By: John Mark Boling,
on 12/14/2011
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By: John Mark Boling,
on 3/24/2011
Happy travels to everyone traveling to the Friends of Freddy convention this weekend. We hope you're enjoying the new paperback versions of the Freddy the Pig books as much as we are--and here are some other fans as well!
From The Oregonian:
"This delightful series for children of all ages was written between 1927-58 by Brooks, a staff writer for The New Yorker, and has been brought back in print by The Overlook Press. Freddy the Politician and Freddy and the Bean Home News are key books in the series and as fun and relevant today as when they were first published. In Freddy the Politician, compared favorably to George Orwell's 1984 by critics, Freddy helps his friend Mrs. Wiggins the cow get elected president of the First Animal Republic and stops some woodpeckers from taking over the farm. In Freddy and the Bean Home News, the animals start their own newspaper because the one run by humans isn't printing the truth.”
And from the Children's Book Almanac, which celebrated the Freddy books on Walter Brooks' birthday this January 9:
“All of these books prove that animal fantasy, with just the right amount of humor, can entertain adults and children in equal measure. Brooks brought American homespun humor and a profound understanding of children to his books.”
By: John Mark Boling,
on 1/10/2011
Many Overlook fans are familiar with our company because of Walter R. Brooks. We published a biography of the great writer a few years ago, called Talking Animals and Others: The Life and Work of Walter R. Brooks, and we recently published his beloved Freddy the Pig novels for the first time in paperback.
He's been a great cultural influence (he inspired the character of Mr. Ed, too!) and in honor of his birthday, we're giving away a copy of FREDDY THE DETECTIVE. Leave a comment here or on Facebook or Twitter to win!
Happy reading! Hug a talking animal today in honor of Walter R. Brooks.
By: John Mark Boling,
on 9/28/2009
Sherie Posesorski of The Globe and Mail in Toronto pays tribute to Freddy the Pig: "When New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof listed "the best kids' books ever," I was thrilled to see that my very, very favourite book series as a child - the 26 Freddy the Pig books, written by Walter R. Brooks from 1927 to 1958 - were Kristofs "very favourites" too, "funny, beautifully written gems." The series centred on the comic adventures of a talking pig and his equally chatty animal friends, living on a farm in upstate New York, owned by the only miser with words in the series, Mr. Bean, who was proud yet slightly embarrassed that his animals could talk. And could they talk! Their acerbic, witty, shrewd conversation is as fast-mouthed and sharply funny as the Marx Brothers', as aphoristic and gimlet-eyed astute as Noel Coward's, and yet always affectionate and forgiving. Unlike many series which, over time, become forced and formulaic, the Freddy books got better book by book; the characterization of Freddy and his farm-animal friends richer - a persuasive blend of animal and human nature; the writing and adventurous storylines ever more amusing, clever and keenly satirical.
With a niece and nephew both avid readers, this package will satisfy them both. Luckily they share books like my sister and I do.
these are all ideal for my grandchildren who would be happy. Many thanks.saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com
A treasure trove which is ideal.elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com
Enter me please!<br /><br />I want to check out those Freddy books. :)