Rating: 
Summary: The Pig Investigates.
Review: A long time ago (as people count these things) a somewhat overweight, near-sighted 8-year old boy wandered up to the young readers section of his local library and took down a strange volume entitled "Freddy the Detective." To be frank, the boy had only just realized that there were books to read beyond Dick and Jane. Bored, he took the book back home and discovered an entirely new world. And changed his life forever.That same boy, now much older, has recently discovered that, far from disappearing from the shelves, Freddy the Pig still is available and is still being read. Curious to see if the magic was still there, this reviewer once again took it home. I am pleased to report that Freddy remains one of Americas greatest heroes. "Freddy the Detective" is one of the early books in a series that stretches from 1928 to include 25 volumes of delight for both children and the adults they are bringing up. Freddy is not your ordinary barnyard animal. Not only do all the animal's on Mr. Bean's farm talk and help with the chores. Certain of them have taken the trouble to learn to read and write. Freddy's latest conquest is "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" and he has decided to become the world foremost porcine investigator. Freddy, his best friend Jinx the cat, and the sensible Mrs. Wiggins the cow confront many difficult challenges. These include the case of Everett Bean's stolen toy trains, the case of the missing rabbit, the countless plots of Simon the rat and his dishonest clan, and the case of the robbers in the hermit's cabin. And, in a grand finale, Freddy defends Jinx himself from charges of murder. Throughout all of this, our indomitable pig keeps up his plucky attitude. There is as much action in this story as there is in most efforts at more recent fiction. And a lot more fun as well. Brooks' farm world is a microcosm of real world about us, but one were the animals are often wiser than the people. With the exception of the dastardly Simon the animals treat each other well even when they disagree. Many of them parody our own silliness, like the pompous rooster judge, but they all are likeable. I also appreciate the positive attitude that permeates Brooks writing. "Freddy the Detective" is still good reading 70 years after it was written. And the farm setting gives it a certain timelessness. It combines humor and strong values in an entertaining package, and has convinced more than one young reader that the world of books is a very fine place.
Rating:
Summary: One of the finest children's books I have ever read :-)
Review: As of now, I am almost 14, but only this past summer did I read this, my first FREDDY book, when my mom showed it to me in the library. I am very glad I didn't turn it down! In several hilarious adventures, Freddy the pig, the Sherlock Holmes of Bean Farm, recovers a stolen toy train, deals with a gang of rats, finds a missing bunny (though he doesn't realize it at first) and even thwarts a pair of real-life bank robbers without saying a word (with the help of some old clothes)! A must-read for the young or young at heart.
Rating: 
Summary: My favorite Childhood book
Review: For some strange reason, I kept reading the Freddy series well into adulthood and this was the book that started it all. It has somewhat of an Animal Farm quality to it but under more benign circumstances. I am thrilled that this series is in paperback and my children can enjoy it as well.
Rating:
Summary: A great pig!!
Review: Freddy and his friends provide the center to this farm story and series of books. each animal is obviously a personification ; we all know someone like that!! It is perhaps this aspect which make the Freddy books so appealing. The mystery is there and it is simple to see its resolution. But the language is clear and the descriptions are vivid. It is a very human book.
Rating:
Summary: Freddy and Shakespeare
Review: Freddy the Detective was the first hard bound book that my son Jonathan ever read (age 9-10). Later he went on to read all of Shakespeare's 37 plays as a teen ager. This can happen to your children if you introduce them to the Freddy series. "Detective" is especially interesting to boys who may not like to read that much. And it is excellent for adults also since there are many levels of understanding in all of the Freddy books (all 26 of them).
Rating:
Summary: Still a lot of fun
Review: I enjoyed the Freddy books when I was a kid, so I recently re-read this one to see if they still held up. It did: as a 35-year-old, I still found this book interesting, funny, and a lot of fun. The Freddy series is maybe a little like a cross between the Winnie-the-Pooh books and Charlotte's Web, though more lighthearted.
Rating:
Summary: Among the best of a classic series
Review: I find it hard to comment on the Freddy books because they've been a part of my life since I was in second grade: they're not something I can judge; they're something I judge everything else by. That being said, I think this is one of the best of the Freddy books. Brooks does a marvelous job of combining humor, drama (the courtroom scene with Jinx is worthy of the best of Perry Mason!), and splendid characters. If you like gentle humor and a fun read, this is a book for you.
Rating:
Summary: Freddy Rocks!
Review: I loved Freddy the detective. It shows his ups and downs of being a detective. No matter what though Freddy is never ready to give up! This book is great for littler kids because they can understand it, but older kids will enjoy it as well! Freddy will brighten your heart with his delighting tales of being a detective on Bean Farm!
Rating:
Summary: My Favorite Children's Book Series
Review: I was so happy to see these books back in print, that I had to buy this one, which is one of the best in the series. When I was first learning to read, I came upon these in my grammar school library and read all of them, over and over.
Any parent should be happy to see these back on the shelves. They're clever, cute and, for lack of a better word, just plain sweet. Reading them now really takes me back. Buy them for your children, and you might find yourself sneaking a read of them too.
Rating:
Summary: Understanding Freddy
Review: Many rears ago the local library was too far to walk to so a book buss would bring them to our school. I milled offer the shelves and found a series of intriguing stories. It was the Freddy the pig series. I enjoyed many hours reading about Freddy's adventures with his pal Jinx. Then for years he just disappeared from view. No one ever heard of him. I combed the used bookstores and still no one heard of him. Then one day he returned. Today I am rediscovering Freddy. Not only are there new adventures but the originals ar being republished.
This is the best book to start with; it explains how Freddy became a detective, which he uses, in subsequent adventures. After reading a book on Sherlock Holmes he decides he can be a pretty good detective and recruits friends in the process.
The stories are intriguing in them selves. However underlying the story are several real life concepts for one to work out as what's the matter with going to jail if you get fed and do not have to work? What do you do when the judge has already made up his mind befor the trial? I especially like the way he browbeats the pore little rabbit during his interrogation. One forgets how intimidating it could be.
Well you will enjou this story as freddy must fingure out what happened to a childs toy train and what diabolical plot it is used in.
| 
