Neil Gaiman, author of Sandman, American Gods, and some of the finest episodes of the new Doctor Who, has brought a magical enthusiasm and his English accent to the realm of children’s literature. Gaiman recorded himself reading Dr. Seuss’ Green Eggs And Ham aloud, in funny voices, as a reward for the charity organization Worldbuilders hitting a $500,000 fundraising goal. The result’s a pure delight. Standing alone in his kitchen and sporting an endearingly scruffy beard, Gaiman’s enjoyment of the book’s playful rhymes is infectious. By the time he calls Green Eggs And Ham “rather wonderful” you might have already gotten over the fact that it’s Monday.
Gaiman is not, however, the only fixture in the geek firmament to donate his time to Worldbuilders. The organization was started by fantasy author Patrick Rothfuss and his genre colleagues Scott Lynch, Elizabeth Bear, John Scalzi, the cast of web series The Guild, and musicians Paul & Storm, among others, have completed diverse challenges. The charity is $7,000 away from Rothfuss becoming a character in the webcomic Dork Tower, and should it reach $675,000, BuffyTthe Vampire Slayer’s Amber Benson will read online erotica. Finally, some concrete incentives to ending poverty.