Instructions – Neil Gaiman, Charles Vess
Bloomsbury Allen & Unwin, 2010
40 pages
RRP: AU$24.99
ISBN: 9781408808641

Reviewed by Liz Grzyb

Instructions is a lovely picture book for young children. It takes the reader (or listener) on a journey through a fairy tale world and back again, where some of the instructions are familiar and reminiscent of favourite fairy tales, some are new, and some are just good manners!

Charles Vess’s illustrations really complete this book. They have a timeless quality to them, reminding me of some of the books I read as a child, but also carrying a hint of the mystery and intensity of his Sandman depictions. The characters are stylised yet clear; the protagonist is charming and the creatures we meet along the way are intriguing.

Instructions would be a fantastic gift for a child in your life: it will stimulate the imagination and pique their interest. It is short, lyrical and simple, so adults will find it a momentary pleasure, but readers should definitely take another look back over the intricate illustrations.