Judy Blume has often shocked the delicate sensibilities of stuffy
parents worldwide with her straightforward tell-it-like-it-is young
adult books containing sexual situations. When I was a kid though,
Judy Blume meant only one thing. "Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing".
One of my favorite books, written incredibly well, it captured
perfectly what it means to be a kid with a little sibling. This
book was a revelation. Nowhere else had I encountered an early
reader story that wasn't afraid to say that little sibs can be
annoying brats. There are roughly five bazillion books out there
written specifically to coax older children into befriending their
younger siblings. Far fewer are the books that recognize the
difficulties these elder kids have to deal with when they're forced
to abandon their personal privacy and sanity for the sake of a
little brother or sister. The one book that really spoke to me
about this (and was really funny as well) was Judy Blume's 1972
creation. And it reads as perfectly today as it did some thirty odd
years ago.
There was Peter. And then there was Fudge. Peter Hatcher is nine
years old and has the awful job of dealing with
almost-three-year-old Fudgie at all times. Fudge is what a polite
person might call a lively child. To Peter, however, Fudge is a
holy terror. If he's not sticking green food stamps to full
suitcases or refusing to eat until Peter stands on his head, he's
leaping from large rocks (to fly) and throwing tantrums in shoe
stores. Peter is understandably jealous of the amount of attention
Fudge attracts but at least he has his pet turtle Dribble to
comfort him. Each chapter in this book is a small story about the
daily interactions and adventures of the Hatcher boys. The final
tale (the most important day of Peter's life, according to him) is
probably one of the most memorable episodes in children's
literature to date.
What Blume does right with this book is put everything entirely
within the first person perspective of Peter himself. His tone of
voice is pitch perfect. You empathize with him completely. When
Fudge goes into his older brother's room and destroys his poster
for school, you're just as inclined to see him punished as Peter
is. And when Peter must deal with an awful loss at the book's end,
you know just how he feels. Somehow, Blume has taken that prickly
mind of the fourth grade boy, and made it completely understandable
to the rest of the world. This is no small feat.
There are some small dated elements to the book. Mrs. Hatcher is,
suffice to say, your stereotypical frantic mama. You begin to wish
that she would grow a backbone once in a while instead of sobbing
"my baby" whenever Fudge misbehaves in a dangerous way. As for
Fudge, he's great in that he's awful. The worst possible
three-year-old to be trapped in a family with. If there's a way to
screw something up, he'll manage it. The age difference between a
nine-year-old and a three-year-old is immense. Blume bridges that
gap adeptly.
I state here and now, as loudly as my little lungs can carry sound
(or my little fingers can type a review) that this is one of the
best children's books in American literature. It has everything you
could possibly want. Humor, adventure, a hero with many troubles,
and a happy ending. For kids that have a Fudge of their own,
Peter's problems will speak to them instantly. For kids that ARE
Fudge, the book will strike them as an amusing romp through a world
that is both familiar and unfamiliar. A must read for any kid you
know