2012 marks the 80th anniversary of the publication of Freddy the Detective, one of Walter R. Brooks most classic books.

“Oh, I am the King of Detectives
And when I am out on the trail
All the animal criminals tremble,
And the criminal animals quail…”

Freddy the Pig is one of the most charming characters in children’s literature. He is imperfect, boasting when he shouldn’t, with moments of cowardice, but always a help to his friends and a trial to the selfish, cruel, and wicked. Brooks’ animals have complex personalities, like any real person, and his books are still laugh-out-loud funny.