Silly Willy Winston in the Adventures of Pirate Snout (A Family Comic Friday Extra)

  I won a free copy of this children's book on Goodreads recently. It seems like the only thing I win on that sight but hey- I love to win free books. So who's complaining?!

   This book is about a loveable basset hound named Winston and his best friend, a boy named Aiden. Together the pair goes on a series of fun adventures with Winston taking on a secret persona each time to go with his super powered ears and even more spectacular nose. During these moments of exploration, Winston can become the canine hero Super Snout, or trek through the jungle as Explorer Snout. In this book, the hound dog dons a tri-cornered hat and becomes Pirate Snout, leading Aiden on a quest to discover hidden treasure below the ocean and maybe even a shipwreck in a secluded desert! Plus, there are tons of cool sea creatures to discover on this voyage across the seven seas.

   This was an interesting book. There were lots of neat facts and historical information that had me going 'Huh!' I was thoroughly entertained and I was a little bit jealous that I didn't have kids books like these when I was a kid. 

   The combination of humor, action, and learning reminded me of the Magic School Bus books I used to read to my kid sister when she was in kindergarten. Books like Silly Willy Winston make learning fun and I think that is a lesson that is sorely missing in most of the media outlets devoted to kids. Keep up the good work, Winston!

   Another thing I really enjoyed about this book was the art. There is a wide variety of different techniques that made this seem like I was peering into a magical textbook on archeology and pirate lore. The renderings of both Aiden and Winston are really good. But whereas Aiden looks airbrushed and rounded, Winston looks pixelated like maybe he was drawn using MS Paint. Again, neither look is bad but I would've liked to have seen both characters on the same page drawn in the same style. That sort of consistency just would've have made the artwork pop that much more.

   Kudos to series creator Donna Maguire. She took her beloved pet Winston and turned him into a children's book superstar. Right now there are 5 books about Silly Willy Winston and they can be found on Amazon or even iTunes! Check them out and open your child up to a world of adventures and silliness.

   Recommended for readers 7-8 but those younger than 7 can enjoy this too if a family member or friend will help out with the big words.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.