The Orwellian influence of Walter R. Brooks!

I first encountered Orwell's "Animal Farm" when I was in 5th grade. My friend's older brother in High School suggested Animal Farm to me as I was at the time reading with great amusement Walter R. Brooks Freddy the Pig series. Animal Farm was not quite what I expected!! Reading Animal Farm when I was a boy just as a storey to be entertained with when I was so young made it a very easy read when I had to read it in High School. After all how many 10 year olds are politically savvy?

My High School English teacher was not amused when I suggested that George Orwell just may have been influenced by Walter R. Brooks and Freddy the Pig. Since Brooks began writing the Freddy series in 1937 and was internationally known, George Orwell quite likely could have been influenced by Brooks.

Has anyone explored possibility this by studying Orwell's papers or letters?