The Wind in the Willows (1908) meets Wodehouse's Jeeves and Wooster in these short stories.From the co-creator of Dora the Explorer come four tales ostensibly about luxury-loving parrot Freddie but really about how his clever butler, Peccary, saves the day. In the first story, Freddie worries that their apartment is haunted when the door starts knocking by itself (Peccary cracks the case through a revelation that will crack up readers). In the second story, Freddie's denial that he has been sleep-eating waffle batter leads to a chain of comedic misunderstandings revolving around reoccurring police characters (officers Scott Piranha and Gladys Otter) with a history of fining Freddie for his shenanigans. A third story, in which Freddie takes his car out for a spin, is a cautionary tale about careful driving with a lovely twist at the end: Freddie's genuine appreciation of Peccary for not saying "I told you so." The fourth story ties in the sleep-eating plot of the second in a surprising way as Peccary cleverly uses the quirk to save Freddie's parents from social ruin. In all of the stories, childlike Freddie's first-person narration highlights his obliviousness, with Weiner pairing a sly, dry wit with downright silly content. All characters are anthropomorphized animals, finely dressed in illustrations-though it does strike an odd note when the police officers ride regular horses. Otherwise, the exquisitely detailed illustrations are as charming as the characters.Kids and adults alike will guffaw in delight. (Fiction. 6-10)

Wooster- and Jeeves-esque portrayals characterize Dora the Explorer cocreator Weiner’s debut, a sweetly absurdist domestic comedy starring avian dandy Frederick “Freddie” Parrott and his capable pig-like butler, staid Oswald Peccary. Freddie’s exuberant voice narrates the volume’s four energetic chapters as the animal duo investigates an apparently self-knocking front door, searches for a missing batch of coveted waffle batter, navigates the perils of a windy autumn drive, and rescues the Parrott family from a brunch-related public embarrassment. Black-and-white illustrations from Biggs (How to Bake a Universe) admirably capture the animals’ outsize personalities and buoy the freewheeling story line’s humor, as do recurring characters, including two long-suffering local police officers and the opening tale’s vociferous, knock-knock-joke-telling front door. Zippy dialogue, sharp comic timing, and a genuine affinity between Freddie and Peccary help keep the well-trod dynamic from becoming stale in this effervescent and compulsively readable chapter book of friendship. Ages 7–10. (Dec.)

Gr 2–4 —In this debut from the cocreator of Dora the Explorer, carefree socialite Freddie Parrott attempts to solve mysteries and go on silly adventures, and luckily his faithful butler Peccary is there to save the day. Those looking for a more traditional mystery might be disappointed, as the cases don't usually have any clues to lead the reader to a deduction—the conclusion of the mystery is often just a joke. Who stole the waffle batter in "The Case of the Missing Waffle Batter?" Well&30;they tell you right away. And those looking for something funny might be equally disappointed; there's humor here, but it often gets weighed down by the prose, so younger readers might miss the joke entirely. There's certainly some wit and charm, which is enhanced by the pencil-heavy artwork, although there seems to be less artwork than in contemporary early chapter books. VERDICT For larger collections.—Peter Blenski