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Title Author Grade level

Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing

 
Judy Bloom 4th to 5th Grade

 

Genre:
Fiction

 

Summary of the story :

Plot Summary:
Peter often feels frustrated by his younger brother Farley, nicknamed Fudge.  Peter complains that Fudge gets all the attention from his parents, and is able to get away with whatever he wants, like smearing food on the walls.  Fudge ruins a dinner Mr. Hatcher has with important advertising clients.  Fudge also falls off a playground while Sheila is supposed to be watching him.  Peter becomes jealous of Fudge when he gets cast for a TV commercial.  When Peter, Sheila, and Jimmy work on a project together, Fudge ruins it by scribbling all over their poster. The final straw comes when Fudge eats Peter’s beloved turtle, Dribble.  Fudge gets rushed to the hospital, and Peter realizes he does care about his brother despite the trouble he gets into.  Peter’s parents apologize for devoting an unequal amount of their attention to Fudge, and give Peter a dog as consolation, which Peter names “Dribble” in memory of his turtle.
Major Characters: 

  • Peter, 10-year-old main character                                 

  •  Fudge, Peter’s annoying younger brother                   

  • Anne Hatcher, Peter and Fudge’s mother 

  • Warren Hatcher, Peter and Fudge’s father, works at an advertising agency 

  •  Jimmy Fargo, Peter’s best friend        

  •  Sheila Tubman, classmate of Peter and Jimmy whom they believe is bossy

                     

 

 

 

 

Possible Design Challenges:
  • Habitat for the Turtle
  • Designing a device to prevent Fudge from getting out of the crib
  • Not getting mugged
  • Designing a device to prevent Fudge from falling from the Monkey Bars.
  • A way to store the materials so Fudge can go into the room with out doing damage.
  • Habitat for his new dog.
 
Comments:
 
  Prepared by  Bill Wolfson.  Copyright © 2011
Last Updated 
08/20/2011