Book Description

Meet Ace, Babe's great-grandson, who also gets a new cover from Knopf Paperbacks this season. "Ace is an intelligent, lovable, unlikely pig hero...King-Smith's delightful animal fantasy is lightly satirical, poking fun at human pretensions in the foibles of the animal characters" --School Library Journal, starred review.
A Horn Book Fanfare Honor Book
An IRA/CBC Children's Choice
A School Library Journal
Best Book of the Year.
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Reviews (7)

This is a cool funny book!!
This book is so cool, i recommend this book for readers who enjoy farm life and animals who lives on the farm, If I would rate this book on a 5-point scale, I would say it would be a 4..because the pictures could have been colourful instead of black and white, but overall I liked this book. Bye!

Loved it!
This is an excellent book by an excellent author. I've never been disappointed in one of his books and this is one of his best! I wish it could have been longer or that there were a sequel to it. The main characters are Farmer Tubbs and a lot of animals that live on his farm. I recomment this book for anyone who likes pigs, animals, or humorous stories. It's probably more of a child's book, but I think everyone would enjoy it.

Extraordinary!!
This book is very exciting I learned about how ACE the pig can communicate with his owner. He has alot of adventures. I would reccommend this book to any age I think it would brighten anyone`s day to hear about a big fat pig that made me laugh. It`s a book that you can`t put down but sometimes you have to . I would give it five golden stars. ACE the pig, Nanny the lamb and Megan,are all the people that live on Ted Tubbs Farm. ACE isn`t an ordinary pig If you want to find out why, you should read this book.

Ace: The House Pig
This is another Dick King-Smith favorite of many people. This author has a way with words..............especially with Ace; he can understand HUMAN WORDS! He and his owner share a bond somehow; they can "understand" each other. Named Ace after the Ace of clubs (because he has a club-shaped birthmark), he doesn't want to go where his brothers and sisters are going, and he's prepared to do anything as long as he doesn't have to......he doesn't really have to do anything, though because of his talent, although he DOES makes peace with the farmer's pets, Megan & Clarence. Ace, along with lots of other King-Smith's pigs, is better than E.B. White's Wilbur.

Ace: The Very Important Pig
This book will have you laughing down the aisle. It is a wonderful tale of a pig who can understand what his owner says. Ace can also let his owner know what he wants through grunts and squeals. Follow Ace from his pen to his television debut. This book is great for children of all ages, even adults. ... Read more

Book Description

Freddy the Pig, famous detective of Bean Farm, has his hands full. The comic book tycoon (and evil mastermind) Watson P. Condiment is trying to kidnap Mademoiselle Rose, the prize performer from Mr. Boomschmidt's circus. Freddy goes to great heights in his brand-new airplane to foil Condiment's flying henchmen and save Mr. Boomschmidt from financial ruin.But will he be able to come to the rescue without crashing into the north fence?

The Freddy books are "the American version of the great English classics, such as the Pooh books or The Wind in the Willows." (The New York Times Book Review) ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Up In The Sky! It's a Pig!
It is only inevitable that the indefagatible Frederic Bean, bank manager, newspaper owner, detective, and overall pig extraordinaire should also become an ace barnstormer. How this comes to be is the subject of "Freddy the Pilot" a 1952 effort by Freddy's creator Walter R. Brooks. It all starts when Boomschmidt's Stupendous and Unexcelled Circus returns to Centerboro a bit early so that Mr. Boomschmidt can enlist Freddy's help in solving a dilemma the circus is in.

The star of the circus is the beautiful Mademoiselle Rosa, a bareback rider whose grace and ability are part of the Circus's special magic. Unfortunately, Watson P. Condiment, a very rich, but not particularly nice, comic book publisher has fallen in love with Rosa. Despite her refusal to encourage him, Condiment is fixated on his goal. So intent is he that he is more than willing to destroy the Circus entirely in order to propel Mademoiselle Rose into his arms.

The nefarious Mr. Condiment has tried many rotten tricks to close the Circus down, but the worst is having a plane dive bomb the Circus, blasting the audience with flour bag bombs. Mr. Boomschmidt keeps having to return the crowd's ticket money and is in great danger of going broke. Freddy summons his courage and decides to beard the mystery pilot in his den. Our pig shows up at the local air field and takes flying lessons. Soon he has his own plane and is preparing for his counter attack.

Freddy, assisted by his partner Mrs. Wiggins, a troop of Robin Hood-like skunks and the Horrible gang of scurrilous rabbits mount the effort designed to save the Circus and rescue Mademoiselle Rosa. The reader can count on a great deal of fun and excitement as one villain after another is rousted and sent on his way. The ingenious plot will even involve the U.S. Army and Uncle Ben's astonishing combination bomb sight and piggy bank.

Once again we are treated to a lovable adventure which teaches by example rather than lecture. The reader quickly finds out that courage, respect, and teamwork are the keys to success and happiness in Centerboro and the Bean Farm. Although late in the series, "Freddy the Pilot" can stand on its own without losing the reader. Kurt Wiese's original illustrations, always a treat, are exceptional in this volume, making it will worth its reasonable price.

More ideas per page than you can imagine
This is not one of my favorites among the Freddy books (which is only a tiny insult because I like them all so much), but it has more imaginative ideas in it than any other two books in the series. Here you'll find:

- rabbits jumping out of airplanes using umbrellas

- a bombsight that helps you find money

- a comic book publisher terrified when he thinks his characters are coming to life

- skunks fighting with quarterstaffs

and that's just the tip of the iceberg in this densely plotted, multifaceted book. In addition, you have the usual Freddy features of delightfully entertaining and sympathetic characters, gentle satire, and a sense of fun. Highly recommended.

This pig has wings!
This is just one of the 26 Freddy the Pig books written by Walter R. Brooks between 1927 and 1958. Through his many adventures, Freddy, the "Renaissance Pig" of the Bean Farm in Centerboro, New York, is beset by hilarious villains and assisted by a whole barnyard of unforgettable animal friends. In "Pilot" he takes to the air to save a local circus from a more sinister aerial apparition. The Freddy books were written for children, but they're substantial enough for us grown-ups, too. I first read about Freddy 40 years ago, and I'm not tired of him yet. Easily the Peer of Pooh. ... Read more

Book Description

Kipper and Arnold share a jar of honey--and make a sticky mess! New touch-and-feel format. Children will love to touch fuzzy bellies, fluffy chicks--and sticky honey!
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Reviews (2)

Just OK
As a reading teacher for 11 years I found this book to be cute but just OK overall. The writing is weak and the touch and feel aspect is just average. I bought this book for my daughter at age 1, and she thought it was OK. It never became one she requested. She is crazy about dogs but even that aspect couldn't save this book's weak story line. She prefers other touch and feel books we have as well.

Excellent book!
Kipper's books are excellent, and this one is no exception. It is really cute and my baby has a lot of fun with touching the various creatures and things. The book is full of touch and feel entertainment and nice colorful drawings. It's on par with the Touch and Feel series (Baby Animals, Wild Animals, Farm, etc.) Highly recommended along with all the Kipper books. You simply can not beat a cute puppy for a baby or toddler! ... Read more

Book Description

Freddy the Pig is going undercover. When Mr. Camphor tells Freddy about an abandoned summer hotel and the unfriendly ghosts that live there, Freddy smells a rat-Simon the rat. Determined to find out just what his old enemy is up to, Freddy needs the perfect cover-up: camping! So Freddy packs up the sleeping bags, tents, and frying pans and heads out to the woods to expose Simon's scheme. But when the evil Mr. Eha starts skulking about, Freddy and his pals know that they'll have to do some serious detecting to get to the bottom of the mystery.

Illustrated by Kurt Wiese. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Freddy is back and just as ornery
Probably before you were born, the bookmobile would stop off at our school and I looked forward to reading "Freddy" books. I enjoyed all of his adventures and friends (Jinx had a few adventures of his own). Now those books are collector's items and rarely show up in used book stores. As much as I miss the originals he is back and just as ornery as ever. One Day I hope the earlier one will get republished. In the mean time Even thought these books are geared towards young ones, they still can hold the attention of old codgers.

Kurt wise does a good job of illustrating and for those that have never reads Freddy you have a great mystery ahead of you.

Freddy and the ghosts
This may well be the best of the Freddy books written by Walter R. Brooks (its only competition is Freddy the Magician). Children and adults alike will find this one of the most fun books they've ever read. I can still remember the delicious chills I felt when reading this book at twelve, and still enjoy reading it today. As usual, Freddy gets into trouble trying to help friends -- Mr. Camphor to get rid of his aunts and an innkeeper whose hotel is haunted.

Wow, wow,wow,wow,wow. Need I say more?
My first encouner with Freddy the pig left me feeling like I had just found Tut's tomb. His stories are loaded with treasures-wit, well-developed characters, and clear evidence that Brooks understood and RESPECTED children's intellect and character. Two foretrotters Up!!

Excellent reading for the younger set
When I was a kid I think I read every Freddy the Pig book in the library. The series was really great and I thoroughly enjoyed every one of Brooks' books. It is interesting how Brooks characterized the different animals on the Bean farm. Definitely recommend for the younger people in your life

The best of a great and timeless series for all ages.
I read all the Freddy books as a kid, and now, at 56, still enjoy them. I'm looking for Freddy books to give to my grandchildren who are just about ready to read them, but they are not available. These are timeless books that offer the reader a civility so often lacking in other books. They also are loaded with vocabulary-building words; Brooks does not "talk down" to his audience.Freddy Goes Camping is the best of the series, in my opinion. Please bring this series back. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Adorable, colorful book
This is beautifully illustrated with felt, thread and beads. The pictures are simple, brightly colored and just so cute! The story is a rhyming one and easy to read, easy for the child to understand.

Wonderful - the best I've found
This book is great to read, to look at, and to recite. Just a superb children's book - the best I've found. Our one-year-old loves it. ... Read more

Book Description

What begins as a very simple tea for one little pig in elegant Swinings Tea Room quickly becomes a party of two ... then three ... and more and more!

With her bouncy rhymes and bright, energetic illustrations, Laura Rader invites readers on a hilarious romp of a tea party that will have children squealing with delight!

Book Description

Reviews (8)

A Pig Who Believed in Himself
This book is great for ages 3-7. Dumpy wants to be a dancer but no one thinks he should be because he is a pig. This book has very good illustrations and is very easy to read. At the end EVERYBODY starts to dance! That is why we gave it five stars.

Delightful new children's classic!
I have given this book several times to children in the 6-8 year range and all have enjoyed it thoroughly (especially children who like to dance). The verse is delightful, the animals charming, and the message is very positive. If you want to give a gift but are afraid that the child has many of the older classic picture books, this one is a great choice.

A wonderful story
This is a great book for kids, adults and music lovers. The story is a good lesson in believing in your dreams and trying to achieve them! Despite who you are or what you are, you can do most anything. This story has become one of our family favorite read-aloud books! Buy one for your favorite music teacher, too!

Dumpy LA Rue
Dumpy La Rue is a fun book. I read it to a group of third graders and they loved the rhyming words and thought of more that would rhyme with them. The loved the pictures as well as the story. They wanted me to read it to them again and again!

Fabulous!
Barnyard animals dancing, prancing, and spinning about! What is this clever book all about? A pig who wants to dance. Everyone tells him what he "should" be doing, or what "pigs" or "boys" do, but nobody lets him just be himself.

So, the rhyme isn't always perfect, but the words are still lively and fun. Kids probably won't notice that they are forced on occasion, as the story and illustrations will carry it through a few stumbles.

This book appeals to children and adults! Wonderful writing, fantastic illustrations, and fun, fun, fun for kids! Oh yes, and the very subtle, hidden message to kids: Don't let others discourage you from living your dreams! Be yourself! (Others just might follow your lead!)

Fantastic! One of the best books I have read to my kids in a long time! ... Read more

Book Description

Little Pig loves food. He loves to squish it and squash it and wear it in his hair. He slurps it and slops it and gets it everywhere. Toddlers and their tolerant parents will relate to the decadent delight Little Pig takes in eating. The spirited rhyming text and impish illustrations make this book perfect for read-aloud sharing.

Illustrated by Delphine Durand. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Piggyback Onto This Book!
His first word is "Eat!" and little pig follows the dictates of his appetite to hilarious ends in this is wildly funny and superbly structured book.Author Jonathan London's slightly subversive humor, funny rhymes, and surprise denouement make a reading feast out of a typical recipe for a kids' book: Take one messy animal (or child, depending on taste), combine with lots of food, and watch the chaos. Instead, London's original variation surprised me: When the text read, "and little Pig ate. He ate OFF his plate," I expected a rather pedestrian book focusing on prepositions. Turn the page, though, and it continues: "and he ate ON his plate" accompanied by a drawing of the big-nosed cutie-pig sitting on a plate and eating eggs and a banana.

The unusual illustrations by Delphine Durand add greatly to the book's appeal; there's a simple innocence, and a 1940's-1950's aesthetic that recalls Chris Van Dusen's excellent "Mr. Magee" books.She adds funny touches that magnify London's rhymes: A whole mouthful of long spaghetti slurped into Pig's cheek-stuffed mouth, and an explosion of food around the kitchen (almost resembling a Jackson Pollack painting) sets the background for the text:

Food in his hair.
Food in the air.
Food on the ceiling
and food
EVERYWHERE!

It slid down the walls
And flew from the fan.
It was rolled into balls
And spilled from the pan.

Little Piggy is good-natured and mostly innocent, like a porcine version of Spongebob, and he is as focused on food as Squarepants is on making hamburgers.However, little Pig seems to have a faster learning curve than the sponge, for when he shouts his second word ever, "Neat," he neatly devours his dessert while in bed.Pigs will be pigs, however:"Sweet!" he said ("Sweet was his third word) and threw his toys instead."

This book (printed on quality paper, by the way) would make an excellent gift for older infants and for toddlers, or for slight older kids who are beginning to read. It's genuinely clever, and the writing and illustrations are original and imaginative. ... Read more

Book Description

All the three little pigs want to do is move out of their crowded home (where seventy-three other little pigs live) and build their own little houses. But wait! What's that sticky orange juice doing on the first little pig's straw house? And why is the second pig turning green? And what does it all have to do with the mysterious voice the pig keep hearing?

Full of surprises, laughs, and hilarious wordplay, this quirky retelling of "The Three Little Pigs" encourages readers to look at this favorite story in a whole new way.

Reviews (4)

The other side of the 3 little pigs!
Not only do we see a new side of a favorite tale, we also get to meet the illustrator through his humourous actions throughout the book. If you think they pigs had problems with just the wolf, wait and see what happens when a bumbling illustrator gets involved!

The 3 Little Pigs Get Silly
The Three Little Pigs story has been slightly twisted around here. Once your child has grown used to the original version, they'll love this take on the story. It starts out in the similar vein but goes off in another direction once the illustrator runs out of red paint and cannot draw the pigs pink any more. The funny twist at the end always gets us laughing.

The Three Little Pigs with an Unusual Twist.....
You know the story...Once there were three little pigs who built three little houses: The first with straw, the second with sticks and the third with bricks. Then there was the big bad wolf who wanted to huff and puff and blow their houses down and eat them. And of course the illustrator...Ah, this is where the usual story takes a left turn and becomes a hilarious UNusual tale..... Bruce Whately has outdone himself with this very clever and humorous picture book that adds a clumsy illustrator with all kinds of paint problems to the mix. First he spills his juice on the straw house, it collapses into a mushy mess and the poor pig barely gets out alive. Then he runs out of red paint, so the pigs aren't pink anymore and look like ghosts. He tries to remedy the problem with another color, green, but all agree that green pigs just won't work. In the meantime, the wolf has climbed up on the roof and is about ready to slide down the chimney, so the pigs decide to build a fire to keep him out. Only without red paint, they can't build a really hot fire and without a fire, the wolf will have no trouble coming in and eating them up. The story is definitely getting out of control and that's when one little pig says the magic words: "We don't want to be in this story anymore!"..... Mr Whately's witty text, full of jokes, wordplay and surprises, coupled with his marvelously expressive and "sometimes" colorful illustrations, is a laugh out loud romp youngsters 4-8 will want to read again and again. With an unexpected twist at the end to really tickle your funny bone, Wait! No Paint! is a book that shouldn't be missed and a terrific addition to all home bookshelves.

Great new 3 Little Pigs Journey
You will laugh out loud reading this book to your child(ren) It's a funny tale about the misadventures of the Illustrator and the retelling of the 3 little pigs. First there's a a glass of juice that spills then redrawing the big bad wolf and then the worst the Illustrator runs out of red paint. This is a great juncture betweeen the drawn world and the real world.

The illustrations our beautifully done.

I don't purchase many hard bound childrens boks but this one is worth the money.

Add this to your collection of Three Little Pigs stories. ~ 3 Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig ~ The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs! ... Read more

Reviews (10)

funny story with rhymes!
This is a funny story about pigs. I think kids 7 and older would like this book. Once you read it you want to read it again.

Pigs Aplenty, Pigs Galore!
Pig Aplenty, Pig Galore was a great book! It was about a whole bunch of pigs that
invaded a mans house! The man gets tired of all the pigs and finally yells and shouts "Get
Out" then the pigs cry and beg to stay and the man is like fine but you need to sweep and
clean the walls. The pigs did anything to stay with the man! When they were done cleaning
they all went upstairs and brushed there tails and teeth! They all went to bed even the man
and all night all the man could ever think and dream about is pigs, pigs, and more pigs! I
think children would enjoy the funniness of this book and also it is a poem that rhymes and
that is pretty neat also!

Pigs Aplenty, Pigs Galore!`
Pigs Aplenty, Pigs Galore! By David McPhail is a hilarious book about a man, who wakes up to the sound of partying pigs. All the different characters of pigs makes everyone giggle. Rock star piggies, king and queen piggies, and even football playing piggies.
As the man creeps through to his kitchen door, it's a huge party. Pigs eating, (of course). Pigs in the cupboard, pigs on the floor... Pigs Aplenty, Pigs Galore! All different colored pigs were found in his house that night. Pigs on stilts, pigs ordering pizza, and pigs on skateboards. As anyone would, he orders the pigs to leave. Saddened by this, the piggies beg to stay. He says ok, but only if they scrub the floors, and clean the walls.
Humorous and lighthearted, this book will give you the giggles. I would recommend it to anyone with younger children that find humor in messy situations! The pictures are great also.

A fun book for toddlers and their parents, too
If your family enjoys silly rhyming books, Pigs Aplenty, Pigs Galore is for you. This was my 2-year-old son's favorite book at daycare, so we bought a copy for ourselves. It's still enjoyable to both parents and toddler after dozens of readings.

Preschoolers love Pigs
I needed a fun story about pigs for farm month, went to the library and found this book. My kids ages 3-4 love this book. I had to buy this book for my room because I read it to the kids daily! Yes, daily! Can you guess what my kids are getting for Christmas?! (I have 10 on order):) ... Read more

Book Description

Bert and Ethel have a long truck drive to market, and when they arrive, the pigs they intended to sell have mysteriously disappeared. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Great Story, Great Illustrations.
This book is first-rate in entertaining children 3-8. Children will enjoyfollowing the story of Bert & Ethel, who raise some very intelligentpigs and decide it's time to sell them at the market in the morning. Thepigs overhear this, and the trouble--or the fun--begins. The smart pigsescape, using clever disguises borrowed from local townspeople, and aremissing untill the end of the story.

The illustrations are great and thestory moves along smoothly.Your children will really like this one!

Rates five OINKS!Delightful!
Get ready to be taken for a hilarious ride by a passel of precocious pigs!Farmers Bert and Ethel decide to take a break from growing turnips to try their hand at pigs. It's time to load up their lard and take them to market, but these savvy swine have other ideas. Our feckless farmers are unaware that their cargo has disappeared until it's too late, but you won't be if you pay attention to the pictures. Christelow combines unassuming text with not-so-unassuming illustrations in this porcine plot that is sure to tickle your spareribs and convince you that these pigs are smarter than your average root vegetable. Recommended reading for preschoolers on up, The Great Pig Escape is sure to make you chuckle if not bust your chops laughing. ... Read more

Book Description

Mr. Pig wants to look his best when he asks Miss Pig to join him for a picnic. So he takes the advice of his friends Lion, Fox, and Zebra, and borrows something special from each of them. Mr. Pig thinks he looks pretty handsome-but what will Miss Pig say? This hilarious tale will have readers laughing aloud while it imparts a gentle message about being happy with who you are.

"Children will love the perky porcine star of this cheery tale." (School Library Journal) ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The Pigs' Picnic Review
The story was about not to always listen to what your friend's say, but to think for yourself. The pig goes around and wants to go to Mrs. Pig's house and ask her to go on a picnic. Some animals give him advice so Mrs. Pig will like him. But, it turns out that Mrs. Pig was scared of him and the way he looked. So he ran back and gave his animal friends back the advice they gave him! I think this book was really cool because it taught a lesson. Little kids can really learn from this book. It's exciting and everyone should read it. This is a very good book to read. Little kids will be happy when they read this book. I think it's really nice. ... Read more

Book Description

Mr. Wolf is hungry. And, as always, what he wants most for dinner is Preston Pig. But Preston is one step ahead of that wily wolf. He just needs to convince Mr. Wolf that what he really wants is a job, not a meal. That should take his mind off of eating Preston, or will it? ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Yum!
I loved the book "Yum". It's about the three little pigs and the wolf. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes fairy tales! The wolf is a very funny character in this story. I love to read this book to my little cousin...she laughs every time! So if you have a child or a little brother or sister you should buy this book! ... Read more

Book Description

Pigs rock.
Pigs roll.
Pigs sing with heart and soul.

What are you waiting for? Hop on the bus and join the fun as the pig rock band takes off on tour. At every concert: "Fans clap. Fans cheer. It's the pig rock band they love to hear." Rhythmic text and humorous, bold illustrations in eye-popping colors convey the thrill of going on the road with the pig rock band. Young fans (and older ones, too) get to experience everything from jamming on stage to signing autographs to driving off to the next gig. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

BEAUtiful book!
I'm a huge fan of Bob Staake's illustrations, so I was excited to check out this new picture book. AMAZING artwork here -- lush, vibrant, eye-popping and hip as ever! Nice to see his art being displayed so HUGE here!
Great book!
Jenna ... Read more

Book Description

When Mandy asks Rachel to look after a neighbor's guinea pigs, Rachel is thrilled--if she does a good job, perhaps her parents will let her have a pet of her own. But things take an unexpected turn when one of the guinea pig babies goes missing and it's up to Mandy to find him! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great Book
Mandy's friend Rachel is asked to watch a neighbor's guinea pigs. Hopefully Rachel will be able to have her own guinea pig if she shows how responsible she can be. But one of the babies goes missing, and Mandy has to help Rachel find him. Will Rachel and Mandy be able to find the baby before it's too late? ... Read more

Book Description

Feeling good about yourself is as easy as A B C!

Nancy Carlson's cheerful pig is back in this vibrant ABC companion book to the best-selling I Like Me!--and she's brought along a few friends to join her. The letters of the alphabet are illustrated with brightly-colored, action-packed pictures and are accompanied by read-along text. Introduce children to the alphabet and reinforce positive self-esteem with the lovable characters of ABC I Like Me!.

"This concept book vibrates with bright colors, happy thoughts, and joie de vivre. A storytime natural." --School Library Journal ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Great for small children of all ages!
My son, who is 19 months old, recently received this book as a gift. He absolutely ADORES it! He asks us to read it to him over and over again. We have scores of children's books in our house and he has not responded to any of them the way he has to this book.

I think he likes the book because of its simplicity. Each page features a colorful illustration and a short self-esteem-building message related to each letter of the alphabet (for example, "A, I am awesome! "B, I am brave!"

The Amazon listing recommends this book for children aged 4-8, but the book itself lists the recommended ages as 2-5. I would definitely recommend this book for a 2 year old child and even those who are younger. I would consider it a bit too simple for a child over 5.

A B C I Like Me!
If you like "I Like Me" by Nancy Carlson, then you will love "A B C I Like Me"! It is a great way to build a child's self-esteem, while teaching them the alpahabet. The illustrations will keep young children interested until the end. I recommend if for children ages 3-6. ... Read more

Book Description

Everyone's favorite pig finds himself center ring in his latest adventure, Freddy the Pied Piper. Freddy's friends knew that they could always rely on him to help them out of a jam, and when Mr. Boomschmidt and his traveling circus run into trouble, Jerry the rhinoceros turns to upstanding Freddy for some practical advice. In an instant the ever resourceful Freddy swings into action, and quick as you know, plans are made, funds raised, and scattered circus animals found.Freddy does it again, in one of his most memorable and enjoyable adventures. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

How can you hate Freddy?
I have read these books, the entire series, all 18 or so of them, once every 3-4 years for the last 2 decades, and I love them all! Having them republished is a great boon to the world! This one in particular is just vintage Freddy, it doesn't strand out for any particular reason, just excellent like the rest.

A Better One
A generally amusing Freddy adventure. My favorite line: "Mr. Bleech was a pretty mean man. Anyway, nobody in his senses would expect a kind action from a man who would steal from a rhinoceros."
Brooks had such a gift for gentle and humorous characterization that I wish he had had a stronger editor. I would enjoy the books about twice as much if somebody had red pencilled his compulsive and relentless use of "pretty" as an intensifier (see above quote)! I drop them when reading the books to my six year old son.
My favorites: "Freddy the Politician" (unfortunately, this volume has lost its original title, "Wiggins for President," the best title Brooks ever came up with!), "Freddy the Detective," "Freddy and the Ignormus." "Freddy goes to Florida," the first and perhaps easiest, is a good start for younger children. ... Read more

Book Description

Close your eyes and you will get a big surprise, Mommy!

Surprise!

Mommy's getting breakfast in bed and a card and flowers and a whole lot more!

Why?

It's a special day for Mommy! ... Read more

Book Description

The trouble starts with the rumors about a strange creature called an Ignormus living in the Big Woods. Then the First Animal Bank is robbed and the rabbits and squirrels begin receiving letters demanding payment or the Ignormus will eat them up. With the animals too scared to do anything, it's up to Freddy the Pig to save the day, with a little help from his friends.But will they be able to stop the Ignormus in time? And what-or who-is the Ignormus, anyway?

"Welcome back, Freddy, you paragon of porkers!" (The Washington Post Book World ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Perhaps the Best
Funny, more tightly plotted than usual, maybe the all around best Freddy title.
When I was a kid, I started reading "Flying Saucer Plans," found it not particularly compelling, and forgot about Freddy for many years.
Recently, I was casting about for something to read to my six year old son, who doesn't like much of anything except Esther Averill's "Cat Club" books (and we'd read all of those we could find), and decided to try "Florida," and we've been reading Freddy non-stop ever since.
I'm growing very fond of Brooks' gentle, character driven, sometimes satirical humor. I do have a few problems with the books. Brooks' relentless use of "pretty" as an all-purpose intensifier drives me up a wall, and if some editor had only crossed out "pretty" on sight I'd probably enjoy the books about twice as much (I drop "pretty" when reading aloud). I also wouldn't mind if he used "were" instead of "was" for the subjunctive occasionally. And the less of Freddy's poetry we get, the better.
But "Florida," "Detective," "Wiggins for President" (his best title, too bad it had to be changed), and "Ignormus" are certainly classics, and all the ones we've read have had their moments. I'm happy they're back and that I'm finally reading them. Eventually I'll work my way back up to those 50s sci-fi Freddies and see if I like 'em any better...
Never trust a man who would steal from a rhinoceros,
Edward

The Terrible Ignormus
This is another one of the Freddy books written after Walter R. Brooks began to hit his stride as a writer. Here, the Bean farm is being terrorized by the minions of a creature, called the Ignormus, who lives in the Big Woods. As usual, lots of fun and excitement, and several excellent lessons, none of which are preached at the reader.

Best of the best: my favorite Freddy
I consider this the best book in my all-time favorite children's book series. It has humor, wonderful characters, a tight plot, and even a hint of symbolism worthy of another American classic, Moby Dick.

One of the best "Freddys" Ignormus keeps kids reading.
Published between 1927 and 1958, the 26 books in the "Freddy the Pig" series are perhaps the most consistently well written children's book series of the 20th century. By turns, Freddy is a detective, a poet, a pilot, a "Pied Piper," a football player--you get the idea. His barnyard friends are fully fleshed and memorable. Ignormus is one of the best Freddys and really keeps kids reading. Freddy has to put on his detective hat and find out who is terrorizing the animals in the "big woods"--and why. If you have kids from 5 to 14, they'll love these books. Brooks was apparently the first children's writer to write in the vernacular and use "slang" -- that dreaded word! -- and he's just as funny today as he ever was. ALSO: If you read the books and love 'em, find the Friends of Freddy website and chatroom - we'd love to meet you. AND we're having a convention in October in upstate New York (the big woods) that you can attend. But most important --read the books, especially to your kids. Connie Arnold, Secretary-Treasurer, Friends of Freddy, 5A Laurel Hill Road, Greenbelt, MD 20770. We're a nonprofit literary club devoted to the preservation and perpetuation of the writings of Walter R. Brooks (who also wrote the Mr. Ed short stories on which the famous TV series was based). ... Read more

Book Description

Wibbly, the cutest little toddler pig ever, is back&150and this time he'sputting off bedtime as long as he can. Wibbly goes through all of theclassic delaying tactics that will be familiar to every youngster, fromhaving a drink to finishing a story. And when he finally does fall asleep, this charming little piglet stays on the move&150in his dreams ... Read more

Reviews (1)

True to life for kids!
This little pig doesn't want to go to bed and she makes herself busy with excuses and routine before heading to dreamland. The illustrations are great. This book would be a perfect story before bedtime. I give it five squeals...or stars. ... Read more