Double Fudge - Hardcover

Blume, Judy

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0525469265 ISBN 13: 9780525469261

Publisher: Dutton Books for Young Readers, 2002

Synopsis

Any fan of Fudge knows that he never does anything halfway. And so it should come as no surprise that when he discovers the value of money, he goes whole hog-making his own "Fudge Bucks," dressing as a miser for Halloween, and thumbing through catalogs to choose his birthday presents years in advance. His older brother, Peter, who's just starting seventh grade, finds it all highly embarrassing, as usual. But things change when the Hatchers meet their long-lost relatives, the Howie Hatchers of Honolulu, Hawaii. With new cousins Flora, Fauna, and four-year-old Farley Drexel (yes, that's right, another Farley Drexel!), the stage is set for a wild and wacky beginning to a new school year.

About this title

Review:

Double Fudge continues the embarrassing adventures of Peter Hatcher's little brother Fudge. Now aged five and back in New York he is causing 12-year-old Peter as much pain and nuisance as in the previous stories, begun with Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing. Narrated sensitively by Peter, this instalment covers Fudge's obsession with money (and thus, with his new rich friend Richie Potter), his horror at finding there's another Farley Drexel in the world, getting Uncle Feather to talk and the realisation by Peter that Fudge is growing up.

The presence of Harry Potter, the internet and mobile phones will appear as anachronisms to Judy Blume's first generation of fans who met the Hatchers in the 1970s and 1980s, but will obviously not be blinked at by the intended audience of today's children. Though the world in which Blume is writing may have aged since she first endeared herself to young readers, her characters and their problems remain universally appealing. Two Hatcher families, two Farley Drexels and two girl cousins mean double trouble for adolescent Peter, double sympathy from pre-teen readers and most likely double fun for younger readers. As for Fudge, he's a little confused at first if it means fun or trouble for him, but he (and we) soon find out.

Double Fudge offers one alternative look at American values--Peter's cousins don't eat candy or watch TV--but by the end reassures us that the American childhood we know from books and films is still munching its popcorn, going to grade school and being smart with its parents. Long live super double Fudge! (Ages 7-12) --Olivia Dickinson

Review:

Praise for Judy Blume and the Fudge books:

"Each [Fudge book] is packed with wacky earthy disasters that are her trademark and that children love to read about . . . Judy Blume has a knack for knowing what children think about and an honest, highly amusing way of writing about it." --The New York Times

"It's a pleasure to watch a talented author like Judy Blume consistently create books that reflect a
remarkable ability for combining humor with perceptive insight into a child's world." --Publishers Weekly

"Blume has her eye on the fine details of life, whether funny or frustrating." --Booklist

"For anyone who has ever been 'burdened' by a pesky younger brother, there's fast and funny
reading in this story." --Children's Digest on Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing

"As usual, Blume's humor and pitch-perfect ear for sibling rivalry and family dynamics will have readers giggling with recognition. Newcomers and Fudge fans alike will savor this installment in the well-loved series." --Booklist on Double Fudge

"Fudge-a-Mania infects kids with giggles." --BookPage on Fudge-a-Mania

About this edition

• Publisher: Dutton Books for Young Readers
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 0525469265
• ISBN 13: 9780525469261
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 224