Winston the Book Wolf

Winston the Book Wolf
By: Marni McGee & Ian Beck

Winston is a wolf that does not like to read books, he likes to eat them. What does he do when he sees a “No Wolves Allowed” sign posted in front of the library? He eats the sign! Rosie, a little girl in a red-hooded sweatshirt, teaches Winston how to “eat books with his eyes” or, how to read. Disguised as Granny Winston, this book hungry wolf returns to the library to register for a library card. He ends up reading to the children at storytime.
Children will recognize the Three Little Pigs in Beck’s colorful cross-hatched illustrations. A particularly fun example is the two page spread of Grandma pinning her dress on the clothesline. In this scene Winston asks Rosie to trust him with a plan to use Grandma’s clothes for a disguise. In the background the Three Little Pigs peek around their house of bricks, sticks and straw. In another illustration that alludes to classic literature, Rosie and Grandma (Winston) follow the yellow brick road to Town to visit the library.

Winston the Book Wolf is a book that celebrates the pleasure of reading. The message: words are delicious, reading is a treat. In a 2006 School Library Journal review, Linda Ludke said “With his love of language, Winston quickly develops a taste for “sweet and juicy words like sunset and swoosh and rambunctious”. Just like Winston, children ages 5-7 will gobble up this book!

Sandi
Russell Memorial Library

Bibliography
Ludke, Linda. "McGee, Marni. Winston the Book Wolf." School Library Journal 52.12 (2006): 108. General Reference Center Gold. Web. 3 Apr. 2011.