Superfudge

Fudge asks his mom how the baby came to exist inside her, and she reads him a book that provides an honest explanation. Fudge’s newfound sense of knowledge becomes a source of embarrassment for Peter when Fudge tells every stranger he sees about how babies are made, even telling a pregnant lady, “I know what’s growing inside you, and I know how it got there too” (13). Peter is more reserved and only tells Jimmy and a girl who lives in his apartment building, Sheila Tubman, who remarks that his mom (who is 34) seems old to be having a baby. Peter’s new sister Tamara Roxanne is born on February 26 and the family nicknames her Tootsie to Peter’s chagrin. Peter is appalled at having two siblings named after types of chocolate and hates to lose sleep when his sister wakes up at night. Peter has a dog named Turtle, who sleeps in Peter’s bed. Turtle is named after Peter’s previous pet, an actual turtle that Fudge ate and unintentionally killed in the first book. One afternoon, Tootsie is missing, and Peter and his mother discover that Fudge hid her in the closet. Fudge explains that he is tired of her and does not want to wait for her to get bigger. Grieving his lost status as the baby of the family, Fudge acts out, but Peter shows his love and guidance for Fudge when he has a heart to heart with him and explains how much better things will be when he and Tootsie are older.

Things are changing drastically around the Hatcher house, and everyone is overwhelmed. Peter’s mom breaks down in tears from exhaustion and Peter explodes, blaming her for having Tootsie. Peter’s grandma starts coming to help and Sheila Tubman’s sister Libby babysits Fudge so “by the middle of May, life had improved” (28). Peter nearly has an accident on the last day of school when he drinks too much island punch and both bathrooms are occupied when he gets home. Just before he relieves himself in a house plant’s dirt, Fudge finishes and gives up the bathroom.

Despite his anger at the changes taking place, Peter loves his new sister dearly and enjoys holding and calming her, but his anger gets in the way of his relationship with her. One night while Peter is holding Tootsie, his parents announce that they are moving out of Manhattan to Princeton, New Jersey as soon as the following week to test out suburban living. Peter explodes again and tells his dad to “hold your stupid baby yourself” (35). He kicks some of Fudge’s toys which makes Fudge cry and marches off to his room. His parents try to reason with him and explain that his dad will be taking the year off to write a book and spend more time with the family. Peter is exhausted and threatens to run away again but his parents manage to calm him down.

Peter tells his best friend Jimmy Fargo about the move. Jimmy is upset and demands that Peter stay in Manhattan and move in with him. Peter reflects on this but remembers that Jimmy’s dad is an absentminded painter who neglects to buy food or clean. Jimmy gets angry at Peter’s refusal and calls him a bad friend, and Peter is already too upset to bother resolving it. When he gets home, Peter contemplates smashing a Kreskin’s Crystal that Jimmy got him for his birthday in revenge, but reconsiders when he remembers that it helps him fall asleep. Fortunately, Jimmy shows up a couple hours later to apologize and admits he is just sad that Peter is leaving, and the boys make up. Peter describes his relationship with his dog Turtle and his increasing responsibility. He walks the dog, picks up after it, sleeps with it, and keeps it calm. Turtle comes to Peter’s rescue one afternoon when Sheila is bullying Peter on his dog walk. He barks at her and scares her, eventually getting her to leave Peter alone. A few days later the family leaves for Princeton, but not before finding Tootsie covered in trading stamps—the work of her older brother Fudge.