Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing
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The plot summary in this article is too long or detailed compared to the rest of the content. Please edit the article to focus on discussing the work rather than merely reiterating the plot. (March 2008) |
| Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing | |
 The cover for the 2003 re-issue. |
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| Author | Judy Blume |
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| 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 |
| Preceded by | Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great |
| Followed by | Superfudge |
Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing is a novel written by Judy Blume in 1972 with interior illustrations by Roy Doty. It is the first of the "Fudge books". It was followed by Superfudge, Fudge-A-Mania and, most recently, Double Fudge. Though 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 edited out all the pictures.
The story focuses on a fourth-grader named Peter Warren Hatcher and his annoying brother Farley Drexel, and Peter's pet turtle. Farley hates the sound of his legal name, and prefers Fudge for any and all occasions. Chapters 4 and 7 also focus on Jimmy Fargo and Sheila Tubman, Peter's classmates.
[edit] Plot
Peter introduces his family and the concepts of Fudge and his habits. When Peter's father, Warren's, business clients, Mr. and Mrs. Yarby, stay at their apartment for the night, Fudge annoys them. Then Fudge decides not to eat and later he was pretending he is the family dog, that he wants to eat on the floor. A week later, Warren's patience breaks, and he dumps a bowl of corn flakes over Fudge's head, leading to Fudge's new favorite phrase: "Eat it or wear it!"
While being watched by Sheila Tubman on the playground in Central Park, Fudge jumps off the jungle gym. He crashes to the ground and swallows his two top front teeth in the process, and Peter gives Fudge a new nickname, Fang. Peter is recruited by his mother, Anne, to supervise Fudge's third birthday party, which includes amusing yet disastrous moments. Anne decides to take the kids to some errands, which included taking Fudge to the dentist, Dr. Brown, and then taking both children to the shoe store. Fudge causes more inconveniences once again. Anne reaches her breaking point when Fudge makes a mess at a restaurant.
In January, Peter, Jimmy, and Sheila are grouped for a class project. Peter finds out Fudge has scribbled on the poster part of their project. After, Fudge gets spanked by Anne. The project is finally finished. Fudge then cuts off most of his hair, and Peter gets a lock for his door. Two months later Anne finds out about her sister, Linda's, first baby, so she visits them in Boston. Warren takes Peter and Fudge to work where they try to get Fudge to star in an advertisement on television. Everything goes wrong the next day when Fudge is taken to the movie theater and gets lost. Then Warren cooks a rather nasty-tasting mushroom omelet, which Fudge enjoys.
The next day when Peter came home he went to check on Dribble, his pet turtle. But when he checked he wasn't there. Fudge had been playing with Dribble and Peter eventually gets Fudge to admit he swallowed Peter's turtle. Anne and Warren rush Fudge to the hospital where Dribble is eventually ejected from Fudge's bottom. Peter is upset after this episode because so much attention is lavished on Fudge for his brother's foolish actions, however Anne and Warren soon realize what Peter is feeling and give him a pet dog to replace Dribble which Peter names Turtle.
[edit] Characters
Main Article: List of Fudge series characters
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