Winston the Book Wolf

by Marni McGee, Ian Beck (Illustrator)

Devour a good book!
In this clever take-off on Little Red Riding Hood , the big bad wolf is the very hungry Winston who likes to eat books! When the librarian scolds him for this naughty behavior, Rosie (who wears a familiar red hoodie), rescues him and takes him out into the woods to teach him how to read books, not eat books. Winston grows to love reading and is soon devouring books with his eyes, and reading them (disguised as Granny Winston) to groups of children at the library. This hilarious book, complete with fabulous art and a die-cut cover highlights the importance of books and the joy of reading!

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Books About Books, Fiction, Animals, Storytime, Wolves

32 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2006

Reviews

[N · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you were to wear a long skirt and a floppy hat while reading this aloud, it might be super fun to scare the bejeezus out of the kiddos.

[Melki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poor Winston the wolf has been barred from the library as he has a tendency to gnaw on the books. Then a little girl shows him there are other ways to devour those yummy, delicious words. This would make a fun read-aloud.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute book, about a wolf who learns to devour words with his mind not mouth. Great for a Storytime Library Theme

[Christy Brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love love loved this book. I want to read it to my kids and my classroom someday. The first thing that stands out is that the cover has a big part missing which is great for kids and which I definitely liked as well. This book had illustrations that popped and text that really leant itself to voices, with few enough characters to tell the difference between them. The thing I loved most about this book was the moral of it. Winston loved books from the get go, he devours them but red riding hood helps him learn to read and devour books in a different way. The passion about words that it emphasizes--savoring words and language both in a funny literal sense and figuratively made this book an absolute delight for me to read.

[Chelsea · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not bad, but nothing special. I didn't think it was very funny, but I liked the eating books (because words are delicious) vs. reading books (because words are still delicious). But I think The Incredible Book Eating Boy was a much more interesting, fun take on the idea.

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is fun book to share with elementary age children. It worked perfectly to share at the beginning of the school year for visit to the local kindergarten classes. A lot is going on in the pictures in the background with nursery rhyme characters. I've read this book aloud many times and have yet to have a listener identify one of them. A clever and unique cover starts this book off with a CHOMP!

[Liz Todd · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very cute... we can devour words with our eyes. Mmm...

Lots to see in the illustrations here, too.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

A clever take on an old nursery classic. Read this to my oldest—who pretended to not like it, even as I could see the wonder in his eyes, the look on his face as he was hit by the revelation of the power of reading, and the small smile during the funnier parts—and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I loved that this provided a seamless way of teaching kids the power and fun inherent in reading, as well as demonstrating the beauties and deliciousness of the English language in written form. It was simple, fanciful, and entirely delightful. A must add to the young reader's library, because it's certain to spark a lifetime of appreciating and loving reading and language.

[Abby Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! This book is similar to Little Red Riding Hood. This book is an excellent story about a wolf that loved to eat books. In the story, Winston destroyed the books at the library; therefore, the librarian banned him. Later in the story, Rosie teaches Winston to read the words instead of eating them. Winston loves reading and now reads to the children at the library dressed as "Granny Winston" at the end of the story. Winston learned how to enjoy the books with his eyes and created a love for reading books.

[Shandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This clever twist on Little Red Riding Hood is adorable! Instead of people, Winston eats words, but the library has a strict "No Wolves" policy, due to book damage. Rosie teaches him to eat words with his eyes (ie. read) and has a clever plan to get him back into the library... I'm weeding books at work, and I'm very sad that I can't replace this one... *sniff* If you happen across a copy, it's a fun read!

[Sneha Tia · Rating 4 out of 5]

For ages

Subject for English phonics

This book is about a wolf who gobbles up alot of words and books. a little girl names Rosie puts him right, telling him to eat words with his eyes (to read). the language used helps children children understand sounding out graphemes and using digraphs.

why read? i would use this book to help teach phonics to KS1 as there are lots of visuals to use that help children sound out words

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Words taste even better when you eat them with your eyes."

Winston loves to eat books because words are so yummy! He's eaten so many that the librarians won't allow him in the library. But Rosie (wearing a red hoodie) knows how to help Winston. She teaches him to read so he can enjoy the words. Then, he disguises himself as Granny Wintson to return to the library for a library card.

[Barbara Thorp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very cute story! I love talking about taking care of books and peeking through the jagged "chew hole" in the front. We read this in story time on November 7.

[Roseanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

EATING ALL THE WORDS, aghnomnomnomnomnom! Too Cute!

[Luella Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I nice twist on an old favourite!

[Marcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

The perfect book to inspire little readers!

[Laurie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Horn Book Guide Spring 2007
Wolf Winston doesn't crave "meaty treats"--he drools over words instead. After he's banned from the library, a red-hooded girl named Rosie convinces him that "Words taste even better when you eat them with your eyes!" The text overpowers the spirited art, the books-are-irresistible message is too pushy, and the Red Riding Hood allusions seem gratuitous.

School Library Journal December 1, 2006
PreS-Gr 2-Winston loves to sink his teeth into a good book. Ignoring the "No Wolves Allowed" sign posted on the library door, he rushes inside for a quick nibble. Rosie, a little girl wearing a red hooded sweatshirt, helps him understand that "Words taste even better when you eat them with your eyes" and teaches him to read. With his love of language, Winston quickly develops a taste for "sweet and juicy words like sunset and swoosh and rambunctious." When he runs out of books to read, he borrows a frilly dress and returns to the library disguised as "Granny Winston." He registers for a library card and enthusiastically leads a storyhour session. Beck's charming crosshatched illustrations show a fairy-tale cast of characters. The clever design includes a wolf-bite-sized cutout cover. This is a delicious treat of a tale for young book lovers.-Linda Ludke, London Public Library, Ontario, Canada Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I definitely enjoyed reading Marni McGee's Winston the Book Wolf. If you enjoy fairy tale twists OR books about books, then this is one to seek out. Winston the Wolf LOVES, LOVES, LOVES to eat words, all sorts of words. He is literally eating the words, thus one of perhaps many reasons why he is banned from the library. But someone has pity on Winston, a girl with a red hood, and shows Winston that there is a BETTER way to devour words: that way, of course, is by READING them. After Winston learns to read, he NEEDS the library; he needs more books, more stories, more words. But sadly, he is banned. Can he and his new friend find a way to sneak him into the library?!

This one is definitely worth reading and sharing.

The illustrations were a bit odd, I admit, but they mostly worked for me. Mainly because they definitely add to the story. Readers can spot, for example, three little pigs on nearly every spread. One thing I didn't quite get, however, was WHY the tables and chairs and such had to have faces.

First sentence: Winston the Wolf swished his tail as he ran past the burger stand. He did slow down to sniff, but he did not drool. Meaty treats were not what Winston had in mind. Winston wanted books, and he knew where to find them.

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a strange and interesting story about a wolf who loves to eat words. He learns that books can "taste" just as delicious if you devour them with your eyes. The illustrations include characters from fairy tales, nursery rhymes, and even a couple of cameo appearances by Oliver Hardy.

Overall, it's a fun story to read aloud with children and can help teach younger children to be careful with library books. We enjoyed reading this story together.

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

If I could give three and a half stars I would for this one. It is cute ... and I may use it for a read aloud next week with kindergartners.

It's a take-off of Little Red Riding Hood, but one that teaches an insatiable appetite for books and reading. It almost seems a little bit forced, hence not quite four stars. But still enjoyable.

[Jan Carlson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is roughly based on Little Red Riding Hood. Winston loves to nibble on words, so he eats the sign and the books at the public library. Rosie, who's wear a red hooded sweatshirt, shows him that books are just as delicious when devoured by the eyes. Great book to show little ones the importance of words.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cute book about a wolf who likes to eat books. When a friend shows him how to eat words instead, it's sweet how Winston learns to devour those. I plan to kick off the new school year with this book!

[Thuy · Rating 5 out of 5]

my little 3 year old loves this book. she got it as a present when she was 2 and she still loves it. she's also a fan of the big bad wolf for some reason. I like the fact that this wolf get rehabilitated instead of capitol or corporal punishment

[Dana Lovell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book.
It's is about a wolf that loves to eat books to enjoy them he learns how to enjoy books with his eyes and develops a love of reading.
This book contains plays on the idea of Little Red Riding Hood and the wolf in Granny's clothes.
This would be a good to use in KS1 and KS2

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eating books versus reading them to gain knowledge. Pair this with The Incredible Book-Eating Boy by Oliver Jeffers.

[Sonja H · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute book! Great for story time. Winston loves words and eats them up and is banned from the library and until he is taught to eat them with his eyes.

[babyhippoface · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the idea behind this book---words are delicious---a lot more than I liked the story itself. Don't know why, there was nothing wrong with it. I think it just didn't have enough humor for me.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love the cover. Reminds me of The Incredible Book Eating Boy.

[Lesley Looper · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a clever story about a wolf who wants to eat books physically, but eventually learns to "devour" them mentally. I enjoyed this one!

[Mckinley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun idea for a story. And a fun spin on Little Red Riding Hood - in the background.