My One and Only Bomb Shelter: Stories Book

This book is in peril of falling into a forgotten realm, a status that stems from misguided marketing. The title, M is for Magic, suggests a collection of stories for children, yet the book is categorized for young adults, and the content - from the crotch-sniffing troll whose "penis hung from the bush of gonk hair between his legs" to the months of the year sitting fireside to enjoy "a bottle of 1902 Château Lafitte" - caters to adults.

M is for Magic includes ten short stories and one poem. It offers pizazz, in the story of Humpty Dumpty's sister hiring a private detective to investigate her brother's untimely death; humor, in the sci-fi telling of an awkward youth attempting to talk to alien girls at a party; and imaginative fantasy entertainment in one of its more enjoyable stories, "Sunbird," which follows five voracious eaters on their quest to consume the rare Suntown Sunbird.

A really uneven collection of stories but, as Neil Gaimen says in his eloquent introduction, "There's another good thing about a book of short stories: you don't have to like them all. If there's one you don't enjoy, well, there will be another one along soon."
"Well, there's the Suntown Sunbird," said Zebediah T. Crawcrustle. And he grinned his crookedy grin at them, with his teeth ragged but sharp.

"I've never heard of it," said Jackie Newhouse. "You're making it up."

"Unicorns are imaginary," said Virginia Boote, "but, gosh, that unicorn flank tartare was tasty. A little bit horsey, a little bit goatish, and all the better for the capers and raw quail eggs."