of the Pirates, piranhas, the time-trabeling Professor Steg’s Floaty-Ball-Person-Carrier, the barbaric followers of Splod, ponies, vampires, the Galactic Police, and countless other obstacles that threaten to keep him from getting home with the milk.
"Coraline" follows a girl who has recently moved into a dull new apartment, with parents who ignore her and neighbors who are either insane or boring. It's the sort of relentlessly dull world that any little girl would want to escape from -- until Coraline does. She encounters a formerly bricked-up door that leads into an apartment in another world, which looks eerily like her own. In fact, it's so similar that she has a taloned, button-eyed "other mother" and matching "other father," as well as a chorus of singing, dancing rats and magical toys. But soon she discovers the horrors that lurk in this Other world, and what will happen if she can't defeat the Other Mother.
In "The Graveyard Book," Nobody Owens' family was murdered by a mysterious assassin -- but he was spared because he wandered down into the graveyard. The mysterious Silas (the only one who can leave the graveyard) takes charge of the baby, and he is raised by the ghosts who dwell there. In the years that follow, Bod has many terrifying and wondrous adventures -- involving a witch's ghost, the Sleer, ghouls, dancing the Macabray, and his eccentric teacher Miss Lupesceau. But the man who murdered his family is still after Bod, as well as the only human friend he's ever had.
The "Neil Gaiman/Chris Riddell 3-Book Box Set" shows off the full range of Gaiman's writing ability -- a wacky, whimsical story about the ultimate tall tale, a delicately poetic urban-gothic, and a cobwebby, skin-crawling horror story. He has the knack for incorporating the whimsical and fantastical (even if it's obviously a lie, like in "Fortunately the Milk") into the ordinary world, and making it totally believable that an ordinary apartment building could lead to a place of eldritch horrors.
His wordcraft is absolutely exquisite, whether it's being silly ("How does a volcano know so much about transtemporal meta-science?”) or injecting poetry into horror ("A husk you'll be, a wisp you'll be, and a thing no more than a dream on waking, or a memory of something forgotten"). He also comes up with some truly charming characters, from the erudite volcano god to the sternly paternal vampire Silas, from the sensible Coraline to the earnest Bod. And of course, the time-tripping dad (who looks oddly like Gaiman himself).
And Chris Riddell's illustrations are a delicate but definite enhancement to the stories. His black-and-white drawings are mostly lifelike, but slightly exaggerated (giant pirate hats, thuggy-looking faces) with lots of long lanky limbs, trailing cloth and pointed faces. And there are subtle differences in each book, depending on what the theme is -- "Fortunately, The Milk" is sillier-looking (it has a stegosaurus in a lab coat!), while "Graveyard Book" is delicate and haunting.
The "Neil Gaiman/Chris Riddell 3-Book Set" is a good exploration of both men's considerable talents. Gaiman's exquisite writing and Riddell's delicate pictures complement each other perfectly, and any bibliophile child will adore these stories.
Fortunately, Neil Gaiman has connected with some great illustrators over the years. And one of the illustrators who best works with Gaiman is Chris Riddell, who has illustrated the three books in this collection: the whimsical "Fortunately the Milk," eerie children's horror story "Coraline," and the elegant, gothic "The Graveyard Book" (which won the Newbury Award). All three books are enchanting on their own, and Riddell's illustrations perfectly fit Gaiman's eerie, eccentric writing style.
"Fortunately the Milk" skews the youngest of the three stories (despite some jokes clearly intended for the grown-ups), and is possibly the most exciting story about buying milk since... ever. It's also the one in which Riddell's illustrations shine the most, since the whimsical, oddball story lends itself well to the charmingly exaggerated black-and-white pictures.
In the story, a family has run out of milk. The mother is away at a conference, and the kids are unable to eat their Toastios... and when the dad comes back, he doesn't have milk. Why? The answer is an increasingly convoluted tale of abduction by globby green aliens, the Queen of the Pirates, piranhas, the time-trabeling Professor Steg’s Floaty-Ball-Person-Carrier, the barbaric followers of Splod, ponies, vampires, the Galactic Police, and countless other obstacles that threaten to keep him from getting home with the milk.
"Coraline" follows a girl who has recently moved into a dull new apartment, with parents who ignore her and neighbors who are either insane or boring. It's the sort of relentlessly dull world that any little girl would want to escape from -- until Coraline does. She encounters a formerly bricked-up door that leads into an apartment in another world, which looks eerily like her own. In fact, it's so similar that she has a taloned, button-eyed "other mother" and matching "other father," as well as a chorus of singing, dancing rats and magical toys. But soon she discovers the horrors that lurk in this Other world, and what will happen if she can't defeat the Other Mother.
In "The Graveyard Book," Nobody Owens' family was murdered by a mysterious assassin -- but he was spared because he wandered down into the graveyard. The mysterious Silas (the only one who can leave the graveyard) takes charge of the baby, and he is raised by the ghosts who dwell there. In the years that follow, Bod has many terrifying and wondrous adventures -- involving a witch's ghost, the Sleer, ghouls, dancing the Macabray, and his eccentric teacher Miss Lupesceau. But the man who murdered his family is still after Bod, as well as the only human friend he's ever had.
The "Neil Gaiman/Chris Riddell 3-Book Box Set" shows off the full range of Gaiman's writing ability -- a wacky, whimsical story about the ultimate tall tale, a delicately poetic urban-gothic, and a cobwebby, skin-crawling horror story. He has the knack for incorporating the whimsical and fantastical (even if it's obviously a lie, like in "Fortunately the Milk") into the ordinary world, and making it totally believable that an ordinary apartment building could lead to a place of eldritch horrors.
His wordcraft is absolutely exquisite, whether it's being silly ("How does a volcano know so much about transtemporal meta-science?”) or injecting poetry into horror ("A husk you'll be, a wisp you'll be, and a thing no more than a dream on waking, or a memory of something forgotten"). He also comes up with some truly charming characters, from the erudite volcano god to the sternly paternal vampire Silas, from the sensible Coraline to the earnest Bod. And of course, the time-tripping dad (who looks oddly like Gaiman himself).
And Chris Riddell's illustrations are a delicate but definite enhancement to the stories. His black-and-white drawings are mostly lifelike, but slightly exaggerated (giant pirate hats, thuggy-looking faces) with lots of long lanky limbs, trailing cloth and pointed faces. And there are subtle differences in each book, depending on what the theme is -- "Fortunately, The Milk" is sillier-looking (it has a stegosaurus in a lab coat!), while "Graveyard Book" is delicate and haunting.
The "Neil Gaiman/Chris Riddell 3-Book Set" is a good exploration of both men's considerable talents. Gaiman's exquisite writing and Riddell's delicate pictures complement each other perfectly, and any bibliophile child will adore these stories.
July 30, 2021
All three of the books in this collection were excellent!
Fortunately, the Milk: was a truly enjoyable read. Definitely a fun book to read to kids, though I read it for myself and still had a great time.
Coraline: was excellent! Much better than the movie, which I saw with my son when it was originally in the theaters. Interesting story, and fantastic writing. It was easy to get into this world and enjoy some evenings with these characters.
The Graveyard Book: is now in the Top 10 of my favorite books of all-time! A fantastic concept; and masterfully written by Neil Gaiman. I couldn't help but fall in love with several of the characters in this book. Especially Nobody Owens and Liza Hempstock. And, of course, Scarlett. Highly recommend this book!!!
Fortunately, the Milk: was a truly enjoyable read. Definitely a fun book to read to kids, though I read it for myself and still had a great time.
Coraline: was excellent! Much better than the movie, which I saw with my son when it was originally in the theaters. Interesting story, and fantastic writing. It was easy to get into this world and enjoy some evenings with these characters.
The Graveyard Book: is now in the Top 10 of my favorite books of all-time! A fantastic concept; and masterfully written by Neil Gaiman. I couldn't help but fall in love with several of the characters in this book. Especially Nobody Owens and Liza Hempstock. And, of course, Scarlett. Highly recommend this book!!!
Read
October 8, 2021coraline was in a different world and she tried finding her parents
September 8, 2022
Childhood .
June 30, 2024
Fabulous 👌 💫
March 27, 2022
only read coraline tho
October 23, 2018
Fortunately, the milk
"After nourishment, shelter and companionship, stories are the thing we need most in the world" (P. Pullman) and Fortunately, the milk is exactly the kind of book that reminds us of how stories are wonderful.
It's a children's book that you enjoy even when you're not a children anymore. For me it was impossible reading it without a big grin on my face and Chris Rhiddell's illustration are just perfect and make the story even more engrossing.
Reading this book it's an amazing journey; thanks Neil and thanks Chris!
The graveyard book
4* e 1/2
Coraline
4*
"After nourishment, shelter and companionship, stories are the thing we need most in the world" (P. Pullman) and Fortunately, the milk is exactly the kind of book that reminds us of how stories are wonderful.
It's a children's book that you enjoy even when you're not a children anymore. For me it was impossible reading it without a big grin on my face and Chris Rhiddell's illustration are just perfect and make the story even more engrossing.
Reading this book it's an amazing journey; thanks Neil and thanks Chris!
The graveyard book
4* e 1/2
Coraline
4*
December 31, 2017
I absolutely adore this box set which was gifted to me by a loved one.
Gaiman is among my favourite authors, ever since I first discovered his existence by reading "Good Omens".
Riddell's drawing style is "cute", creepy and uncomplicated at the same time, and enhances the beauty of the text without overshadowing it. Actually, only "Fortunately the Milk" is fully illustrated (meaning that the text is enclosed in the drawings). "Coraline" and "The Graveyard Book" only have several drawings each but they are sufficient as they are.
Gaiman is among my favourite authors, ever since I first discovered his existence by reading "Good Omens".
Riddell's drawing style is "cute", creepy and uncomplicated at the same time, and enhances the beauty of the text without overshadowing it. Actually, only "Fortunately the Milk" is fully illustrated (meaning that the text is enclosed in the drawings). "Coraline" and "The Graveyard Book" only have several drawings each but they are sufficient as they are.
April 16, 2023
Love, love this box set 💯😊 .
All 3 books are great and so enjoyable to read. Neil Gaiman writing is simply gorgeous but what made this box special is the amazing illustrations by Chris Riddell. His illustrations weren't just beautiful but, they were also very accurate to their description.
°• Fortunately, the Milk {5🌟} ;
Surprisingly, my favorite one. Funny, amusing and very clever 🧡💚💛.
°• Coraline {4.5🌟} ;
Spooky, mysterious and very unique 💜🖤.
°• The Graveyard Book {4🌟} ;
Emotional with a touching story and heartwarming characters 💙🤍.
All 3 books are great and so enjoyable to read. Neil Gaiman writing is simply gorgeous but what made this box special is the amazing illustrations by Chris Riddell. His illustrations weren't just beautiful but, they were also very accurate to their description.
°• Fortunately, the Milk {5🌟} ;
Surprisingly, my favorite one. Funny, amusing and very clever 🧡💚💛.
°• Coraline {4.5🌟} ;
Spooky, mysterious and very unique 💜🖤.
°• The Graveyard Book {4🌟} ;
Emotional with a touching story and heartwarming characters 💙🤍.
Read
August 24, 2021GOOD
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 23, 2025
2.75⭐️
I read this entire boxed set in a span of less than half a week, while I was very sick. I simply wasn't well enough to read complex literature and these children's book really came in handy at this time!
📚 Coraline: 2.75⭐️
I'm afraid I expected too much from this book as it quite disapointed me. I know the movie Coraline by heart. It is easily one of my favourites to this day! However, this was my first time reading the book. With the movie plot being so very well familiar to me, the book seemed dull compared to it.
Selick added a lot of elements which brought the story even more to life on the big screen and it saddened me to not have them in the book. Yet I still believe if a child read it before watching the timeless stop motion animation, they would for sure enjoy it and be equally creeped out.
"Now, you people have names. That’s because you don't know who you are. We know who we are, so we don't need names."
📚 Fortunately, the Milk: 3⭐️
If I had read this as a kid, I'm sure I'd really enjoy this book. As an adult, I found it amousing and a very easy read, but nothing more. It is a children's book, after all... I was absolutely amazed by Chris Riddell's illustrations by the way!
📚 The Graveyard Book: 2.5⭐️
This is yet another book I would absolutely love as a teenager obsessed with all things dark and dead. Unfortunately, I am no longer 14, but 24 and thus the book was not very captivating to me. I can’t even pinpoint why, I am just obviously not the target audience. Some books really are meant only for children's minds and it's such a shame.
"Wherever you go, you take yourself with you."
I read this entire boxed set in a span of less than half a week, while I was very sick. I simply wasn't well enough to read complex literature and these children's book really came in handy at this time!
📚 Coraline: 2.75⭐️
I'm afraid I expected too much from this book as it quite disapointed me. I know the movie Coraline by heart. It is easily one of my favourites to this day! However, this was my first time reading the book. With the movie plot being so very well familiar to me, the book seemed dull compared to it.
Selick added a lot of elements which brought the story even more to life on the big screen and it saddened me to not have them in the book. Yet I still believe if a child read it before watching the timeless stop motion animation, they would for sure enjoy it and be equally creeped out.
"Now, you people have names. That’s because you don't know who you are. We know who we are, so we don't need names."
📚 Fortunately, the Milk: 3⭐️
If I had read this as a kid, I'm sure I'd really enjoy this book. As an adult, I found it amousing and a very easy read, but nothing more. It is a children's book, after all... I was absolutely amazed by Chris Riddell's illustrations by the way!
📚 The Graveyard Book: 2.5⭐️
This is yet another book I would absolutely love as a teenager obsessed with all things dark and dead. Unfortunately, I am no longer 14, but 24 and thus the book was not very captivating to me. I can’t even pinpoint why, I am just obviously not the target audience. Some books really are meant only for children's minds and it's such a shame.
"Wherever you go, you take yourself with you."
May 28, 2023
Coraline: un clásico, el libro es más sencillo que la película, pero cumple su cometido siendo un lindo cuento de miedos para niños. Amo esta versión ilustrada.
The graveyard book: es un buen cuento, me encanta como hace las interacciones vivo/muertos.
Fortunatly, the milk: extremadamente buena, es una historia loca e interesante para niños, las ilustraciones le dan un toque excelente.
The graveyard book: es un buen cuento, me encanta como hace las interacciones vivo/muertos.
Fortunatly, the milk: extremadamente buena, es una historia loca e interesante para niños, las ilustraciones le dan un toque excelente.
February 7, 2021
Coraline - 4* - Wonderfully creepy story, but children might get nightmares.
The Graveyard Book - 5* - A dark, coming of age story. Very good. Vintage Gaiman.
Fortunately, the Milk - 4* - Only Neil Gaiman could make a hilarious, time travel tale about that one time Dad went out to get milk for his kid's breakfast, and got embroiled in a time travel loop.
The Graveyard Book - 5* - A dark, coming of age story. Very good. Vintage Gaiman.
Fortunately, the Milk - 4* - Only Neil Gaiman could make a hilarious, time travel tale about that one time Dad went out to get milk for his kid's breakfast, and got embroiled in a time travel loop.
February 28, 2024
Coraline má veľmi hlbokú myšlienku. Deti, ktoré nemajú pozornosť dospelých,ktoré nemôžu bádáť sú zraniteľné, no láska v rodine im nakoniec dovolí zachrániť rodičov :)
Neľutujem opakovane čítať niektoré knihy..aspoň som to skúsila som to v angličtine ;)
Neľutujem opakovane čítať niektoré knihy..aspoň som to skúsila som to v angličtine ;)
Want to read
April 21, 2019I want to read
April 30, 2019
What fun and refreshing books! I loved all 3 of them!
May 23, 2019
There are three books here. Coraline is a film already and I have watched it for God knows how many times. The Graveyard Book is a story I never wanted it to finish.. Or get over.. Brilliant!
January 25, 2021
This book is quite mysterious. Coraline found a little door at her new house that leads her to the other world
March 3, 2022
Such an amazing collection I now have another favorite author!
March 5, 2022
The book was awesome
May 1, 2022
surpreendente,bem melhor do que o filme e mais bem explicado.
Read
July 4, 2022Love Neil Gaiman. The Graveyard Book is a must-read!
December 1, 2022
What a wonderful treat. It’s a story that speaks to my inner child, innocent and wildly imaginative. Loved it.
January 1, 2023
Coraline…pure masterpiece;
Fortunately, the milk…great for kids but meh for me
The graveyard book…wtf…didn’t expect it to be this tragic somehow and having serious topics like that…absolutely loved it
Fortunately, the milk…great for kids but meh for me
The graveyard book…wtf…didn’t expect it to be this tragic somehow and having serious topics like that…absolutely loved it
Read
February 21, 2023Outstanding!
May 2, 2023
all three of them are absolutely amazing and a must read
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews