“Touch the wooden gate in the wall you never saw before.” With this simple statement, award-winning adult and children’s author Neil Gaiman opens his picture book fable, Instructions. What follows is a set of travel directions for a journey to a far-away land that has the feel of some place familiar. Illustrator Charles Vess has created evocative drawings calling upon well-known childhood images. Little Red Riding Hood, the frog prince, the three little pigs and a pumpkin coach hiding behind a tree provide a sense of fantasy as our adventurer sets off on a journey that will take him to many curious places before returning him home again. Gaiman’s characters have no names; and there is no dialogue. Instead the author uses a sparse, almost poetic style to tell his story. The joy in this tale is in enjoying the clever illustrations and reading between the lines. These are instructions for life, as well as for a fun children’s story. “When you reach the little house, the place your journey started, you will recognize it, although it will seem much smaller than you remember.” Instructions will charm children of all ages. ~Wendee