Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing

Title: Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing

Author: Judy Blume

Publisher: Dutton

Date: September 1978

Number of pages: 128 pages

Reading level: Ages 9-12

Genre: Children's Fiction

Summary:  The story begins with Peter winning a turtle at his friend Jimmy's birthday party. He names the turtle Dribble. Peter introduces his family and the concepts of his annoying brother Fudge and his habits. Fudge annoys his father’s business clients culminating in plastering the client's suitcase with stamps, prompting them to remove their account from the company. Fudge refuses to eat, pretending he is the family dog and wanting to eat off the floor. Dad's patience is broken and he dumps a bowl of food over Fudge's head, leading to Fudge's new favorite phrase, "Eat it or wear it!". While being watched by Sheila Tubman on the playground, Fudge jumps off the play ground toy, thinking he can fly, crashing to the ground and swallowing his top two front teeth in the process, and Peter almost immediately gives Fudge a new nickname, Fang, which is unamusing to his mother. Peter is recruited by his mother to chaperon Fudge's birthday party, which ends up with some disastrous moments. Mom then takes Fudge to the dentist to check on how his teeth are progressing after the accident and makes a spectacle while on these errands. Mom reaches her breaking point when Fudge decides to smear potatoes on the wall of a restaurant and dump peas over his head. Mom goes out of town to visit her sister in Boston. Dad takes his sons into work when coincidentally Fudge stars in an advertisement on TV that Dad wrote. Everything falls apart when Fudge is taken to the movie theater and makes a spectacle of himself AGAIN, almost getting lost. Fudge swallows Peter's pet turtle, resulting in hospitalization, and Peter's parents get him a dog to apologize about only giving attention to Fudge and not caring about the lost Dribble. Peter gets a new dog which he names Turtle "To remember".

My reaction: Not my favorite Judy Blume book whatsoever. I can relate to Fudge in many ways as he is always causing trouble, which is similar to how I was as a child, but - this book it seemed to be less Fudge, and more everyone else's agenda. I found it distracting and too detailed for the age group. Although entertaining...Not as entertaining as Blumes other classic pieces.

Potential problem: A child's lack of direction, and attention. Seems that he can do pretty much whatever he wants, without receiving a consequence that is deserved.

My recommendation: I would recommend choosing a different literary piece by Judy Blume to share in your classrooms or homes. I just feel this story drug on, and on. Although somewhat entertaining, not my favorite children's book - whatsoever.