Module 2: Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume

BOOK COVER IMAGE:

BOOK SUMMARY: 

Judy Blume's story "Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing" follows the life of Peter Hatcher, who is a fourth grader, narrating the situations he encounters, especially those brought on by his 2 1/2 year old brother, Farley Drexel.  Fudge, as everyone calls him, is a typical toddler that is curious and full of energy.  Peter gets annoyed at how all the adults excuse Fudge's behavior and/or finds his toddler-talk adorable.  Fudge is constantly snatching Peter's belongings from his pet turtle Dribble, shoving it in the Yarby's face to wrecking Peter's Transportation poster with a magic marker.  It is after this moment that Peter finally expresses his frustration, yelling "I hate him" to his mother, who calmly reminds Peter that most of what Fudge does cannot be helped.  However, Peter has difficulty accepting Fudge's age and the behavior that come with toddlers.  Even in the end, when Fudge eats Peter's turtle.  The book ends with Mr. and Mrs. Hatcher rewarding Peter with a dog, showing him that his feelings are considered and that Fudge, although babied, does not always get his way.  

APA REFERENCE OF BOOK: 

Blume, J. (1972). Tales of a fourth grade nothing. New York: Puffin Books.

IMPRESSIONS: 

It is easy to relate to Peter's character in Tales, especially if siblings are involved.  Judy Blume creates believable characters such as Mrs. Hatcher, who loves both children and is trying to balance between allowing Fudge to be 2 and empathizing with Peter's frustration towards his younger brothers' nuisance.  The plot moves along very well, with each chapter involving a conflict of some sort that must be resolved.  This is an excellently written text for 9 and 10 year olds, who are learning to become more and more responsible, all the while, required to understand the undesired behavior of others, such as annoying little brothers.          

PROFESSIONAL REVIEW: 

"Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume. Hamburger Heaven (a typical family restaurant, specializing in burgers) What happens in this restaurant captures the group dynamic of the Hatcher family in which a little boy nicknamed Fudge seems to sabotage every family excursion. He is part fiend and part clown, and generally out-of-control. Yet, something about him is endearing. After a disastrous morning with Fudge and his mother at the shoe store, Peter, the older brother, is hoping that a meal at Hamburger Heaven will turn things around and make the outing worthwhile. This puts a lot of pressure on the meal, for Fudge’s behavior has been, as usual, atrocious.  As the three of them sit in a booth ordering lunch, Peter prays that Fudge will restrain himself and not engage in any antics that will draw attention to their family. With Fudge around, he can’t imagine eating a meal in peace or having a reasonable conversation. Since Fudge rarely holds back, the whole lunch is dominated by his attention-getting performance. His sloppy little show features the mashed potato smear, the dish of peas dump, and the big balloon pop in which he uses a fork as his popper. In this one scene, readers learn a lot about the Hatchers, and how ineffective the mother is at setting limits. They will also understand Peter’s frustration and embarrassment in having to be seen with the incorrigible Fudge, and in having to deal with his tantrums and messes. Although Peter can barely tolerate his brother, and would never encourage such behavior, he is sometimes amused by Fudge’s shenanigans." - Gary Zingher

Reference:

Zingher, G. g. (2013). Linguini on a waffle: Using restaurants as story settings [Review of the book Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, by Judy Blume]. School Library Monthly, 29(6), 45-47.

    

LIBRARY USES: 

Tales is the ideal book to use as a selection for a book club of fourth graders.  Students would have so much to discuss because the encounters in Peter's life are those of a typical fourth grader.  If any of the students have siblings, they will be able to relate to Peter's feelings towards his family, especially when Fudge is involved.  The librarian would be able to discuss literary elements during the book talk but mostly, the plot makes for excellent book club discussions.