Customer Reviews

Freddy Goes to the North Pole

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I thaught that freddy goes to the north pole was a great book enjoyable for all ages. I would recomend this book to anyone who likes adventure stories. It is one of those books that you never wan't to end.

This is the second of the Freddy the Pig books written by Walter R. Brooks. The earlier books, while terrific for children, are not as entertaining for adults as the later books. The Freddy books are great moral instruction without ever being preachy, always entertaining. In this book, the Bean farm animals decide to visit the North Pole. They have adventures galore on the way and, at the Pole, help save Santa from some well-meaning pirates who are trying to bring efficiency to Santa's workshop. I didn't rate this book higher only because later Freddy books have an even greater appeal. For children, this should be at least a four-star

Fresh back from their trip to Florida, Mr. Bean's barnyard animals, under the leadership of Freddy the Pig, decide to put their experience to good use and establish Barnyard Tours, Inc to provide the same excitement and adventure - on a slightly smaller scale - for all of the neighborhood animals. From tours to the local cheese factory to visits to the nearby towns, their initial exploits are a resounding success! They use the goods and services that the animals give to pay for the tours to help make their lives - and that of Mr. and Mrs. Bean - easier and happier. Soon, the weariness of running a business gets to them, though, and Freddy decides that it's time for another great adventure, this time to the North Pole! He and a small band of hearty travelers set out to explore the vast icy regions, expecting to return in a year full of new stories and tales. When only Ferdinand the crow returns to report that the animals had been taken over by a group of sailors set on finding Santa Clause, a rescue party is formed by Charles the Rooster. Along their way to find their friends, they encounter several adventures of their own including meeting a big bear, saving two children from their abusive guardians and fighting a huge battle with a pack of hungry wolves. They pay their way by giving lectures to the forest animals on all manner of topics including politics and philosophy. When they finally reach the North Pole, they are welcomed warmly by Santa Clause, their friends and the sailors. They are enthralled by the magical Christmas Palace, with its guest rooms that seem just made for them. There, every day is Christmas and everyone gets a present tailor-made for them in the Present Room each night. Rather than elves, Santa employs retired workers who spend their golden years working leisurely to bring happiness to the world's children. All is not well at the Pole, though, and it will take all of the animals' ingenuity to save Christmas and Santa's happiness before they return to Mr. Bean's farm.

This was such an fun read! The author is talented at hiding valuable lessons about sharing, friendship and teamwork in his humorous, enjoyable tales. Although the book is not as well-written as Freddy goes to Florida, I still agree with one reviewer who said, "Freddy the Pig is back. Hooray!" (-The Philadelphia News) or the one who said, "Welcome back, Freddy, you paragon of porkers." (Washington Post Book World.)

"Freddy goes to Florida" was an instant classic, so I can see why a sequel followed. Unfortunately, Brooks and Wiese have some trouble figuring out exactly how to handle it.

The opening scenes at the Bean farm are excellent, but the trip to the North Pole is overlong and a mixed bag. The tone is uncertain, with the plot (a visit to Saint Nicholas) more juvenile than usual, but with more horrific humor than usual.

The writing is unclear and awkward in places, and, as always, Brooks attempts to win the pennant for overuse of the adverbial "pretty." A strong editor could have been such a help.

Brooks apparently felt the series needed some children to befriend the animals, hence the introduction of Ella and Everett. However, as finely as the author characterizes animals, he doesn't seem to know what to do with kids; the pair are completely devoid of personality, stay off stage as much as possible, and are ultimately dumped unceremoniously from the series. What happened to them?

I'm a little baffled by Kurt Wiese's change of style in this one, as well. For instance, Jinx was drawn as his usual svelte black self in the first book. In this one, he suddenly becomes a white, bloated monster. Why? In "Freddy the Detective," he's back to his old self and we finally have a formula that will keep the series going (after a few more false starts).

One more pressing question: How did the phaeton get home again?