Double Fudge

June 24, 2002
Fans of Superfudge
and Fudge-a-Mania
will welcome the return of seventh-grader Peter Hatcher and his five-year-old brother, Fudge, who in this comical caper meet distant cousins from Hawaii. The two families unexpectedly encounter one another in Washington, D.C., where the New York City Hatchers have gone so that Fudge, who has developed an obsession with money, can visit the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. The Howie Hatcher clan proves an eccentric lot. Twins Fauna and Flora, unironicially nicknamed the Natural Beauties, would be in Peter's grade if they weren't home-schooled; apt to break into corny songs at any moment, they perform together as the Heavenly Hatchers. Their younger brother, who shares Fudge's real name (Farley Drexel), acts like a dog, growling and licking people. And their father won't stop calling Peter's dad "Tubby." Narrator Peter grits his teeth when the Honolulu Hatchers invite themselves to Manhattan to stay in his family's cramped apartment, where—nestled in their sleeping bags on the living room floor—they "slept flat on their backs, like a row of hot dogs in their rolls. All that was missing was the mustard and the relish." The boy is further appalled when the twins show up at his school and convene an assembly so that they can sing. Peter's wry reactions to the sometimes outsize goings-on, Fudge's inimitable antics and the characters' rousing repartee contribute to the sprightly clip of this cheerful read. Ages 8-12.

September 9, 2002
Fudge, arguably the most irrepressible little brother on Earth, is back, and is causing all sorts of comic trouble in this adaptation of Blume's latest book about the Hatcher family. When Fudge develops an obsession with money, his parents plan a family trip to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. While in Washington, D.C., the Hatchers run into some long-lost cousins, the Howie Hatchers of Honolulu. The Howie Hatchers invite themselves to New York City for a get-reacquainted visit with their relatives, and the wackiness for which Blume's tales are known ensues. All the while, Blume accurately captures seventh-grader Peter Hatcher's exasperation and embarrassment over his family with both humor and good-heartedness. Though she occasionally sounds too babyish in her portrayal of Fudge, Blume generally breezes through the Hatchers' antics with unflagging energy and a knowing sense of fun. The author has included a brief introduction describing her inspiration for the story. Simultaneous release with the Dutton hardcover.
Ages 6-up.