SYNOPSIS

Peter is working really hard to do well at school, be a good friend, and make a good impression with adults.

He is even willing to help his parents by serving as an “example” for his younger brother, Fudge, when Fudge refuses to do what he’s asked to.

But it is very, very hard to do when Fudge meddles, flaunts rules and directions, gets all the attention, causes huge messes without consequences, and worst of all, eats one’s pet.

PERFECT AGE 8 – 11

We love

• Each chapter is a lovely self-contained story told with humor, detail, surprising twists and a moral.
• It’s fun to see the perspective of the underappreciated older brother – it seems that doing the right thing can often be overlooked when a younger brother is grabbing all the attention and causing daily mayhem!
• Parenting best practices aside, don’t you catch yourself, at least once a day, asking your older child to pretend to like or do something, just so the baby sibling follows suit? So unfair to big brother / sister – and it works like a charm!! 😊

WATCH OUT FOR (Language, Big / Sensitive Topics, Outdated Concepts):

• In one of the stories, a young child is repeatedly refered to as fat and Peter suggests not giving him birthday cake. When you get there, turn to your reader and say, “We don’t talk like that about other children, right? This book got that bit wrong.”

CONVERSATION STARTERS

• How do Fudge’s actions make you feel? Did you catch yourself laughing or cringing? When?
• Do you think Sheila, Jimmy and Peter worked well together on the Transportation project? What did you like or not like about it?
• Can you try to tell me one of these stories from Fudge’s perspective? Why does Peter refer to himself as a “fourth-grade nothing”? What are some things you could tell him to help him realize he’s a great person?