Freddy and the Perilous Adventure [Hardcover]

Walter R. Brooks (Author), Kurt Wiese (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up

The Fourth of July is no day for danger but that's just what's in store for the Bean Farm gang in Freddy and the Perilous Adventure. It all seemed so strange and exciting at first: Emma and Alice, Bean Farm's favorite ducks, and the intrepid Freddy, off for a glorious balloon ride to celebrate the nation's birthday. Of course, if Freddy and Emma and Alice and the other denizens of Bean Farm had known what was really in store for the brave aerialists in the Balloon Ascension they might just as well have remained quietly at home, listening to Freddy's poetry or to the boastful crowing of Charles.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Walter R. Brooks was born in Rome, New York, on January 9, 1886, and died in Roxbury, New York, on August 17, 1958. Brooks attended the University of Rochester and, after graduation, worked for the American Red Cross and the Woodrow Wilson Foundation. He became associate editor of Outlook in 1928 and subsequently was a staff writer for several magazines, including The New Yorker.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Hardcover: 245 pages
• Publisher: Overlook Juvenile (October 29, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1585671789
• ISBN-13: 978-1585671786
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #252,954 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Ducks Lead the Way, January 21, 2002

By 

Marc Ruby™ "The Noh Hare™" (Warren, MI USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

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This review is from: Freddy and the Perilous Adventure (Hardcover)

When Freddy, in a sudden burst of irrepressible impishness manages to convince Emma and Alice, the Bean Farm ducks, to go for a balloon ride, he little expects that he too will have to take part in the adventure. But Mr. Golcher, the balloonist is every bit as sly as Freddy and, in no time at all Freddy has agreed not only to give a speech, but to ride with the ducks. What he also didn't realize until he was on the way up was that Mr. Golcher was staying behind, and that our pig, along with the duck sisters were on their own. When it turns out that the balloon has a faulty valve our not quite intrepid adventurers discover that they are in for an extended voyage.

All is not lost by any means. Freddy talks a friendly bald eagle into bringing them a food basket from the Bean kitchen, they weather a stormy night, and see some splendid scenery. Eventually, as all things do, the balloon descends enough for Freddy to get it down. Freddy leaves the ducks with the balloon and, after borrowing a tuxedo from a scarecrow, heads off to investigate. He soon discovers that the worst has happened. Mr. Golcher, infuriated at the loss of his balloon has accused Freddy of stealing it and the police of several counties are trying to capture the pig and bring him to justice. It will take all of Freddy's vast imagination and the help of both the Bean animals and the entire Boomschmidt Circus to get him out of trouble.

The reader will find many familiar characters here. In addition to the denizens of the Bean Farm and the Circus, Emma and Alice's Uncle Wesley manages to return. In addition, there are parachuting mice, somersaulting ducks and an ostrich ticket taker. Nor can one leave out the noble eagle, Breckenridge, who inspires a whole burst of poetry from Freddy. By the time the book reaches its climax the reader will be completely entranced as animals display character and style that we lowly humans can only imitate.

One of the nicest things about Walter Brooks' world is that the inevitable moral lessons are demonstrated rather than taught. And demonstrated in a delightful, ingenious way. In 1942 Brooks uses two timid lady ducks to demonstrate that adventuring is not just for male chauvinists and that having the courage to stand up for your rights keeps bullies at bay. Freddy's honesty saves the day at the end, and, as always, the importance of friends gets a good plug. Best of all is that the right things to do are also fun to do. Freddy is the pig for all ages.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Yes, this is one of the best of the series, March 16, 2010

By 

Three if by Space (Mount Stucco, CA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Freddy and the Perilous Adventure (Hardcover)

To be fair, some of series are a tad dull and uninspired. Ignore the critics: this is one of the top 10. It has perhaps the most believable villain, and some genuine moments of vision of a happier world. The United States had just entered WWII (notice the red, white and blue cover) and Brooks seemed to be counting some of his peacetime blessings. Brooks' (Freddy's) pathetic poetry is almost absent. Illustrator Weise, who delivers irregular performances -- possibly devoting more effort to the books he likes -- here produces highly detailed and complete drawings.

Freddy is not always on sound moral ground in the series. Here, he confronts an ambiguous adversary with self-examination and fairness. Some positive thinking from an age of America which is now rapidly fading behind us.