Realistic Fiction

Who doesn't have problems in Fourth Grade?

Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing

Judy Blume

               Eat it or wear it! This among other hilarious events occur in this book. Peter, the main character, is a fourth grader living in an apartment in New York City with his parents and his two-year old brother Farley, better known as Fudge.  Peter begins by winning a pet turtle he names Dribble, at his best friend, Jimmy’s, birthday party. He takes it home and introduces us to all his problems, his mom, his dad’s job, and the biggest of all, Fudge. We are taken on side-splitting adventures of what life is like to have a terrible-two sibling. Fudge offends their father’s business partner by scaring them with a gorilla mask and placing green stamps on their suitcase. Peter, Jimmy, and Sheila are put in charge of Fudge at the playground and he pretends to be a bird and falls and knocks out his front teeth. Peter’s mom blames him and Peter foolishly thinks, maybe she isn’t my mom but they apologize to one another. Fudge refuses to eat and their father has had enough and tells Fudge he’ll eat it or wear it. Fudge doesn’t comply so he takes him to the bathtub and dumps the bowl of food on his head. This among many other realistic and funny events lead to Fudge eating Dribble. Peter gets a dog in its place and names it Turtle. Students of all ages can connect to having an annoying sibling, cousin, or friend. It is a light-hearted tale that shows readers that they aren’t alone with similar problems and ways to find the humor in it all. Children can identify with the right and wrong way to handle their “fourth grade” problems. What can of worms will Fudge open next will leave readers giggling without putting the book down.

BIBLIO: 2007, Scholastic, Ages 8-12, $4.88.

REVIEWER: Jennifer Debo

Format: chapter book

ISBN:9780439559867