Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing

by Judy Blume

Passed on from babysitters to their young charges, from big sisters to little brothers, and from parents to children, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing and its cousins (Superfudge, Fudge-a-mania, and... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0330334867
• ISBN13: 9780330334860
• Release Date: January 1993
• Publisher: Piper / Pan Macmillan Children's Books
• Weight: 0.36 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Fudge foibles

Judy Blume has often shocked the delicate sensibilities of stuffy parents worldwide with her straightforward tell-it-like-it-is young adult books containing sexual situations. When I was a kid though, Judy Blume meant only one thing. "Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing". One of my favorite books, written incredibly well, it captured perfectly what it means to be a kid with a little sibling. This book was a revelation. Nowhere else had I encountered an early reader story that wasn't afraid to say that little sibs can be annoying brats. There are roughly five bazillion books out there written specifically to coax older children into befriending their younger siblings. Far fewer are the books that recognize the difficulties these elder kids have to deal with when they're forced to abandon their personal privacy and sanity for the sake of a little brother or sister. The one book that really spoke to me about this (and was really funny as well) was Judy Blume's 1972 creation. And it reads as perfectly today as it did some thirty odd years ago. There was Peter. And then there was Fudge. Peter Hatcher is nine years old and has the awful job of dealing with almost-three-year-old Fudgie at all times. Fudge is what a polite person might call a lively child. To Peter, however, Fudge is a holy terror. If he's not sticking green food stamps to full suitcases or refusing to eat until Peter stands on his head, he's leaping from large rocks (to fly) and throwing tantrums in shoe stores. Peter is understandably jealous of the amount of attention Fudge attracts but at least he has his pet turtle Dribble to comfort him. Each chapter in this book is a small story about the daily interactions and adventures of the Hatcher boys. The final tale (the most important day of Peter's life, according to him) is probably one of the most memorable episodes in children's literature to date. What Blume does right with this book is put everything entirely within the first person perspective of Peter himself. His tone of voice is pitch perfect. You empathize with him completely. When Fudge goes into his older brother's room and destroys his poster for school, you're just as inclined to see him punished as Peter is. And when Peter must deal with an awful loss at the book's end, you know just how he feels. Somehow, Blume has taken that prickly mind of the fourth grade boy, and made it completely understandable to the rest of the world. This is no small feat. There are some small dated elements to the book. Mrs. Hatcher is, suffice to say, your stereotypical frantic mama. You begin to wish that she would grow a backbone once in a while instead of sobbing "my baby" whenever Fudge misbehaves in a dangerous way. As for Fudge, he's great in that he's awful. The worst possible three-year-old to be trapped in a family with. If there's a way to screw something up, he'll manage it. The age difference between a nine-year-old and a three-year-old is immense.

The Adventures of Peter Hatcher and Fudge

TALES OF A FOURTH GRADE NOTHINGBy Natalie Watch out! Here comes an out of this world Two-year-old. If you read Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing you?ll see how much of a hazel Fudge can be and his brother Peter?s had enough.You?ll laugh until you cry with this hilarious bookAnd many others like Superfudge and Fudge-a-MainiaBy Judy Blume illustrated by Roy Doty. The beginning starts with Peter getting a new turtle named Dribble and Fudge is just fascinated by it. In fact, you?d think it would be better if Peter had just said no to the turtle. Well, Fudge goes through many experiences with or without Peter?s turtle. Whether he?s scribbling all over Peter?s homework or throwing a temper tantrum in the shoe store Fudge can be a blast. Some of the characteristics that Fudge has are annoying and troublesome. I know because in the book Fudge lost his two front teeth. Can you guess how that happened? And Peter, I?d say some of the characteristics about him are generous and polite. I know because when Peter?s dad made an egg omelet with a dozen eggs and Peter tried it all he said was "tastes great dad". This realistic fiction book reminds me of Junie B. Jones. They just want to be the center of attention. Fudge also reminds me of my little sister their never far from trouble. I think this book is one of the funniest books I?ve ever read and I recommend this book because when you read it you?ll see that with Fudge anything can happen.

this is a funny book review about tales of a fouth nothing

Tales of A Fourth grade NothingBook review by Noah Genre: FictionThis book is about a boy named Peter that gets a turtle that he named Dribble. Peter has a little brother named Fudge. Fudge has a birthday party disaster and two of his teeth fall out. Peter lives in an apartment in New York.Fudge is my favorite character because he is funny. For example on pages 23 and 24 he acts like a dog by eating food off the floor. His dad pours cereal on Fudge's head and on page 51 at Fudge's birthday party someone pees on the floor.I think this is a good book because it is funny and exciting like on pages 110 and 111 Fudge eats Dribble, his brother Peter's turtle. I can relate to this book because Peter is the same age as me, which is nine. I've read Double Fudge, which is another book by Judy Bloom. My connection is being on a playground with someone you don't want. Like when Peter does not want to baby-sit Fudge at the playground. Two more connections I have is I have a sister the same age as fudge witch is 3 years old, and my other connection is me and peter are the same grade 3rd. If you like funny books I think you would like Tales of a fourth grade nothing and Double fudge because they are hilarious. I hope that you like it because I do a lot.There are a lot more Judy Bulme books like Fudge-a-Mania,Superfudge, Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great and more.

The misadventures of Fudge.

How does one handle having a little brother who is a terror? Just ask 9-year-old Peter Hatcher, because he has one named Farley Drexel "Fudge" Hatcher. Fudge is 2-years-old and he's about to turn 3-years-old. In Peter's opinion, Fudge is nothing but a pain in the neck, and he's right. Peter, Fudge, and their parents Anne and Warren live in an apartment building in New York City. First, Fudge costs Warren, who works for an advertising agency, an important account by terrorizing guests who have come all the way from Chicago. Peter tries not to go crazy as Fudge also does things like messing up Peter's homework and throws a tantrum at a shoe store, among a lot of other things. This synopsis describes this book from my point of view. There are a lot of things in the book that I didn't want to give away in the synopsis, just in case someone who has never read this book reads this review before reading the book. The fact that I read this book all over again every now and then proves that I love this book. Some parts of it still make me laugh, and there's a ood chance it'll make you laugh, too.

One of the best ever

I read this book when I was in fourth or fifth grade. Now I'm 26, but I still remember this little gem well. Peter Warren Hatcher has many problems, but his biggest one is his little brother, whom everyone calls "Fudge" Everyone likes Fudge, because he's the cute one, but when Fudge becomes a little monster, everyone looks to Peter to solve the problems. Mr. and Mrs. Juicy-O meet Fudge and love him, but when he shoves Peter's turtle in their faces, Peter's dad loses the account. Mr. Toddle-Bike thinks Fudge is just right for a commercial, but Fudge won't ride the bike until Peter does. When Fudge eats Peter's turtle, Dribble, Fudge gets all the attention, and Peter just loses his pet. In every "Tale" Peter plays the role of the good son. Judy Blume knows her audience well. People this age have to deal with the fact that they are no longer cute, but they are still treated like they know nothing by most adults. I could identify with Peter when I was 10, and I can relate to him still now. Parents, buy this book for your kids. Kids, read this book. It's funny, touching, and will stay in your head for the rest of your lives.