| Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing | |
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1st edition |
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| Author(s) | Judy Blume |
| Illustrator | Roy Doty |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Children's novel |
| Publisher | Dutton |
| Publication date | 1972 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| Pages | 120 pp |
| ISBN | 0-525-40720-0 |
| OCLC Number | 340266 |
| LC Classification | PZ7.B6265 Tal |
| Preceded by | Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great |
| Followed by | Superfudge |
Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing is a children's novel written by Judy Blume in 1972. It is the first of the "Fudge books". It was followed by Superfudge, Fudge-A-Mania and, most recently, Double Fudge. Although Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great features many of the same characters as Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, it does not fit exactly in the continuity of the Fudge books because it only focuses on Peter's classmate, Sheila.
Originally, the book featured illustrations by Roy Doty, but all post 2002 reprints of the book have omitted the pictures.
The story focuses on a 9-year-old boy named Peter Warren Hatcher and his relationship with his 2-year-old brother Farley Drexel. Farley hates the sound of his legal name, and prefers Fudge for any and all occasions.
Contents |
The novel is a first person account of how Peter believes that Fudge makes his life difficult for him and his family. Peter often becomes frustrated with Fudge getting in his way and trying to always be involved in his activities, and perceives that his parents (Warren, an advertising executive; and Anne, a stay-at-home mother - although the parents' first names are not revealed in this book) will allow Fudge to get away with anything (although this is not always true). As Peter puts it: "Fudge is always in my way. He messes up everything he sees. And when he gets mad, he throws himself flat onto he floor and he screams. And he kicks. And he bangs his fists."[1]
Chapters 4 and 7 also focus on Jimmy Fargo and Sheila Tubman, Peter's classmates; Peter and Jimmy are best friends, while Peter has great disdain for Sheila (who happened to live with her family in the same apartment building as the Hatchers).
Throughout the book, Peter recounts the times Fudge -- either by being himself or trying to bond with his brother -- caused trouble, including:
The final chapter is devoted to Fudge somehow swallowing Peter's beloved pet turle, Dribble, whole. Peter has difficulty accepting the loss of his turtle (which died after Fudge ate it), but later shows he cares for and loves his brother when he learns that Fudge may need surgery to remove the turtle from his stomach. All turns out well. Medicine that Fudge had been given (to vomit up Dribble's remains) works, and he makes a quick recovery. At the end of the book, Peter gets a pet dog, which he names Turtle to remind him of his first pet.
Fudge — Peter's younger brother, whom he often resents. At the beginning of the book, Fudge (a nickname for his legal name, Farley) is 2 years old, and is aged to 3 in Chapter 5. Fudge has a very active imagination, and others -- including Sheila Tubman and the wife of one of his father's clients -- often adore him. Peter believes that Fudge causes trouble for him and believes that his parents show him preferential treatment; he also is frequently frustrated when Fudge gets into his things and tries to become involved in his activities. However, Peter does love his little brother very much and shows concern when he is hospitalized (after swallowing Peter's turtle whole) and the doctors speculate that they may need to operate on him.
Peter — The protagonist of the story, and a smart, assertive, but seemingly naive 9-year-old. Most of the novel focuses upon his relationship with Fudge, the fact that he is the perceived source of his troubles and that his parents seem to let Fudge get away with anything and everything ... something that Peter would later realize was not always true. Peter's relationships with his classmates -- Jimmy Fargo (his best friend) and Sheila Tubman (a classmate who antagonizes Peter and vice versa) -- are also explored in the novel.
Anne Hatcher — The mother of Peter and Fudge, and wife of Warren. A caring mother, Anne shows love and devotion to her family, and is very protective of Fudge. Her sometimes over-protective ways with Fudge sometimes causes problems for Peter; for example, when Fudge jumps off a set of monkey bars at the playground (believing he is a bird that will land safely), Anne yells at Peter, holding him solely responsible. However, Anne is quick to apologize for her snap judgements.
Warren Hatcher — The father of Peter and Fudge, and husband of Anne. Warren works at an unnamed advertising agency, whose major clients in Tales are with Juicy-O (a fruit and vegetable drink) and Toddle Bike (a manufacturer of plastic kiddie cars); Fudge is hired for a commercial for the latter product. Although most of Warren's clients are happy with his work and company, he has also had his share of failures, such as losing the Juicy-O account. A loving father who wants what's best for his family, he is more conservative in rearing his sons than Anne, particularly with Fudge; at one point, when Fudge was going through a stage where he refused to eat at the table, he dumped a bowl of cereal over his head.
Jimmy Fargo — Peter's best friend, and the book's only regular African-American character. Jimmy and Peter hang around together, but share an equal dislike for classmate Sheila Tubman. Jimmy, at times, seems to resent Fudge and is glad that he is an only child.
Sheila Tubman — Classmate of Peter and Jimmy, who lives with her family in the same apartment building as the Hatchers. Peter is annoyed at the very thought of Sheila, considering her to be a bossy know-it-all who still has cooties. At times, Sheila does assert herself by trying to control a school project she, Peter and Jimmy were assigned to work on together (although their efforts are rewarded with an "A"). Sheila is sometimes allowed to help baby-sit Fudge. She has an older sister named Libby. It is hinted at, however briefly, that Sheila may have a slight crush on Peter, although because of their bickering it is not evident.
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