Double Fudge

In Double Fudge, Peter Hatcher—now 12—is navigating middle school and a money-obsessed younger brother (Fudge), who creates "Fudge Bucks," dresses like a miser, and grovels over baby teeth. When their long-lost Hawaii relatives (including a second Farley “Mini-Fudge”) move in, chaos and laughter erupt. Judy Blume’s signature humor, realistic dialogue, and accessible prose (530L, ATOS 3.6) make the story a delight for middle-grade readers and especially appealing to those seeking fun, family-focused fiction. It wraps up the beloved Fudge saga with warmth, wit, and nostalgia.

I've always loved the Fudge books. Although many years have passed since the originals, this one picks up where they left off without missing a beat.

There are a lot of changes around the Hatcher household. Fudge has become obsessed with money. Peter and Jimmy Fargo won't be a couple of floors away from each other. Uncle Feather stops talking. A random trip to a museum unleases more Hatchers..including ANOTHER Farley Drexel Hatcher?! Will things ever get boring for Peter?

In this final Fudge adventure, Peter Hatcher is once again exasperated—this time by Fudge’s wild obsession with money, from creating his own “Fudge Bucks” to planning for world domination. When their quirky cousins from Hawaii (including “mini-Fudge”) join the family in Washington, D.C., the result is panels of hilarious chaos. Judy Blume captures the sweet frustration of sibling dynamics with her trademark wit. The accessible 530L Lexile and fun, bite-sized chapters make this a perfect choice for emerging readers who love humor, family dramas, and relatable characters.

In the final installment of the Fudge series, Peter Hatcher's little brother—Fudge—is now obsessed with everything to do with money. He starts minting his own currency and even dresses like a miser! During a family visit to Washington D.C., they reconnect with long-lost cousins, including another “Fudge,” which doubles the chaos and hilarity. Judy Blume’s signature humor, irreverent dialogue, and short chapters combine in this accessible, laugh-out-loud family caper. Ideal for readers who enjoyed the earlier books or love humorous, realistic middle-grade adventures.

Fudge is obsessed with money. He’s making his own “Fudge Bucks” and has plans to buy the entire world. But life gets really crazy when Fudge and his older brother, Peter, run into their long-lost relatives, the Howie Hatchers. Now they have to deal with annoying twin cousins and a weird younger cousin, coincidentally named Farley Drexel Hatcher—just like Fudge! Their names aren’t the only similarity, and before long, mini-Fudge is causing just as much trouble as Fudge always has!

Summary: The Hatcher family goes on a trip to Washington D.C. Fudge is obsessed with money so his parents decide to take him to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. They end up meeting their extended family, the Howie Hatchers, on their way. The Howie Hatchers invite themselves to move in with Peter and his family so now they had to deal with their twin cousins and mini-fudge.

Evaluation/Argument: Another one of Judy Blume's books in her series that will keep readers interested in what Peter and Fudge are up to next. As a child I loved reading all of the books in the series and still enjoy reading this specific book today. I have a lot of fond memories of my Mom reading this book to my siblings and I at night. This book is great and show more really funny to any child who reads it. Fudge's obsession with money is very relatable to kids as they have a growing interest in money. The questions and ideas Fudge has about money is just an example of some of the questions that any typical child has about money. I love the creativity that Judy Blume has in regards to naming her characters. She uses very different names than the norm. I love this about her books and it aids in making her characters unique to other books.
The central message of this book is the importance of family values and money. The topic of divorce is also brought up due to peter's friend Jimmy's parents getting a divorce. These are very important topics to bring up to children and emphasize the importance of. show less

This is the fourth installment of Judy Blume's series about the Hatchers. I remember reading "Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing", "Superfudge", and "Fudge-A-Mania" when I was in grade school, and I loved them! I thought they were hilarious. I found "Double Fudge to be no exception. Fudge's obsession with money, his parents' exasperation, and Peter's commentary on the whole thing make for very entertaining reading.

This story is told from Peter's perspective, which adds to the realism of the story. Peter presents himself and the people around him with all their strengths and flaws. The situations in which he finds himself, being embarrassed by his brother's tantrum in the store, his best friend moving across town, having to share his home show more with obnoxious family members, are realistic, if a little exaggerated. Kids will find the story easy to relate to and quite funny at times. It is a must read for all Hatcher Family lovers! Ages 7 and up. show less