Customer Reviews

The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish

5 star:		(40)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

When I was ten, I wanted a red electric guitar more than anything else in the world. I coveted it so much - and the resulting super stardom I was positive it would bring me - that I would readily trade anything (or anyone) for it. Unfortunately for me (but fortunately for my parents, considering my decided lack of musical talent) the music store was a strictly cash only venture. Thus, I have remained electric guitar-less and completely unfamous until this day. Not that I'm still bitter or anything.

If you're like me, and have ever wondered what would have happened if your primal childhood urge to trade away your loved ones for cash and merchandise was realized you need look no further than Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean's new book, _The Day I Swapped My Dad for 2 Goldfish_. Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean are better known for their work in the comic book realm, giving all of us who are secret children's literature addicts a reasonable excuse to buy picture books (I'm just buying it because I'm a big fan, really).

As you may have grasped from the title, the story centres around a young boy who trades his dad for his friend's goldfish (personally, I think he made a bad trade; dads should be worth at least _three_ goldfish, and maybe one of those plastic diver guys). What makes the story special is the way in which it's told. The text is incorporated into the pictures, rather than being a separate narrative. The illustrations themselves were my favourite part of the book. I like pictures. Alot. I think there should be more pictures in adult books, but the publishing companies don't seem to agree with me. Dave McKean has illustrated the book in his classic semi-collage style, but without the darker elements that might frighten young children. If you're a fan of McKean's work, the book is worth buying just for his artwork alone.

This is definitely one of the best books I've read this year. Buy, borrow or trade yourself a copy as soon as possible. (Oh yes, and your kids might like it too - if they can tear it away from you, that is.)

When a young boy (the story doesn't give him a name) decides to swap for a friend's goldfish, he finds that his father is the ultimate bargaining chip--after all, hasn't everyone always wanted to own one? The boy's father is such a hot item, in fact, that the neighborhood kids pass him back and forth, making one deal after another. Eventually, the mother sends the boy and his little sister to recover their father ("The very idea," she says), and they follow the swapping trail, redistributing the trade items as they go.

"The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish" is a brilliantly illustrated adventure map that navigates the relative values and the strange economy of childhood. Neil Gaiman's lively text is written with that special children's logic and fresh humor found in classics like "Winnie-the-Pooh" and "Peter Pan," and the rich texture of Dave McKean's images--vivid line drawings and colorful montages--gives the story a look that is unique in children's literature. This book occupies a special place in my library with a very few picture books, like "Old Turtle" and "Little Hobbin," that I could never part with.

I really fell in love with this book!

The concept, a series of Dad swaps, may sound cutesy, but the execution is delightful and not the least bit saccharine or repetitive. The children's actions are nuanced in a charming yet realistic manner, and it's easy to freely accept the logic of the book because it is, in essence, child logic. The deadpan and earnest delivery really makes this story.

The layout is graphic novel, but you never get more than two horizontal panels a page. McKean's beautiful artwork suits the book to a tee. The drawings are primarily ink and what appears to be oil pastels, with occasional photographic images and newsprint worked in.

The reading level is probably 1st grade and above, but I'm not a child professional or a parent.

btw, I strongly suggest reading the author's note afterwards. It's quite interesting and explains a lot about the book.

I'm sure I'm not the first reviewer here to say that I love this book as much as any kid ever could. Great story, great writing, exceptional artwork by the inimitable dave mckean. If you don't fall in love with this book, then I'd be willing to wager that you never had a childhood.

By any means necessary, no matter how old you are, read this book; even if you have to swap your favoritest family member for a copy. (I've heard Amazon does in fact accept this kind of bartering system)

While I have been a fan of Neil Gaiman for years, I was disappointed that my 8 year-old son would not be able to read his work until his teen years. This warped children's book was right up his alley. We read this story more often than another book in our libarary. I'm so glad I was able to let me child in on the wonderful warped world of Gaiman so much sooner than I expected!

I am a huge fan of Gaimen and McKean. But this time they have outdone theirselves. The illustrations and montages' are extroadinary and capture the child's view brilliantly. Also they capture the adults view upon a child's world. I love the mixed media and the way McKean pulls focus on the different objects with his use of photography. A fantastic medium for both adults and children to enjoy.

My jaw dropped when I first saw this book. The illustrationsare a blend of photography, illustration and child-friendlysurrealism. Then there's the story. Simple, witty and hip, with a dose of reality to keep it believable. I collect children's books and nothing on my bookshelf, including the book I wrote and illustrated myself, comes close to this one.

A boy and his sister are left alone with their newspaper-reading dad for a day. A friend comes over with two neat goldfish, and with a flash of inspiration, the boy trades his dad for them. When Mom comes home, the sister rats on the trade, and the two sibs are sent off to undo a whole series of trades to recover their father. The vivid illustrations are wonderful overlays of ink drawings on collage and graphics that bring the story to life, recapturing a child's point of view for the adult, adding making the fantastic and humorous story credible.

I was given a copy of this book some months ago, and it's become one of my favorite books, and also one of my daughter's favorite books. I'm 31 and she is 6.

The story is genuinely funny, it feels like what it is like to be a small boy at war with your sister (she reminds me of me at her age) in a world controlled by adults who are not paying attention. The pictures are just so lovely.

It's so rare for a book to be as good for the adult readers as it is for the children. I cant wait until Gaiman and McKean do another children's book.

I can't imagine anyone not liking it unless they had no sense of humor at all.

This is a wonderfully fun book about a boy who trades his dad for two goldfish. His mother tells him he has to get his dad back, so he goes on an adventure, walking from house to house, swapping items until he finally gets his dad back. His dad seems to have been oblivious to the whole thing, just reading his paper the whole time. A fun book with beautiful illustrations (typical Dave McKean drawings). My 6 year-old daughter loves it.