Superfudge

“That’s what you get for having another baby!”

Peter lashes out at his mother one day when she breaks down from exhaustion. She is overwhelmed by taking care of Tootsie and Fudge and begins crying. Rather than comforting his mom, Peter yells at her and tells her she deserves it. Peter has difficulty being empathetic when his needs are not being met or when he feels like his opinions are not being heard. However, change—and undesired change—will be the catalyst that helps him grow.

“The little sighs are my favorites, because then I know she’s content. And she feels so warm and soft, lying in my arms that way, that I feel good all over.”

In the case of Tootsie’s birth, change proves to be positive and benevolent. Peter was angry when he found out that Tootsie was going to be born and had a difficult time warming up to her. However, his brotherly instincts soon take over and he embraces her as his little sister. Her joviality and innocence make Peter feel comfortable and calm and give him a sense of purpose and responsibility.

“I know it’s not Turtle’s fault. He can’t help being a dog. And when he sleeps at the foot of my bed or licks my face, it’s all worth it.”

Peter’s pet dog Turtle is a loyal friend and an important part of Peter’s life. Turtle is Peter’s first experience with taking care of something more vulnerable than him. Turtle teaches him responsibility while providing a sense of comfort and stability in an ever-changing environment. Peter’s caring for Turtle foreshadows his growth into a responsible older brother.

“You know something, Fudge? You’re off the wall… you are really off the wall.”

Just before the family leaves for Princeton, Fudge decides to cover Tootsie in trading stamps so he can trade her in for something better. Peter and his mom can’t help but laugh when they see her, and Peter observes the ridiculous nature of his brother’s actions. If there is one phrase to describe Fudge, “off the wall” is suitable.

“‘There is something very definitely wrong with that child,’ Mrs. Hildebrandt said. ‘There’s nothing wrong with him!’ I said.”

Despite his anger and occasional resentment of his brother, Peter loves Fudge and will defend him. When Fudge is bullied by his new kindergarten teacher, Peter stands up for him. Many people that Fudge encounters see him as strange and off-putting, but Peter hates when others judge his brother.

“Fudge asked Mom if he could bring Tootsie to school for Show and Tell. He wanted to repeat his lecture on How Babies Are Made for his kindergarten class.”

Fudge is precocious and knows more than he often should for his age. His parents are supportive and answer most of his questions, including when he asks about how babies are made. Fudge thoroughly enjoys showing off his intelligence to others and getting reactions for saying outlandish things.

“Bonjour, stupid.”

Superfudge is a novel full of comic moments that bring life to the story and make it feel relatable. Mom describes Uncle Feather as cultured because it can say “bonjour.” Ironically, Fudge teaches it to say “bonjour, stupid” instead—a stark contrast between cultured and rude.

“I’m the middle child now… so I need lots of attention.” 

Fudge is very self-aware for his age and is observant of the dynamics and relationships between members of his family. Grandma spends a lot of time at the Hatcher house, helping with the baby and with Fudge. Fudge explains to her that he feels like he lacks attention; now that he is no longer the baby of the family, he needs more of it than ever.

“How do you know so much, Pee-tah?”

Fudge looks up to his brother and wants to be just like him. He knows he is smart, but sees his brother as wiser. Peter adopts the role of teacher and mentor readily and willingly, teaching Fudge how to ride a bike, answering his constant questions about life and the meaning of words, and giving him advice. Fudge soaks up everything Peter says, repeating things just like the myna bird.

“You wouldn’t have to be practical if Dad was president of the advertising agency, would you?”

Peter goes through several major changes in a single year, all while starting puberty. His emotions are all over the place, he lacks control, and often takes out his frustration on his parents. When his mother announces yet another change, that she is going back to work to support the family and let Dad continue working on his book, Peter becomes upset once more. Just as things are starting to settle, he is faced with another upheaval. He blames everything on his father’s decision to quit his job.

“I don’t know… just everything… Mom going back to work, you writing a book, us living here, Tootsie being born… Fudge going to kindergarten… me in sixth grade… everything is different.”

Peter finally opens up about his feelings regarding all the changes taking place. He is overwhelmed and in need of support, and his parents dismiss his feelings as excessive. Peter’s dad explains that change is normal, and Peter’s mom has little to say. When Peter realizes his parents are not being much help, he decides to phone Jimmy in the hopes of reconnecting to his old, familiar life.

“My mother and father were surprised when I told them I’d take Fudge trick-or-treating.”

Peter was resistant to the idea of having a younger sibling, and even more resistant to the idea of a second one. It is not until Fudge is four years old that Peter finally begins embracing his role as a big brother and connecting with Fudge. Fudge is thrilled that he is getting to spend more time with his brother.

“I thought about telling her the whole story. But then I remembered how I’ve told Jimmy things that I wouldn’t have told anybody else, and I knew that if I were Jimmy, I wouldn’t want my best friend telling the whole world secrets about my family.”

Peter learns a lot about friendship and what it means to be a good friend through his relationships with Jimmy and Alex. Jimmy comes from a complicated family life involving a nasty divorce and an artist for a father. He and Peter rarely talk about this, but Jimmy does confide in Peter one day about the painting his father did after the divorce.

“Fudge has a friend. His name is Daniel. He’s pudgy, with a lot of red hair and ears that stick out more than mine. The first time I saw him, he was standing in front of Uncle Feather’s cage, lecturing to Fudge.”

The way that Peter describes Daniel provides an accurate characterization of the type of child that Daniel is. He is not easy to digest, and although he is more intelligent than other children his age, he acts well beyond his capabilities. Peter’s first impression of Daniel is one that persists throughout every preceding interaction: Daniel is rude, obnoxious, and arrogant. 

“Then, right when Superman was about to kiss Lois Lane, I felt something icy cold slither down my back, and I let out a yelp.”

Fudge is constantly antagonizing Peter and testing his patience. When Peter, Alex, Fudge, and Daniel go to the movies, Peter meets the girl he likes, Joanne. The two sit together and are about to share a romantic moment when Fudge ruins it. Fudge’s attempts do not always succeed, however; this time, Joanne takes it as an opportunity to help Peter clean up and the two share a moment anyway.

“I like to know what’s going on, and sometimes you forget to tell me.”

Peter’s dad is emotionally distant despite being at home most of the time. He is not happy in his new writing venture, finding himself unsuccessful and unable to fall into the stay-at-home-father role. Peter is acutely aware of this distance and decides to bring it up one day when he is worried that his dad is once again considering changing careers. His father’s response is that there is nothing to worry about, again dismissing Peter’s feelings.

“Maybe he is some kind of genius and my parents don’t want me to find out because I’m just a regular kid.”

Peter does not admit it out loud, but he often feels insecure about his intelligence around Fudge. Fudge is a gifted child, and although Peter is nowhere near dumb, he is of average intelligence and feels threatened. He worries about what Fudge will be like as he gets older, and how soon it will be when Fudge surpasses him intellectually. Peter also feels like his parents ignore him because he is older and more ordinary.

“I’ll help you write one to go along with this one, just in case Santa has trouble understanding what you want.”

The year is drawing to a close and Christmas time is falling upon the Hatcher family. Peter is finally adopting his role as a big brother to the fullest extent, offering to take Fudge trick-or-treating, and later to help him write his Santa letter. Peter is vehemently against the idea of entertaining Fudge’s fantasy about Santa but goes along with it for Fudge’s sake. He learns to sacrifice some of his pride for the benefit of Fudge and their brotherly relationship.

“I would have got you a laptop, but I didn’t have that much money.”

Peter might be Fudge’s favorite person in the whole world. Even though Fudge regularly pushes Peter’s buttons, he also regularly expresses his love and admiration for him. Peter wants a laptop for Christmas, and Fudge wants to see his brother happy. Although he cannot afford a laptop, the sentiment is there, and Peter appreciates his brother.

“Aren’t I a great pretender?”

The entire family puts on a big act for Fudge so that he can maintain his illusion about Santa Claus. They all write letters to Santa, and when Peter insists that they should tell Fudge the truth, his parents disagree and respectfully ask that Peter continue the ruse. Ironically, Fudge admits to Peter that he is far too clever to believe in Santa, and just pretends to for the sake of their parents.

“And Tootsie wasn’t the only one crash-landing.”

Catastrophes erupt in the Hatcher household as Tootsie learns to walk and starts getting into everything. The chaos continues when Fudge gets his new bike and constantly crashes it. When Fudge hears Peter use the word “catastrophe,” he is true to character and tries to use the word himself. He plays a prank on the principal and guest author at school by having the author draw a caricature of the principal. When it is finished, he asks if he has created a catastrophe.

“‘That’s an unusual name,’ Brian Tumkin said. ‘I know it,’ Fudge said.”

Names are important to the members of the Hatcher family. Both Fudge and Tootsie have significant nicknames that they adopt as their actual names. Fudge is very attached to his name and becomes irate when his new kindergarten teacher refuses to use it. His self-awareness shows through again when Brian Tumkin, the guest author, remarks on his unusual name. Fudge knows his name is strange, but he also knows that he himself is strange and that the name suits him perfectly.

“Fudgie, you’re just full of surprises.”

When the family is discussing whether they should move back to Manhattan, everyone is leaning toward yes. Fudge thinks they should also get Tootsie’s input and asks her. She says “yuck,” but Fudge thinks she says “York” and calls it a unanimous decision. Mom comments on Fudge’s knowledge of big words and how he is always surprising her with what he knows.