| Biographical Poetry posted November 14, 2008 |
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A book series that helped shape my life.
Freddy the Pig
by adewpearl
For Walter R. Brooks, author extraordinaire
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Freddy the Pig played baseball with Martians,
Freddy the Pig shook the President's hand. He outsmarted gators deep in the swamp and led expeditions throughout the land. Cowboy, pilot, magician, explorer, president of the First Animal Bank, politician, thwarter of robberies, once even Santa had Freddy to thank. Freddy the Pig was a "peerless poet," who hours would spend on a single rhyme. He was also a "dauntless detective," who solved every case in the nick of time. Freddy read the complete works of Shakespeare and knew if a quote was truly the Bard's. But because he had no nimble fingers, his magic act left out all tricks with cards. Some days he gave into his laziness, at times he spread gossip among ducks and hens, most mirrors attracted his vanity, but for every wrong he made amends. He conquered fear to face the Ignormus despite fear so strong his tail came uncurled. And when the war effort called for scrap iron, he rallied his friends to help save the world. He knew big words like "reprehensible" and always behaved like a steadfast friend. His schemes were clever, even ingenious, and justice always prevailed in the end. A trip to the library meant one thing - I could join Freddy on Mr. Bean's farm. With Charles the Rooster and Jinx the Cat, I would fall under the spell of his charm. I do not know if I read all the series, if my public library had every book. But I do know my whole world expanded with each step into Freddy's world I took. |
 Recognized |
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Nothing was more exciting in my life when I was little than a trip to the Norristown Public Library where I had my very own card. And nothing beckoned to me more than the books
of Walter R. Brooks about Freddy the Pig. There were 26 in all, 25 novels about Freddy's adventures and one volume of Freddy's poetry, for you see, one of Freddy's many talents was that of poet. He was forever fussing over finding just the right rhyme for his newest masterpiece.
In each book Freddy and his friends from Mr. Bean's farm set out on an adventure, whether their destination was Washington, D.C. or the alligator-infested swamps of Florida. They did, indeed, even meet visiting Martians and form a baseball league with them.
Freddie did much more than turn me into a lifelong reader who loves big words and rhymes, just as Freddie did. He taught me to own up to my mistakes, to take chances, to look out for the underdog, to overcome fears and to always be on the side of justice.
Freddie, who loved Shakespeare, who took delight in language, who always used his mind, was the perfect hero. Walter R. Brooks, who created Freddie and wrote about him from 1927 until 1958, never spoke down to children. He used words a child my age would not know, fully expecting I would have to look them up and learn them.
He took Freddy to places I did not know so that I would have to ask about them. To me, he is one of the great literary giants. I know my local library still has some Freddie books as I've recently reread them - I hope those of you with children might take a look.
a final note since a couple people have pointed this out - the Ignormus is a monster that Freddy and his friends fight, and that is how you spell it! LOL
A kind reader has just informed me many of the Freddy series are now in paperback on Amazon.com.
Pays
one point
and 2 member cents. of Walter R. Brooks about Freddy the Pig. There were 26 in all, 25 novels about Freddy's adventures and one volume of Freddy's poetry, for you see, one of Freddy's many talents was that of poet. He was forever fussing over finding just the right rhyme for his newest masterpiece.
In each book Freddy and his friends from Mr. Bean's farm set out on an adventure, whether their destination was Washington, D.C. or the alligator-infested swamps of Florida. They did, indeed, even meet visiting Martians and form a baseball league with them.
Freddie did much more than turn me into a lifelong reader who loves big words and rhymes, just as Freddie did. He taught me to own up to my mistakes, to take chances, to look out for the underdog, to overcome fears and to always be on the side of justice.
Freddie, who loved Shakespeare, who took delight in language, who always used his mind, was the perfect hero. Walter R. Brooks, who created Freddie and wrote about him from 1927 until 1958, never spoke down to children. He used words a child my age would not know, fully expecting I would have to look them up and learn them.
He took Freddy to places I did not know so that I would have to ask about them. To me, he is one of the great literary giants. I know my local library still has some Freddie books as I've recently reread them - I hope those of you with children might take a look.
a final note since a couple people have pointed this out - the Ignormus is a monster that Freddy and his friends fight, and that is how you spell it! LOL
A kind reader has just informed me many of the Freddy series are now in paperback on Amazon.com.
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