You may know Dan Ritchie for his Project Dogwaffle software, the (un)natural media paint application. However, did you know he is also a published author?

His book is "Silver Squirrel", my recent read, and an exceptional one at that! Dan brings the animal characters to life as if it were second nature to him, providing an adventurous tale of life from a squirrel's-eye view. The characters are all well thought out, and the natural environment is laid out in vivid detail. The first thing I can honestly say about this book is that you'll never look at squirrels, or other animals for that matter, the same way again!

The story centers on Silver squirrel, orphaned at a young age, and very much an outsider in many ways. Though content with his loner status, he is encouraged to find a mate and behave in a way of the other squirrels in the community. The story abounds with lessons of life, love, growing up, and finding one's place in life.

 

 

Jacob, Sandy, and Silver

 

The story is fast-paced, with much excitement and danger (as it starts out with a forest fire that forces the squirrel colony to relocate). There are plenty of colorful characters throughout and the dialogue is equally engaging. From Silver's love interest, Sandy, to his unnatural friendship with crows, to the threat of the hawk, there is more than enough to keep you turning the pages.

 

The Lodge

 

At over 200 pages, this book is an absolute treasure for anyone that gets their hands on it. This is not to be passed over as merely a children's book, as the story is quite engrossing for readers of all ages. I highly recommend it to anyone that relishes a good story.

Order your copy today:

Author House, Amazon.com, BarnesAndNobel.com

For more information on Silver Squirrel, visit the official website!

About the author

Dan Ritchie is a professional computer graphics animator and FX (effects) artist. He studied commercial art in Florida before moving to California to work on animated films. This led to shows such as Starship Troopers Chronicles and Star Trek Voyager. He has also been a graphics programmer for over 15 years, with his latest project being a natural media painting application called Project Dogwaffle which is rapidly gaining popularity.

Silver Squirrel began in 1992 as an idea for a short animated film. The story for the film progressed faster than the animation could be created, and what started as a 2-minute short turned into a draft for a 40-episode series. 13 episodes were then polished into the present novel format.

Currently, Ritchie works as programmer and effects animator.