Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing
First edition
|
|
| Author | Judy Blume |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Roy Doty |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's novel |
| Publisher | Dutton |
|
Publication date
|
1972 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| Pages | 120 pp |
| ISBN | |
| OCLC | 340266 |
| LC Class | PZ7.B6265 Tal |
| Followed by | Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great |
Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing is a children's novel written by American author Judy Blume and published in 1972. It is the first in the Fudge series and was followed by Superfudge, Fudge-a-Mania, and most recently by Double Fudge. Although Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great features many of the same characters as the series, it does not fit exactly in the continuity of it because it only focuses on Peter's classmate (who later becomes his cousin), Sheila Tubman.
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 nine-year-old boy named Peter Warren Hatcher and his relationship with his two-year-old brother Farley Drexel "Fudge" Hatcher. Farley hates the sound of his legal name, and prefers Fudge for any and all occasions.
The book chronicles 9-year-old Peter Hatcher's infuriation with the horrendous behavior demonstrated by his annoying 2-year-old brother Fudge, which frequently goes unpunished. Peter becomes frustrated with Fudge because he often disturbs Dribble, Peter's pet turtle which Peter won at his friend's birthday party. Furthermore, his little brother throws nonstop temper tantrums, goes through a finicky phase of abstaining from eating altogether, and emulates his brother's behavior, throwing tantrums if it is prohibited. Nevertheless, their parents dote on Fudge, to Peter's anger.
For months, Fudge's antics continue; breaking his front teeth after catapulting himself from the jungle gym at the local playground when he decides to fly (Chapter 4), vandalizing Peter's group homework assignment (Chapter 7), and taking off on his family at a movie theater (Chapter 9). However, one day, to Peter's absolute misery, he returns home to discover Dribble's disappearance from his bowl, Fudge claiming to have swallowed him. These proclamations prove to be correct, and Fudge is rushed to the hospital, where Dribble is safely extracted, to Mrs. Hatcher's relief. However, Dribble has died in Fudge's stomach, and no one, especially Fudge, seems to care. Peter is incredibly devastated over the loss of his beloved pet, however his parents sympathetically compensate by adopting a dog, which Peter appropriately names "Turtle" in memory of Dribble.
...
Wikipedia