i would like to know if you can id this story (who the author is and
the title, is possible):

a bunch of farm animals decide that it is getting too cold and they
want to go south for the winter.  so they all leave for the south,
have many adventures and come back in the spring.  some of the animals
on this trip are a cow, a cat, a horse, a chicken (for sure).  along
the way, they pick up a couple of spiders, a married couple that is,
Mr and Mrs Webber (or it could be Mr and Mrs Web).

the story is probably a short novel (100? pages) and one of the
adventures has the animals painting themselves in various extravagant
colours to protect themselves (how, why?  dont remember).

thanks in advance for any help.

Hello Hahna,

Thank you for your question.

The book you’re referring to is “Freddy Goes to Florida” by Walter R.
Brooks. This book was originally published as “To and Again” in 1927.
It was reissued under the title “Freddy Goes to Florida” in 1949.

Here is a short excerpt with the book’s description where Mr. and Mrs.
Webb are mentioned as well:

“Birds migrate south for the winter--why shouldn't farm animals? In
Walter R. Brooks's Freddy Goes to Florida, that's precisely what the
thoughtful beasts of Mr. Bean's upstate New York farm decide to do.
(..) A robin draws them a map that shows them how to get to Florida,
and they're off! The parade of animals--Jinx the cat, Freddy the pig,
Robert the dog, Hank and Mrs. Wiggins the cows, Mr. and Mrs. Webb the
spiders, two ducks named Alice, and four mice--causes quite a stir on
the cross-country trek. In Washington, D.C., they even meet the
president, who "shook them each by the claw or a paw or a hoof." After
a series of humorous and suspenseful near misses, including a battle
of wits with some Florida alligators, they end up safely back home.”

Freddy Goes to Florida is available for online purchase for $6.99 at
the following link.

Source: Amazon Website
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0141312335/qid=1037149215/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/103-0823335-3630247?v=glance&s=books


Here is a synopsis from Alibris:

“It's winter, and the barn is cold. There's no central heating for the
ducks. No quilts for the mice. The animals of Bean Farm know that Mr.
Bean can't afford to fix up their barn properly for the coming winter,
so Freddy and friends decide to do the next best thing: head to
Florida for a vacation. On the way south with the migrating birds,
Freddy, Jinx the Cat, Charles the Rooster and the other animals foil
burglars, outwit a band of hungry alligators, meet the President, and
even uncover buried treasure.”  Source: Alibris Website
http://www.alibris.com/search/search.cfm?qwork=2447638&matches=59&qsort=r

The back cover of “Freddy Goes to Florida.”
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0141312335/ref=lib_rd_next_7/103-0823335-3630247?v=glance&s=books&vi=reader&img=7#reader-link


Additional information that may interest you:

Here is a list of the many Freddy the Pig books. Click on the name to
see the description of each book.
http://members.tripod.com/~jill_morgan/freddy.html

Search Criteria:
"Mr. and Mrs. Web"


I hope you find this helpful and if there is anything that I've
written that needs clarification, please ask before you rate this
answer.

Best Regards,
Bobbie7-ga

---

Clarification of Answer by bobbie7-ga on 12 Nov 2002 17:47 PST

Hi again,

Here is a link where you can see some illustrations from the book "To
and Again" where the animals are covered with colored stripes and
polka dots.
http://members.tripod.com/~jill_morgan/again.html

--Bobbie7-ga

thank you!  excellent and quick service!

Hi,

I'd like to suggest the following book search site:
 
http://www.bookfinder.com

You'll find plenty of Freddies to choose from.

hummer