Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing
by Judy Blume
Fiction, Young-Adult, Middle-Grade, Realistic-Fiction, Humor
Life with his little brother, Fudge, makes Peter Hatcher feel like a fourth grade nothing. Whether Fudge is throwing a temper tantrum in a shoe store, smearing mashed potatoes on the walls at Hamburger Heaven, or trying to fly, he’s never far from trouble. He’s an almost three-year-old terror who gets away with everything, and Peter’s had it up to here! When Fudge walks off with Dribble, Peter’s pet turtle, it’s the last straw. Peter has put up with Fudge for too long. Way too long! How can he get his parents to pay attention to him for a change?
Recommendations from Common Sense Media
Age Recommendation: 9+
What Parents Need to Know:
Parents need to know that Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing is the first in Judy Blume’s “Fudge” series about the Hatcher family: Mr. and Mrs. Hatcher, their older son Peter, and younger son Farley Drexel, whom everyone calls Fudge. The novel takes a humorous but honest view of sibling rivalry, and the challenges of reasoning with an imaginative, stubborn 3-year-old. Fudge’s antics annoy his brother and sometimes land him in precarious situations, but Fudge will amuse middle-grade readers. Fudge hurts himself in one incident, bleeding and losing a couple of baby teeth, and he is hospitalized after eating a non-food item; kids might be slightly alarmed by these situations or by adults sometimes losing their tempers (verbally), but the book’s humorous tone keeps things light. Note that gender roles are quite outdated, too; Mrs. Hatcher says her husband doesn’t know much about caring for children, and he doesn’t know how to cook a meal.
Educational Value: 2/5
Judy Blume’s Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing shows readers a little about family life and gender roles in New York City in the early 1970s. The book is also somewhat enlightening for older kids who are about to become older brothers or sisters — they’ll get a humorous look at what it’s like to have a 3-year-old sibling. Trips to the dentist and the hospital reveal a few medical facts, as well.
Positive Messages: 3/5
Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing offers an honest, funny look at family life and two brothers’ sibling rivalry/relationship. The message here is that being an older brother can be hard, and parents sometimes lose their patience, but everyone does their best and they all still love each other.
Positive Role Models: 4/5
Peter and Fudge’s parents struggle with the best ways to handle the random irrationality of Fudge’s 3-year-old moods and still support Peter. Sometimes they lose their patience with their sons. However, they always have the boys’ best interests at heart, and they apologize when they know they’ve reacted to a situation unfairly. Peter provides a good role model for Fudge; he’s often reluctant to be ruled by Fudge’s whims, but he’s generally helpful and understands that his little brother looks up to him.
Violence & Scariness: 1/5
In Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, there’s some accidental violence when Fudge falls after trying to fly like a bird from the top of a climbing structure; and one kid guest at Fudge’s birthday party bites.
Sex, Romance & Nudity: n/a
n/a
Language: n/a
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Products & Purchases: 1/5
Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing mentions visiting Bloomingdale’s and a restaurant called Hamburger Heaven. The dad in this book, Mr. Hatcher, works in an ad agency, but his clients are fictitious companies (Juicy-O and Toddle-Bike).
Drinking, Drugs & Smoking: 1/5
Mr. Vincent, one of Mr. Hatcher’s ad-agency clients, smokes a cigar.
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