Millions of fans young and old have been entertained by the quick wit of Peter Hatcher, the hilarious antics of mischevious Fudge, and the unbreakable confidence of know-it-all Sheila Tubman in Judy Blume's five Fudge books. And now, Puffin Books honors forty years of the book that started it all, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, with a special edition--featuring a new introduction from Judy--to celebrate this perennial favorite.
My Review:
Overall, I thought this book was well-written, and the protagonist, Peter, well-developed. Peter generally plays second-fiddle to his little brother, Fudge, and as offensive as I found Fudge (and their mother, who outright babies and spoils Fudge), I found the relationship between the two brothers to be accurate as far as I know - being an only child, I have limited experience with pesky little brothers! I really wanted to see more parenting going on with the kids, especially from the father, but the book is a product of its time in many ways (it was written in 1972, when more moms stayed home and dads escaped to work), so I wasn't surprised that, when Peter's dad had to watch the boys, Dad had ZERO clue how to manage.
I definitely wanted to give Peter a hug through most of the story; I can really see why he considers himself a "fourth-grade nothing," because that's often how he's treated.
Read: February 2022
Read: February 2022
