{Review} Bash and the Pirate Pig by Burton Cole

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{Review}

There is just something about books designed for boys that fit well in my house. Oh wait...it may have something to do with the fact that I only have boys! While they will sit and suffer through any book I chose to share with them, they enjoy those designed for boys, featuring boy characters doing very boyish things, to be their absolute favorites.

Last year I made it a point to begin daily (or as often as possible) read alouds with all of my kiddos. As I mentioned above, I have all boys - three to be exact. They are 17, 12, & 9. Yes, I still read out loud to my 17 and 12 year old boys. I'm a firm believer in the importance of reading aloud. As such we typically have a number of books going at the same time.

Right now we are working our way through Fellowship of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien and just finished reading Paul Revere and I by Robert Lawson. We are also almost finished with Bash and the Pirate Pig by Burton Cole.

What a simply fun book full of boy antics!

It follows Raymond Boxby, a city boy, who is shipped off to stay with his cousin, Bash, in the country for the whole entire summer. Antic after antic, adventure after adventure begins to follow. Here is the summary from the publisher's page:

Written for boys 8 to 14, Bash and the Pirate Pig is the story of a cranky city kid named Raymond “Beamer” Boxby who must spend summer vacation at his younger cousin Bash Hinglehobb’s farm.

Beamer prefers air conditioning and video games. He can’t see what good can come of this so-called country fun that includes riding cows, river rafting with a pig, or playing with skunks.

But hang tight, Beamer, because Bash’s zany adventures with his "Fishin' and Farmin' book" (The Bible) just might lead to the coolest Discovery of all.

Burton Cole has captured the full of life living that most 8-14 year old boys have in life. In fact, I originally tried to offer the book up to either my nine or 12 year old boys to read on their own. It's occasionally hard to tempt them with a new book. My 12 year old likes to read about planes and my nine year old is just beginning to gain confidence in reading. Neither wanted to take me up on the offer so now we are all enjoying it! And we really are all enjoying it - even my 17 year old son.

The writing flows easily. It's fun. It's full of silly adventures that so many boys want to have, but also full of truth - God's truth. I like how it's just simply woven in so matter-of-factly throughout the story line.

Bash and the Pirate Pig 

Written by: Burton Cole 

Illustrated by: Tom Bancroft

Publisher: B&H Kids

Hardcover: 224 pages 

$12.99

We all give this two thumbs up!