“Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing”

by

Judy Blume

Date published:
Published by
Dell Publishing Co; Inc.
Dag Hammarskjold Plaza
New York, New York.
Seventeenth Dell Printing- March 1979

Peter Warrent Hatcher a nine year old boy who studies fourth grade is invited to the birthday party by a friend named Jimmy Forgo. He won a contest where he got a cup which had inside water and three rocks with a small turtle that he called Dribble.

He lives in apartment building in New York with his mother, father and his brother called Fudge which is his worst nightmare . His mother is dedicated to activities at home, and his dad worked in an advertising company.

One night Mr. Warrent hatcher arrived from his office at home, and tells his wife that the owner of the Juicy-O Company will come from Chicago, and he would want to invite them to his wife’s house as she does not like the idea, but she accepts the reason that her husband was the creator of the publicity of his company.

Peter did not share that decision for the problems they would have with his brother, and in the end if they had problems until Mr. Hatcher lost the account of his company.

After Mr. Hatcher did not try to lose the account of the company Juice-o he had other clients. At the time Peter began to do something that impressed his family, which was put his head on the floor and raise his whole body. This surprised his brother Fudge that for one reason he stopped eating and then just wanted to see his brother do that. His mother started worrying and he said he was the house dog until his dad put him in the bathroom and made his aware.

The Hatcher family lives near the Central Park. Peter is followed by walking although his parents do not go alone because there are thieves. The mom goes to the park a lot with her youngest son takes him to the zoo. One day she was walking with her son Fudge, she got Peter, Jimmy and Sheila, and asked them to take care of Fudge and they took care of themselves and Fundge thinking that is was a little bird that fell and lost teeth in front.

In conclusion the story is about a child and his little brother angry, his mom overlaps him a lot, the child does whatever he wants. The father only works and always is busy. He thinks his son has a normal behavior.

  Glosary

– Dribble: (n) a thin stream of liquid, a trickle

– Eudge: (n) a soft candy made sugar, butter and milk or cream.

– Scrub: (v) rub (someone or something) hard so as to clean them typically with a brush and water.

– Mugged: (v) attack and rob (someone) in public place.

– Naughty (adj) specially of children disobedient, badly behaved.

-Mopped (v) clean or soak up (something) by wiping.

-Scooped (v) pick up and move something with a scoop.

– Hardly (adv) used to qualify a statement by saying that it is true to an insignificant degree.

Quotes:

“That was about the silliest thing she’d ever hear”. This is what is wife told Mr. Hatcher when he suggested inviting the owners of the company to spend a few days in his house.

“My biggest problem is my brother, Farley Drexel Hatcher”. In this quote Peter is talking about his brother who considered him very naughty when he thought about what he would do with his pet Dribble.