Fan CastingTales of a Fourth Grade Nothing

The book focuses on 9-year-old Peter Hatcher's frustration with the horrendous behavior demonstrated by his annoying 2½-year-old brother, Farley Drexel "Fudge" Hatcher, who frequently goes unpunished. Peter becomes frustrated with Fudge because he often disturbs Peter's pet turtle, Dribble, which he won at his best friend Jimmy Fargo's birthday party. Furthermore, Fudge throws nonstop temper tantrums, goes through a finicky phase of abstaining from eating altogether, and emulates Peter's behavior, throwing tantrums if it is prohibited. Nevertheless, their parents, Warren and Anne, dote on Fudge, to Peter's anger and frustration. For months, Fudge's antics continue; breaking his front teeth after catapulting himself off the jungle gym at the local playground when he decides to fly, vandalizing Peter's school project, and taking off at a movie theater. One day, to Peter's absolute misery, he returns home to discover Dribble is missing from his bowl, Fudge claiming to have swallowed him. These proclamations prove to be correct, and Fudge is rushed to the hospital, where Dribble is extracted, to Ann's relief. However, Dribble has died in Fudge's stomach, and no one, especially Fudge, seems to care. Peter is devastated over the loss of him; Warren and Anne sympathetically compensate by adopting a dog, which Peter appropriately names "Turtle" in memory of Dribble.