Freddy the Politician (Brooks, Walter R., Freddy Books.)

Rating:
Summary: a Freddy classic
Review: Gosh. I don't see how anyone can give "Freddy the Politician" less than 5 stars. Freddy's "dropping in" to the board meeting at the bank -- Mrs. Wiggins' wonderful advice about the uses of laughter -- Bertram the robot going beserk and grabbing his own operator's tailfeathers -- it's all vintage Freddy. How great to have this classic back in print. Be sure to buy an extra for your local library when you buy one for yourself.

Rating:
Summary: One of the best "Freddies"
Review: The best children's writers seem to forget they're "writing for kids" and just tell a story that's exciting, dreamy, funny, sad, realistic and/or fantastic. That's what Brooks did in "Freddy the Politician." The book appeared in 1939 and unmistakably reflects world events of the time, just as other Freddy books are flavored by the Depression and the Cold War. Fortunately, each book sustains the hilarious, lovable series characters, who are the author's lasting achievement. Other, better-known books like "Animal Farm" and "Charlotte's Web" are heavily in debt to Walter R. Brooks.

Rating:
Summary: One of the best "Freddies"
Review: The best children's writers seem to forget they're "writing for kids" and just tell a story that's exciting, dreamy, funny, sad, realistic and/or fantastic. That's what Brooks did in "Freddy the Politician." The book appeared in 1939 and unmistakably reflects world events of the time, just as other Freddy books are flavored by the Depression and the Cold War. Fortunately, each book sustains the hilarious, lovable series characters, who are the author's lasting achievement. Other, better-known books like "Animal Farm" and "Charlotte's Web" are heavily in debt to Walter R. Brooks.

Rating:
Summary: Freddy Goes Into Politics
Review: This is one of the earlier Freddy adventures, before Brooks had really hit his stride as a writer. In this book, the barnyard organizes an election and a woodpecker, who is a smooth talker, winds up almost controlling the Bean farm. As usual, there are morals aplenty without being preached at the reader, but, given the 1930s political background of this book (Huey Long and some other major players were obviously in Brooks' mind as he wrote this) I suspect adults will like it more than the kids, although my own children enjoyed it. From another author, this would've gotten at least four stars, but Brooks raises the standard.

Rating:
Summary: Freddy Goes Into Politics
Review: This is one of the earlier Freddy adventures, before Brooks had really hit his stride as a writer. In this book, the barnyard organizes an election and a woodpecker, who is a smooth talker, winds up almost controlling the Bean farm. As usual, there are morals aplenty without being preached at the reader, but, given the 1930s political background of this book (Huey Long and some other major players were obviously in Brooks' mind as he wrote this) I suspect adults will like it more than the kids, although my own children enjoyed it. From another author, this would've gotten at least four stars, but Brooks raises the standard.

Rating:
Summary: Brooks Captures the Essence of Politics
Review: When the Beans leave for an extended trip to Europe, it's up to the animals to run the farm themselves. They start up The First Animal Bank of Centerboro, teaching themselves what banks are all about in the process. Then they decide to start up the First Animal Republic, and to elect a president. Interestingly one of the candidates is an outsider, blown in by an ill wind. Of all the animals Brooks might have chosen for this role, it's a woodpecker! And from Washington DC, no less! Have to love it. This woodpecker says he knows better than the locals what's good for them, and starts using dirty tricks to win the election. The local candidate is Mrs. Wiggins, the cow. Our favorite pig, Freddy, is her campaign manager, and there is so much trickery on both sides that we don't know whether to laugh or cry. As usual, there are lots of lessons for the careful reader to learn. These animals are so very like us.