The Little Endless Storybook (The Sandman) [Hardcover]

Jill Thompson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2005 | Series: The Sandman

This new hardcover edition of the classic tale of The Endless is a companion piece to the new DELIRIUM’S PARTY: A LITTLE ENDLESS STORYBOOK.

The story begins once upon a time, when Little Delirium was lost. Her protector and puppy Barnabas searched the waking world for his tiny princess to no avail. Now, Barnabas must travel to the strange realms of each of The Endless to see if Delirium’s siblings have seen their missing sister. Cameos by The Sandman, Desire and the rest of the Endless family make this a must-have for any Sandman enthusiast.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 10 Up–Delirium, the youngest of the Endless family, and her brothers and sisters are encountered as adults in Neil Gaiman's graphic novel series The Sandman (DC Comics). Thompson, Gaiman's collaborator, has created a world of the Endless as children. In this story, Delirium's small dog is in charge of keeping her safe, because she is easily distracted. When he goes off into the woods to see a man about a tree, she goes off in search of him. When he returns he cannot find her so he visits each of her siblings, including Destiny and Death (two major characters in Sandman), to try to find her. Each one gives him a charm (a symbol of their adult character), but it is not clear how they will help him. It is difficult to determine the intended audience, although the book itself indicates it is meant for mature audiences. The writing is uneven, and the humor is very adult, but the plot is simple and too predictable for older readers. Not a true graphic novel, but an illustrated story, the full-page manga-style art seems aimed at younger children. Sandman fans are the most likely audience, and they are sure to find these illustrations disappointing and substandard.–Ronnie Gordon, Brooklyn Public Library, NY
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Incredibly enedearing art makes this picture book a page-turner. Barnabas the Dog accidentally loses track of little Delirium when he excuses himself to take care of some puppy business. His search for her leads him to the realms of her siblings, who award him with vague advice and a charm from each of them. Thompson's Little Endless conception made just one appearance in Neil Gaiman's original run of Sandman but was, nevertheless, a fan favorite. If this story is short and faithful to children's-book conventions (e.g., art and text appear on facing pages), the art is fabulous--cute but not without the edge that one expects from the Sandman line. The story is funny and appealing in itself, yet it incorporates enough insider jokes to gratify Sandman fans. A few pages at the end of the book are dedicated to explaining how the stories came about and relaying a few tidbits about the Little Endless dolls and figures. Tina Coleman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Hardcover: 56 pages
• Publisher: Vertigo (March 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1401204287
• ISBN-13: 978-1401204280
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 0.4 x 10.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #591,670 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is a great little book!, August 1, 2005

By 

"jayeandy" (Rosthern, Saskatchewan Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Little Endless Storybook (The Sandman) (Hardcover)

Much to the surprise of friends who were more heavily into this sort of thing than I was, I really liked the Sandman comics. I was never a completist or anything, but I bought a number of the comics and grahphic novels, and even went to a Halloween party as Sandman one year. Something about The Endless always appealed to me. However, I was not enough of a fan that I was familiar with the "Little Endless" until I stumbled across this delightful book. If there was every a book made for me, this is it. I have always loved the "super-deformed" artwork style used in manga and anime, and the the author uses it in a way that is truly inspired.

The book tells the story of Barnabas, a little dog who is charged with the care of Delirium, lest she wander off. (This apparently is a common occurrence.) Sure enough, she disappears one day, and Barnabas goes off to find her, asking each of her siblings in turn if they have seen her. The book reaches a charming and satisfying conclusion, although you know poor Barnabas will always have his work cut out for him.

The "Little Endless," as these versions of the characters are known, are apparently in high demand by fans of the author's artwork, and I can see why. The book is well-written and superbly illustrated. Jill Thompson has managed to stay true to the feeling of the world of the Sandman comics, but at the same time produce a warm, cute fairy tale. I might hesitate to recommend this book to small children - there is just enough of the Sandman darkness here to elicit some uncomfortable questions from very young readers - but mature kids of perhaps 10 or older will do just fine. As for older readers, fans of the Sandman comics, manga, graphic novels, and fantasy in general will not be disappointed.

12 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you like the Endless (and have a sense of humor), February 22, 2005

By 

Robert Walker-Smith (Oakland, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Little Endless Storybook (The Sandman) (Hardcover)

This was a refreshing little goblet of Endless
sorbet - a palate cleanser between courses,
one might say.
I wouldn't read it to my son as a bedtime story -
well, not just yet. Why does the naked fat woman
have rats in her hair? Hmmmm. . . . good question.

The characters are mostly in character, and the artwork
is a constant delight. Destruction is just a hoot!
I'm still a little Morpheocentric in my approach to
Endless stories, and this is an ensemble piece - so
if I can enjoy it, well. If you're a Deliriophile,
this will rock your candy-colored inside-out boat made
of popsickle sticks and that funny feeling you get inside
your head when you can't remember the name of the color
you think of when you taste the same kind of fruit soda
you were drinking on the sidewalk the day you. . .
ummmm, where was I was I again?

Get it, read it, share it, love it. Spoiler -





it has a happy ending.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars For the collector, June 26, 2006

By 

Duncan Shields (Vancouver Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Little Endless Storybook (The Sandman) (Hardcover)

Got a friend that thinks Sandman is too dark? Or maybe someone who likes the darkness but will appreciate the tongue in cheek cuteness of this little gem? The little endless, in the fine tradition of Muppet Babies and Alvin and the Chipmunks, creates a nice little children's story involving the Endless. Destiny, Dream, Delirium (nee Delight), Death, Desire, Despair and Destruction are all represented here. It's cute and it's good.