Freddy in Peril: Book Two in the Golden Hamster Saga ANNOTATION
A cat, two guinea pigs, and a colony of brave sewer rats band together in order to save Freddy, a golden hamster, from an evil scientist who's discovered that Freddy can read and write, and plans to hamster-nap him in order to dissect his brain.
FROM THE PUBLISHER
Even a brilliant hamster is sometimes prone to lapses of judgment. Which is how Freddy came to post his story on the Internet. (After all, a writer needs an audience.) Lo, it was a dangerous move. For when an evil scientist named Professor Fleischkopf discovers Freddy's genius, he decides to hamster-nap him and experiment on his brain! Can a wise tomcat, a pair of guinea pig poets, and a colony of brave sewer rats save Freddy from becoming a casualty of science?
FROM THE CRITICS
Publishers Weekly
A mad scientist threatens to exploit the literary talents of the titular hero of Freddy in Peril: Book Two in the Golden Hamster Saga by Dietlof Reiche, illus. by Joe Cepeda. As in I, Freddy, the tawny hamster narrates, often jumping ahead or back in the story. In addition to the heroes from the first book, a cat named Sabrina and a legion of sewer rats come to Freddy's aid. Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
Children's Literature - Kathleen McLeod
Freddy is a fun-loving, highly intelligent golden hamster who lives in an apartment of a German teacher and translator, Mr. John. Sir William, the sophisticated tomcat and Enrico and Caruso, two theatrical guinea pigs, are also residents of the apartment. Mr. John has discovered a way that Freddy can communicate his thoughts with him by using a computer to type during the day. When Freddy uses the computer at night to post his biography on the Internet, he is alarmed to discover that his actions have made him an unlikely target of the mischievous Professor Fleischkopf. Professor Fleischkopf plots to kidnap Freddy and dissect his brain for research purposes. Freddy, Sir William, Enrico, and Caruso thus set out on a journey to outsmart Freddy's kidnapper. The seamless translation by Brownjohn and the emotional language evident throughout the book with periodic wacky sentences such as, "Because now she, too, was in danger," allow the reader to experience what the characters are experiencing. Cepeda's black ink illustrations surrounding the text help to form mental picture for the readers to imagine while enjoying the book. Cepeda creatively includes black pages with white print and illustrations to represent the scenes that take place in dark. Reiche has created a wonderfully, light-hearted book for all ages to enjoy. It is part of the "Golden Hamster Saga." 2000 (orig. 1999), Scholastic, Ages 8 to 10.
School Library Journal
Gr 3-5-When evil Professor Fleischkopf attempts to kidnap Freddy in order to dissect his brain and figure out why he can read and write, the golden hamster springs into action. Accompanied by his roommates, two wisecracking guinea pigs and one dignified cat, he seeks refuge with some city rats, but is captured by the professor. His friends save the day, but only after a truly hair-raising climax. Freddy may have a tiny body, but his personality is oversized, and kids will be won over by his always confident, sometimes petulant voice. The plot feels a little stale, and some of the characters are introduced only to wither on the vine, but there is a lot of fun in listening to Freddy and his friends tease, kvetch, and joke with one another. The many lively drawings of the characters, as adorable as Pok mon but with much more personality, bring Freddy and his pals to life. This second book in the saga stands on its own.-Eva Mitnick, Los Angeles Public Library Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
Kirkus Reviews
Freddy, an overly intelligent golden hamster, Sir William, a civilized tomcat, and Enrico and Caruso, a pair of theatrical guinea pigs, share the residence of German teacher and translator Mr. John. Freddy's extraordinary abilities allow him to communicate via computer as he types his thoughts to Mr. John by day and writes his stories by night. Boldly posting his biography on the Internet alerts the villainous Professor Fleischkopf of his unique genius and the perilous adventure begins. Freddy must outwit his enemy, escape, and be rescued before his brain is dissected in the name of scientific experimentation. Brownjohn's smooth translation captures the sophisticated and witty first-person narration flaunting a writer's flair complete with dramatic, nail-biting phrases such as "I'D NEVER LOOKED INTO A COLDER MORE SINISTER PAIR OF EYES" set in a larger, boldly wacky print. The more-graphic-than-usual book design includes a few black background pages with white text to emphasize the darkness of Freddy's plight. Cepeda's wonderfully expressive, simple ink cartoons surround the text on almost every page, adding to the histrionics. A cliffhanger written with literary polish. (Fiction. 8-10)
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