📖 Overview
A Book of Milliganimals is a 1968 children's book by British-Irish comedian and writer Spike Milligan, combining poetry, illustrations, and storytelling.
The book contains three distinct sections, with the first two featuring poems and drawings about both real and fantastical creatures. The final section presents a standalone story about a lion facing a crisis of confidence after losing his mane.
Milligan's work blends absurdist humor with simple truths about self-acceptance and faith, creating a unique children's book that operates on multiple levels of meaning.
👀 Reviews
Limited reader reviews exist online for this Milligan poetry book. The few available reviews highlight the playful animal-themed poems and illustrations that appeal to both children and adults.
Readers liked:
- Simple rhyming structure accessible to young readers
- Humorous animal drawings by Milligan
- Mix of silly and clever wordplay
- Works well as a read-aloud book
Readers disliked:
- Some felt poems were too basic or repetitive
- Hard to find physical copies as book is out of print
Available Ratings:
Goodreads: 3.86/5 (14 ratings, 0 written reviews)
Amazon UK: No current listings or reviews
Amazon US: No current listings or reviews
Due to the book's age (published 1968) and limited availability, comprehensive reader feedback is scarce online. Most discussions appear in broader reviews of Milligan's children's works rather than specific reviews of this title.
📚 Similar books
Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein
Combines whimsical poetry with line drawings that speak to children and adults through clever wordplay and unconventional creatures.
The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson Tells a tale of an invented creature through rhythmic verse and illustrations that mix reality with imagination.
The Book of Nonsense by Edward Lear Features nonsensical poems and sketches about peculiar characters and imaginary beasts that challenge conventional logic.
The Lost Words by Robert Macfarlane, Jackie Morris Presents poems and artwork about nature and animals in a format that transforms common creatures into magical entities.
The Quangle Wangle's Hat by Edward Lear Creates a world of unusual animal characters through poetry and drawings that celebrate the eccentric and unexpected.
The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson Tells a tale of an invented creature through rhythmic verse and illustrations that mix reality with imagination.
The Book of Nonsense by Edward Lear Features nonsensical poems and sketches about peculiar characters and imaginary beasts that challenge conventional logic.
The Lost Words by Robert Macfarlane, Jackie Morris Presents poems and artwork about nature and animals in a format that transforms common creatures into magical entities.
The Quangle Wangle's Hat by Edward Lear Creates a world of unusual animal characters through poetry and drawings that celebrate the eccentric and unexpected.
🤔 Interesting facts
🌟 Spike Milligan was a founding member of The Goon Show, a groundbreaking British radio comedy that heavily influenced Monty Python and modern comedy.
🎨 The illustrations in A Book of Milliganimals were all drawn by Milligan himself, showcasing his lesser-known talent as a visual artist.
📚 The book's title "Milliganimals" is a portmanteau (blend) of "Milligan" and "animals," reflecting the author's love of wordplay that characterized much of his work.
🎭 During WWII, Milligan served in the Royal Artillery, and his wartime experiences significantly influenced his surreal humor and anti-establishment stance in his later work.
📖 Many of the poems in this collection were inspired by stories Milligan would tell his own children, making it one of his most personal works.