Customer Reviews

Superfudge (Yearling Books)

5 star:		(77)
4 star:		(28)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

This book is hilariously funny, but cruel to kids who believe in Santa Claus. I was devastated the first time I read it, when I was about 9 or 10, because of that part. Then I read it again two years later and loved it. Please make sure your child already "doesn't believe" in Santa before letting him/her read it--it's a terrible way to find out "the truth." Other than that, a great book, especially the parts with Uncle Feather and where Fudge asks "Is this a catastrophe?" and the principal replies, "No, Fudge, but I'm sure you'll try harder next time."

I picked up this one simply because it had a cute cartoon cover. A short while later, I was totally relating to the story, particularly the parts where the Hatcher kids react to major changes in their lives.

The eldest child, Peter, is trying to lead a normal life, but this is being severely hampered by the presence of his uncontrollable younger brother Farley Drexel, better known as Fudge, and his parents, who insist on making big, life-changing decisions without consulting him first.

Although light and funny, it casually throws in some revelations that you may not be ready to explain, like where babies come from, and the existence of Santa Claus. It also skims the surface of the trauma of moving to a new city away from your friends, having a new baby in the family, and having your parents switch their traditional parental roles.

These issues are skillfully woven into a funny context, but the book can be interpreted at a much deeper level than it first appears.

Amanda Richards, February 17, 2005

At age 9 I enjoyed this book but didn't like it as much asTales Of A Fourth Grade Nothing. For one thing, there were no pictureslike the previous book. Another thing, I felt like the Fudge series lost some of it's innocense with one of Peter's friends saying blankety-blank (they didn't actually print it out but hinted it) in front of Fudge and his pals. Peter's pal should have known better. I wouldn't recommend this book to really young readers for that reason, and it may be upsetting for some kids because of the fact that Blume gives the impression that there's no Santa. Now when I read it, I wasn't upset because I already knew. But I think it'd upset some children, and I thought it was sad that Fudge lost his childlike innocense by not believing in Santa anymore. So parents, I highly advise you to proof-read this book before handing it over to your kids, as with any questionable material.

I read this book along side my 5 year old who's reading Double Fudge. Because he's reading at 4th grade level, we've been searching for books that are just right for him. Little did I know that I myself would enjoy reading Judy Blume's books this much as well. It is a great way for us to bond when the whole family reads the same book--and bonus for us parents to be able to read books that are not dumbed down just because they are meant for kids. In addition, I am also glad that I read the book before handing it to my son because it does "reveal" the "truth about Santa"... Since my son is only 5, unlike most of Judy Blume's intended readers, he still believes in Santa. I've never written an Amazon review before, but I thought I should point this out in case someone else is thinking of getting this book for his/her early reader. If this does not concern you, then I highly recommend this book: I can't remember the last time I laughed so hard.

We love Judy Blume's books so far but, my God, what was this woman thinking? She writes a book that features an 11 year old but is read, let's face it, by 7-10 year olds. Many of these children cherish Santa Claus and this book basically kills it for them. I cannot believe that I unwittingly bought my young son a book, second in the series he loves, and had to face his tearful face asking me if it is true. This is an area that should be left to parents and children to discuss and decide for themselves. For shame, Judy Blume!

My daughter is in the first grade and is an excellent reader. She has literally inhaled this series of books. One of my daughter's favorite bedtime rituals is for her to read one chapter of the book to me each night. I was absolutely floored (and completely unprepared) for the revelation regarding the issue of Santa not being real along with the storyline of the main character having "busted" his parents one Christmas when he was three. My daughter is six and still firmly believes in Santa. I had to do some fast talking (and quick thinking). I think my daughter's OK but I'm absolutely traumatized!! We started reading this series upon the recommendation of her Kindergarten teacher after I expressed concern about the frequent use of slang in the Junie B. series. Junie B. is not looking so bad right now . . .

This is a very funny book. It's pretty good for those who are nervous about moving away from their friends. This book also introduces us to some new characters: Tamara Roxanne, their new baby sister, a.k.a. Tootsie, and no she isn't really like Fudge; Uncle Feather, Fudge's pet myna bird with his catchphrase, "Bonjour, stupid!"; Beverly, a tall beautiful woman, nicknamed "Giraffe Neck" by Peter, she eventually proposes to Frank Fargo in "Double Fudge." Did I mention the divorce? In this, Jimmy Fargo's parents get divorced. But I think it was odd for Judy to have Frank go from an actor to an artist. We never found out much about his acting career (though Jimmy can do many foreign accents), but his painting career will make him famous in the later books. The divorce becomes a serious subject, too.

Plus, I'd like to note about the "Santa" thing. I read this after I stopped believing in Santa, so it was understandable. If you're a teacher reading this to kids, I reccommend you skip over the fake Santa stuff. It would've been ruder if the whole chapter was just "THERE IS NO SANTA CLAUS" over and over again.

Also, if you read this in the 80s and 90s, I'd like to warn ya something. There have been many updates to make this modernized for the 21st century, and there is a bit of new content added. In the original, the mother cannot eat peanut butter for she is allergic to nuts. In this updated version, the mom is allergic to tree nuts, but she can still eat peanut butter. In both versions, Peter quotes, "Without peanut butter, I might starve." Plus, all references to records and phonographs are gone; they were replaced with CDs and tapes. Plus, in the original, Fudge says, "I watch 'The Muppet Show,' 'Sesame Street' and 'The Electric Company.'" In the updated one, Fudge says "I watch Nickelodeon and the Cartoon Network." (Currently Cartoon Network is a pretty lousy channel; they got rid of classic Scooby-Doo and now they air live action content!) But back to the main topic, Peter's Christmas list was changed, too. It originally listed that he wanted a clock radio, a pocket calculator (which his Grandma gives to him, rather than "Santa"), a stereo for his room, six albums and a remote-controlled model airplane. The modern version's Christmas list asks for a clock radio, a remote-controlled model airplane, a laptop computer, an MP3 player and six CDs. (Grandma's gift to Peter is a check.)

This would be great for first-time readers who want to read this story, and I'm sure the old fans might be aggrivated or delighted at the new content.

There's no question that Judy Blume is one of the most celebrated children's authors of all time. But when it comes to the book Superfudge, there IS the question of whether or not it's fair of Blume to dismantle one of the most memorable childhood traditions in a book targeted to young children ("ages 7 and up" on the back jacket).

As a parent of four kids under 8 years old, I can't help feeling somewhat betrayed by an author - even one as beloved as Blume - who would take it upon him or herself to completely cut down the Santa myth without any hint of subtlety or margin of error. For a children's author, this is a very severe stance to take and one that is most certainly intentional. In all my years of teaching and reading children's books, I have come across only one other author who took the same divisive position (Judy Delton's "A Pee Wee Scout Christmas") and the reason there are so few is this: most children's authors respect the wide diversity in the ages, circumstances, and beliefs of their young audiences. Even in books targeted to much older children, authors still take care to discuss topics like Santa in very "cloudy" terms (Jeff Kinney's Diary of a Wimpy Kid series is a good example) and that cloudiness is an act of simple courtesy, not only for young kids who are reading books at a higher reading level, but also for parents who trust that children's authors will treat ANY bordeline age issue with some level of subtlety.

Realistic parents would never expect children's authors to avoid controversial subjects altogether, just as they would never expect to keep their children's belief in Santa alive forever. At the same time, it is unrealistic for parents to expect to avoid specific children's books since so many are readily available in school libraries and classrooms, and that's why there exists an unoffical trust between children's authors & parents that hot topics will be "handled with care". While some reviewers feel that Blume is to be commended for her direct honesty regarding Santa, I feel that her honesty could have afforded to be much gentler, especially considering the tender ages of many of her readers.

But, with all of that said, the thing that confounds me most about this book is that Superfudge would have been just as awesome a story *without* the explicit Santa reveal. The book would have been no less edgy, no less funny, and no less appealing even if Blume had chosen to go with a far less definitive reveal scene, and sadly, I find myself questioning Blume's choice to take the harsher route with her youngest reader market.

As some other readers have commented - one has to beware of reading this to a 5 year old, or in the case of my daughter, an 8 year old. Thank God I didn't let her read it and was able to 'edit' that Chapter quite severely to protect the two of them. What a surprise to take a full frontal assault on Santa in such an otherwise incredible series. I didn't get the joke I guess. Destroying a young child's fantasy life is hardly appropriate material. I see the age recommendation is 9 and up, but still, that's an awfully young age to expose adult viewpoints on Christmas in my view. At least in this context it was.

'Superfudge' is the sequel to 'Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing,' another classic children's story. This book would make a great gift for an older child. A funny and wierd book about two brothers. Peter the oldest brother does not get any attention, while his brother, Fudge, is wild and spoiled.

Twelve-year-old Peter Hatcher and his family are moving to Princeton for a year. Peter and his brother Fudge don't always get along. Their mother is going to have a baby soon, adding more uncertainty to their lives. Will the baby be like Fudge? What could be worse for Peter?

The story moves quickly, keeping the reader's attention, and is filled with humor. The reader will definitely appreciate Blume's talent for writing a good tale.