Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume
Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume is timeless. Absolutely timeless. It could have been written yesterday not 1972. There’s nothing about this book to date it. I remember LOVING this book when I was in elementary school and have been anxious to pick it up and revisit it as an adult. As a mother, I giggled my way through Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing. It was SO funny.
Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing is about nine year old Peter but mostly it’s about his two year old brother Fudge who is probably the cutest thing grown ups have ever seen. But he’s a huge handful and always getting into trouble. The book is ultimately about the adventures of Peter “managing” Fudge. Because if it wasn’t for him, nobody would be able to control Fudge. This involved helping out with Fudge’s birthday party, finding him when he disappears at a movie theater, trying to get Fudge to eat and convincing Fudge to ride a trike for a TV commercial among other things. And then there is a very unfortunate incident with Peter’s pet turtle Dribble. This scene was so impressionable on me as a child that I remembered some twenty years later exactly what was going to happen. A mark of a great book? I think so.
As a mom, I loved Fudge’s antics and the families attempts to “parent” him. It’s the type of book that parents will enjoy reading with their children because both will come away with something fun. I couldn’t help but think if I had read this book when I only had my first child if I would have found it believable or not. See, my first child was not a talker. No way would I have believed that a 2 1/2 year old would have talked as well as Fudge. Luckily, my second does. I couldn’t help but think about how our life experience always plays a role in our reading.
I loved Peter. I loved Fudge. I can’t wait to revisit them in Superfudge, Double Fudge, and Fudge-a-Mania. Such fun to read a book from my childhood and not come away being disappointed.
I read Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing as part of Banned Books Week. Judy Blume is no stranger to her books being challenged. In 2004, the ALA announced that Blume was the 2nd most highly challenged author of the past 15 years. So what is it about Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing that has parents shaking in their shoes? One reference I found in the School Library Journal was because it included a scene with a dead turtle. Blume is quoted as saying, “She said, ‘Don’t you know that reptiles have feelings, and reptiles feel fear?’” I was surprised that it was because of the dead turtle not the fact that the turtle was swallowed, which reminds me of my review of How to Eat Fried Worms from last years Banned Books Week because people said it encouraged kids to eat worms. Crazy stuff.
Links of interest: Judy Blume website, Maw Books review of Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret (another highly challenged book) which I read for last years Banned Books Week.
Genre: Juvenile Fiction, approx ages 4-12.
Publisher: Puffin. April 5, 2007. Original publication 1972.
(I read the Scholastic student edition (cover shown here) published 2002, ISBN 0439559863)
Paperback, 128 pages. ISBN 0142408816
Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing is available from your favorite independent bookstore, Powell’s, and Amazon
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Category: Book Reviews, Fiction, Middle Readers
Tags: banned, published 1970's
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Is this the book where Fudge won’t eat so they put him in the tub and pour foo don his head? “If you won’t eat your food, you have to wear it…” I remember that scene…Fudge reminds me a little of Ramona, and both remain in my heart and my mind years after reading them…
on September 27th, 2009 at 2:22 pmThat’s perhaps the most ridiculous reason for challenging a book I’ve heard.
on September 27th, 2009 at 2:27 pmI remember my fourth grade teacher read this one to us in class, as well as the sequel, Superfudge. I’m definitely going to have to revisit it at some point! Great review.
Weird that the turtle scene would be a point of contention.
on September 27th, 2009 at 2:28 pmSusan – Yes, it is the book where they put him in the tub and pour his food over his head. I’ve started to collect the Romona books and hope to revisit them soon.
Jen – Isn’t it!?
aquafortis – I have the sequel Superfudge in the house somewhere and need to track it down. He’s such a funny kid!
on September 27th, 2009 at 2:41 pmI love revisiting childhood favorites. Some of mine are Ramona Quimby (I see you’re collecting those), Socks (also by Beverly Cleary) and the Bunnicula books by James Howe. I’ll add Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing to My list.
on September 27th, 2009 at 4:43 pmI’ve been thinking about picking this up for my 4th grade nephew — Good to know I’ll enjoy it, too!
on September 27th, 2009 at 5:28 pmMy kids and I listened to this on audio a couple of months ago, and it was like I had gone back in time! What an absolute hoot! I don’t know about you, but back in the day, I had a child that was just like Fudge (he is 10 now and refuses to believe he acted in such a way). Judy Blume is the stuff of childhood Americana. Try to ban her, and you have to get past me!
on September 27th, 2009 at 5:58 pmI remember loving this one as a kid. So fun!
on September 27th, 2009 at 6:22 pmMy son has read all the Fudge books, and is now reading Otherwise Known as Sheila The Great. As you said, Judy Blume is timeless. I loved these books as a kid, and now my 2nd grader loves these books…and any book that can bring mom and son together to laugh at the same things is precious.
on September 27th, 2009 at 6:53 pmI loved these books as a child as well and cannot wait to read them with my son. In fact, he might just be old enough to listen to me read them. Great review!
on September 27th, 2009 at 7:08 pmAw I loved Judy Blume. She wrote so many childhood classics
I used to take her books out of the library all the time!
on September 27th, 2009 at 8:14 pmI don’t know if I read this one, but I so enjoyed Judy Blume’s books. That is a strange reason for banning!
Your comment about how unrealistic you find books based on your own experience with children rang true for me based on what my mom has said recently. I was a good baby and slept a ton so she thought other moms were exaggerating when they talked about how tired they were. Along came my brother, though, who never slept through the night, and she was so tired she could even fall asleep at the gynecologist, on the table!
on September 28th, 2009 at 3:39 amOh I loved these books when I was a kid!! How fun to revisit it as an adult. Must go find my signed copy….
on September 28th, 2009 at 5:26 amI loved all things Judy Blume growing up and between her books and the Nancy Drew books – that was probably my biggest leap into the world of books.
I was shocked to see the Blume books on the banned list. I too want to read them again. I find her books timeless!
on September 28th, 2009 at 6:50 amI agree with Jen–that seems like a bizarre reason to ban a book. I loved this book when I was younger.
on September 28th, 2009 at 7:13 amYou know, some banned books I understand…. and then there are ones like this…
sigh.
on September 28th, 2009 at 10:08 amI adored these books growing up!
on October 5th, 2009 at 9:18 amtwo word good book .my class and i read this book and its very good .i love this book went iam old and young
on November 13th, 2009 at 7:27 pmi love your books
on November 13th, 2009 at 7:28 pm