Originally published between 1927 and 1958, the 26 classic books about Freddy the Pig are now going on to delight a sixth generation of children.
Freddy, the smallest and cleverest of the pigs on Bean Farm, is “a pig of many parts, a paragon of porkers” (The New York Times). Detective, politician, ambassador to the Martians—whatever the situation requires, Freddy fits the bill. There’s never a dull moment for Freddy and the other animals on Bean Farm, who are “as fast-mouthed and sharply funny as the Marx Brothers, as aphoristic and gimlet-eyed astute as Noel Coward, and yet always affectionate and forgiving” (The Globe and Mail).
These beloved classics—childhood favorites of Overlook publisher Peter Mayer—are available now for the first time as Overlook paperbacks, as well as in handsome hardcover editions. Freddy the Pig, the “Renaissance Pig” (The New York Times) of Bean Farm, is back to thrill his fans of all ages in facsimile editions of these all-American children’s classics.
Fans of Freddy may also enjoy Brooks’s Jimmy Takes Vanishing Lessons, and Michael Cart’s biography of Brooks himself, Talking Animals and Others, both published by Overlook.
Founded in 1984, The Friends of Freddy is an international membership organization dedicated to the preservation and perpetuation of the writings of Walter R. Brooks and his literary alter ego, Freddy the Pig. The Friends hold a biennial convention in upstate New York and organize talks, round-table discussions, a book auction, and dramatic productions based on the Freddy books. Through the Walter R. Brooks Memorial Fund and the Needy Schools and Libraries Book Donation Program, the organization also supports libraries, selected children’s hospitals, and shelters both locally and across the nation. For more information, visit freddythepig.org.
Critical Praise for Freddy the Pig:
“Freddy’s readers have called him a porcine prince…Walter R. Brooks’s gentle genius shines even brighter… Brooks speaks powerfully to his young readers’ moral sense without ever overtly moralizing.” — Adam Hochschild, The New York Times
“Funny, beautifully written gems.” —Nicholas Kristof, The New York Times
“At my funeral, in lieu of flowers, I’d prefer that people give money to the Friends of Freddy fan club.” —Deirdre Donahue, USA Today
“Freddy is blessed with courage, wit, agility and a Sherlock Holmes-like capacity for detective work.” —Newsday
“My very, very favourite book series as a child…It is that dual perspective of nostalgia for rural life and sophisticated urbanity that makes Brooks’s wry, perceptive and affectionately humorous narrative voice so inviting and entertaining, and as fresh as ever for readers of all ages.” —Sherie Posesorski, The Globe and Mail
Walter R. Brooks (1886–1958) is the beloved author of 26 books about Freddy the Pig. He edited for magazines, including The New Yorker. In addition to the Freddy books, Brooks created the character of Mr. Ed the Talking Horse.
Kurt Wiese (1887–1974) illustrated over 300 children’s books and wrote and illustrated another 20 books. He received two Newbery Awards and two Caldecott Honor Book Awards.
