Fig Pudding

by Ralph Fletcher

Eleven-year-old Cliff Abernathy shares his family's trials and tribulations.

Genres: Realistic Fiction, Fiction, Childrens, Family, Middle Grade, Chapter Books, Humor

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Ralph Fletcher is a friend of young writers and readers as well as writing teachers. He has written or co-authored many books for writing teachers includng Writing Workshop: The Essential Guide, Teaching the Qualities of Writing, Lessons for the Writer's Notebook, Boy Writers: Reclaiming Their Voices, and Pyrotechnics on the Page: Playful Craft That Sparks Writing. Ralph has worked with teachers around the U.S. and abroad, helping them find wiser ways of teaching writing.

Ralph's many books for students include picture books (Twilight Comes Twice, Hello Harvest Moon, and The Sandman), novels (Fig Pudding, Flying Solo, and Spider Boy), poetry (A Writing Kind of Day and Moving Day), and a memoir, Marshfield Dreams: When I Was a Kid. His novel Uncle Daddy was awarded the Christopher medal in 2002. He has also written a popular series of books for young writers including Poetry Matters, Live Writing, and A Writer's Notebook. Ralph lives with his family in New Hampshire. He is a strong environmentalist who believes we all must work together to live in a more sustainable way. His other passions include travel, good food, dark chocolate, growing orchids, and sports.

Reviews

[Claire F · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Everybody reacts different to something like this- some people cry buckets, other folks store it up inside. When someone you love dies, you get a big bowl of sadness put down in front of you, steaming hot. You can start eating now, or you can let it cool and eat it bit by bit later on. Either way, you end up eating the whole thing. There’s really no way around it.” What a wise way to explain grief responses to a child, or to myself.

[Haselton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since I am a reader who enjoys being told a story, I truly enjoyed this tale. 11 year old Cliff takes us into his large family and shows us what it is like to live in a house filled with so many children. There were moments during this story that I laughed out loud and I must admit pages that I left tear streaked. The author Ralph Fletcher writes in a way that makes you care about each and every member of this family.

[Donalyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don't let the light-hearted cover fool you. This is a surprisingly emotional story about one family and a pivotal year in their lives.

[Melissa Badamo · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's something so special about rereading one of your favorite childhood books ✨

[Melody · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this so I’d be able to work with students on it tomorrow (I’m a sub). I really enjoyed it. Life told by an 11 year old—the good, the bad, and the ugly. I can’t imagine any young person or adult not finding laughter, tears, and even the sibling rivalry to be pretty accurate.

[Stacy Moody · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Bohdi Chan]

it was very well done and I like the style it written in.

[Ilan Khalid-Bossie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was short. And weird. But mostly short.

[Destiny · Rating 1 out of 5]

Destiny Burke

“STOP FIGHTING.” Fig pudding is a garbage book. Fig pudding teaches you about family dynamics and the family in the book seems very realistic. Two realistic things are one of the brothers died from a really bad bike wreck. The Grandma and Uncle move in to help out. I think Allyn Abernathy the 3rd does a very good job explaining his family, and telling his family story.

Me and my little brother fight so I understand how they are feeling, like at the beginning but me and my big brother get along so I understand what they feel like at the end of the book. I do not know How they feel when one of the brothers died because I have never had a sibling die. I also do not understand how Teddy feels when he has to go under the table whenever he gets in trouble, when we get in trouble we just have to get all Electronics taken away not go under the table.

Q. Does this book have a certain kind of family dynamics.
A. The kind of family dynamics this family has is A big family dynamics In this kind of family they would definitely argue a lot just like in the book but sometimes they will go on a trip and spend time as a family and stop fighting just like in the book. 1 parts of the book where they were arguing is Nate whispered in his ear that he should write a poem about his brother in his poem he said “ Roses are red violets are blue my brother is dead boo hoo hoo hoo” the oldest says “I don't believe you” and then Nate says “shut up”.

I cannot relate to having six siblings so I do not know what the oldest feels like because I just have two siblings a younger brother and an older brother but Abernathy has six. I can understand how the grandma feels when she shower her grandchildren With gifts I mean if I was a grandma I would do the same thing because you're just want them to be happy.

Fig pudding is a book I can kind of relate to on something it is not the best book I have Read but it is not the worst book. It was Predictable to read the only thing I wish about this book is that it would have a twist at the end it would be a lot more interesting it has a twist in the middle just not the end so I do not like fig pudding the book. You can read this book if you want to but I wouldn't advise it. I mean it's your life, your time wasted.

[Tamsen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story follows the life of an 11yr. old boy and his family for one year. It begins at Christmas time and ends the following Christmas.The writing wasn’t great but the story helped you feel all of the emotions that come with happiness and loss and the importance of family. This book would be good for middle readers.It was not what I expected for a Holiday book. The cover was a little deceiving. I thought it would be more like a Judy Blume Fudge book. It was not. There were however some very tender moments and some good lessons learned

[Kevin Kuehn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I definitely liked and connected with much of the story. We also had the pleasure of having Ralph visit our school recently, so it was awesome to hear the background of some of these stories. But perhaps the most enjoyable part of this is that Ralph was able to handle some really deep themes in a relatively simple story. I would characterize this as a short story that packs a punch - it'll take you through a spectrum of emotion.

[Audrey Managan Elsasser · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fig Pudding is a very good book. The beginning is happy, but the ending is sad. But, it's a very good page turner. It's a book about a boy and his family. The boy's name is Cliff and he loses a brother. And the book is about how he and his family get back on their feet.

[Vanessa Rodriguez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fig pudding is an amazing book but you learn how to care and be nice to other family members.
You will grow up with a lot of different people so why not read this and find out how you can deal with your siblings and get along with family. You might like fig pudding but u might not like the fact that all the sibling argue and fight. At the end of the day they figure out they are supposed to be there for each other and they have a good gathering and they all laugh and have an amazing time. You love your siblings right? Well you probably said no but deep inside we no you do because at the end of the day they are the ones that always going to be there for you and you might not see that now but trust me when you get older you’ll see what i am talking about. You should read this book because it could really give you a lesson on and how people act different in many ways.No one wants regrets.“I hope you die” “go kill yourself” i'm sure you’ve heard that before. No one wants regrets don't say that to a sibling, friend, family, or NEVER your mom or dad. They might do something that you don’t like but you never wanna say that to anyone because one day you’re going to regret it and you don't really want to tell someone that. They might make you mad one day and you might want to say that but you should just walk away from the problem. So with that being said don’t argue with your sibling ALL the time. They’re the ones that are going to be there when no one is. Love your siblings and always be there for them and love them. Yes you will argue with them but you know try your best because not everything last forever. So you should read this book and find out why siblings fight and what you should do and not always be sad and or mad.
So out of all of this information i think that you should read this book. Also about this book you should know that this family does argue and they do deal with a loss. Then they also realize having siblings is not that bad at all and you love them to death. They all end up having an amazing time. Another thing is that family always comes first like no matter what happens and what you do family is always the first thing you're supposed to think of. Well you’re supposed to always think of them.One reason you should read this book is that you can really compare yourself to the characters in the book. And can also learn how to love your siblings and having a loss u can get through it and have a great time with your family.
No not every sibling will be the best person in the world but i mean you still have to love them. You should read this book because it’s interesting and you learn how to love your family a get along. You ever feel like you don’t love someone? Well i think that fig pudding is the book for you. You should really read this book and find out about having a family is all you got and not everybody lives forever.

[Kaylee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book review “Fig Pudding”
By:Kaylee wethington

Introduction
“It’s very, very bad,” Dr. Wentworth said. “His brain stem-he practically severed it.”
This happens in the book, Fig Pudding, which was a good and sad book because there was a couple sad and a couple good parts in the book. I am going to be telling you those parts right now while I am writing. So get ready because it is about to get crazy!
Brad’s Accidents
First, there was this little kid named Brad. He fell off his bike three times, and it made his family worried. Brad didn't only get in those accidents, he got in another one a couple years after those accidents. Brad was riding his bike with his best friend, and they went down a steep hill. His friend was fine and didn’t fall, but Brad crashed into an ambulance that was parked. Brad hit his head,on the ambulance and he was in a coma. This made me so sad because Brad was my favorite character in the book. It almost made me feel like one of my own family members was in a coma.
Brad’s Coma
Later at the hospital, the doctor said it was severely bad. Brad hurt his head pretty hard, and he might not survive it. At night time, whenever the kids heard their mom and dad up, the kids woke up and saw the light on with the door open. Then the dad said, “Brad is dead.” Mom was starting to pick up socks because she was still trying to take care of Brad. Nate, one of the brothers, didn’t want to hear about it anymore because he missed Brad and didn’t feel like hearing his brother dying. I felt heartbroken when I read this, and I also felt happy because now he was in a better place and didn’t have to suffer anymore.
How the Family Members Feel
Whenever the kids woke up in the morning, and they didn’t see Brad, they forgot what their parents had told them last night. Teddy started crying because he missed Brad already. Cliff, the oldest sibling, felt bad for Teddy so he went over and started hugging him like Brad would do every morning.
If I were in this situation, I would feel like Teddy. I love my siblings even though they get on my nerves. If one of my siblings died, I would cry for three days straight. Even though this idea is very sad, it also is happy because it teaches you to care about your siblings as much as the characters in the book.
Conclusion
SO that was my book review on Fig Pudding. It was a very emotional book because it was both sad and good. Because one of the main characters dies in this book, I learned to take care and appreciate my siblings. I hope you enjoy my book review.
Thanks for reading.



There are pic’s on the bottom!
This was the cover of my book btw.
:’D
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[Adyn Mcguffin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fig pudding
Adyn McGuffin

The central idea of Fig Pudding is that it is hard to grow up in a non-traditional family. It is a good book for middle school kids because we all know what it’s like to be a middle school kid...emotional, not emotional. It might be overwhelming to grow up in a family with six kids. It could also be confusing. The book was about 90% good and 10% was just ok.
The climax of this book was the death of a family member. The family tried to think of happy memories. I like how the action is like a rollercoaster going up then down and up again and again never stopping. I like it when the mother says that there is not going to be a Christmas and one of the kids starts to cry. I like how happy it is when they get to go on a trip and get to eat fig pudding.
Ralph was the troublemaker. He always got in trouble and he would go under the kitchen table when he got in trouble. Cliff was the oldest and he was one of the responsible kids. He was the one who got into an argument with the character who was killed by ambulance.
If you ever watched a middle school movie, you know they are emotional. When Ralph gets into trouble and his mom puts him under the kitchen table, I knew how that felt. I have been in a situation like that before, but not under the kitchen table. When Cliff talks about being the oldest, I understand. I am the oldest which means there are less things that I can do and more responsibility.
The theme of Fig Pudding is that you should appreciate what you have. Cliff felt very sad and guilty after his family member was killed. His last words to that person were, “I hope I never have to see you again!” Sometimes, when a person is angry, they say things they don’t mean. Usually, you get the chance to fix that, but Cliff didn’t get that chance. I think Cliff probably appreciates his brothers and sisters more. He thinks that bad things might happen if he is not responsible and not paying attention to what he says.
Overall, I thought the book Fig Pudding was a pretty good book. The made the details very specific about what they mean. I would tell people to read this book because it can teach you a lesson or two about watching your words and appreciating your family more. Without your family, you can’t go to other places and do fun stuff. You should appreciate everything that you have got, because one second it might be gone.

[Petronila · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having a big family is a huge responsibility, You know? Well in the book “Fig pudding” is a book which a boy named cliff, he is the older sibling and he wants to be like the rest of the kids, but he simply can’t because his parents want him to be responsible for his other siblings.
A kid named Cliff talks about what he likes, and also talks about his family, what school he goes, and tells about that his parents really want him to be like a bigger person for his other siblings, even that he has to be responsible for his other brothers, First josh gets really sick,then they took him to the hospital, the dad was asking every child, but josh was pointing a wooden ladder which was a yidda yadda, he was screaming “YIDDA YADDA” bunch of times, so then his dad went to the store, but it was closed, Next he was sad that he couldn’t get what he wanted, then cliff and brad build and build and build all night, then his dad makes fig pudding. Which then on cliff talks about that he got a wonderful gift when he was twelve, which was a fishing tackle box. Finally, brad (one of cliff’s brothers) went riding his bike over a hill and turned his head and smashed full speed. Then he dies in peace.
Cliff was the oldest son of six kids, which he notices that a lot of his favorite things start with the letter b, he feels like he could never be the same as the other kids because he thinks he parents always want him to be the bigger person to be like the Mr. Responsible and try keeping his siblings out of trouble. Where he is always at his house but when Josh got sick he went to the hospital, then to his house to build the yidda yadda.
As you can tell, having a big family is horrible but it can be sometimes great, because you have someone there and I have experience with a big family, my experience with a big family, is that I would fight a lot with my siblings but we always love and care for each other at the end. Plus we would always be there for each other and we never let each other down, always worrying about each other but still we can have some fights here and there.
In conclusion, I would highly recommend you read this book “Fig pudding” if you have a big family and lots of siblings but I know that if you are an only child you can experience how is it like having a big family by reading this book, and plus it shows that you always have to love each and have trust with each other.

[AGR · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fig Pudding Book Review

Introduction

My book is “Fig Pudding,” and to me, Fig Pudding is a very hard read, so because of that, in my opinion, it needs to be less in depth. If it was less in depth, I probably would have understood it more. I barely understood how the main character; Clifford, kept jumping from emotion to emotion. It actually was very annoying to me, in a way.

Body Paragraphs

When I got my book, I thought it would be great. But, it turned out to be a very hard, boring, and a very weird book. I understood most parts, but for the most part, everything was hard. As I started to read the book, and get deeper into thought, I noticed how it was like a adults short read.

The only reason why I liked this book club book, and sort of understood most parts, is because it sort of connected to my life in a way. when it talks about family events, that is how all of my event are every single year. (Other than people getting really sick)

I did not like the book a teeny, tiny bit because it was a little bit too serious for me. It seemed like a young adult book, even though it had 136 pages. The seriousness level was way to high. It was about on a scale from 1 - 10, about a 8 to me. I actually can’t believe I chose to read this book.

Closing Paragraph

This book review sums up how I thought the book went, which it was pretty horrible. I strongly disagree with people calling it a “good book." Just do not read it, it is a disgrace. It was too serious, there was not enough detail for my mind to picture scenes that where happening, and in all, I did not like it. On a five-star average, I would probably give this book about a 2 in grading. It was not good enough for my mind to feed off of the detail. This is because like I said, it was an adult book to me.

[Madison · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Fig Pudding”
Made By:Madison Meadows,
7Th grade Shelby coutny middle school

Every chapter is a new event in his life…
I liked my book because even know you fight with your family u still love them and one of the kids getting in trouble.

First we meet allyn & his family.Next grandma and uncle bill come to the house.Grandma comes in with tons of presents. Next Teddy gets under the table because that’s his time out spot.Then that summer cyn started to act funny.Then brad dies from a cause of sickness.Then go to a christmas vacation.Then Kids start to get along. When my sister and bothers dont fight as much becuase my granny got caner and they listen better when soemone tells them what to do. But lets get on to the book when they go on the a family trip They go to Vermont and they get back and they didn’t like their. I loved reading my book becuase it remind me of my life/family.


I know this because when teddy gets in trouble he has to get timeout and he has to get under the table but now days people have phones and games so when my bothers and sister gets intouble they get them taking away but little kids have to get in timeout and set or stand. I relate to hes sister wanting to go to her friends house all the time becuase u dont want to be boys all day. I love this book because i love how i can relate to it with my family. If u have a big family i think u should read this book.

[Lakya Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hi, My name is lakya wilson.I have read the book Fig Pudding. It was the best book ever. It taught you the real meaning of sibling.I have siblings and it gets rough, but the book taught me no matter how much they might get on your nerves,never stop loving them. Clifford always has a handful family wise. One day when clifford got home dinner was ready,so then he sat down to eat. His mom said get your brothers food cut up. He was like uhhhhh i want to eat myself. He was mad but he had to do it one because his mom made him,but two he loved his brother.

Clifford Allyn Abernathy III is the oldest of six kids.He loves them and all but sometimes needs a break. He has 1 sister and 4 brothers. He sometimes thanks of them as blak ents. Nate is the closest blanket,along with his baby brother Josh which is the last. The rest of his siblings are his sister Cyn,Brad,Teddy. He goes by Cliff. His mom says being the oldest is special,but he says some parts are but most of the time it is just being Mr.Responsibility or Mr.Set-a-Good-example.

In the first chapter it is really just all about me. The second chapter was called a Yidda Yadda. I was thinking this was baby talk which it was. It was talking about a stolen.That is a type of bread. Cyn was going ¨ ooouuu thief your a thief¨.Also Josh got really sick and had to go to the hospital. The third chapter was called Under the kitchen table. Teddy was always under the table because he acted up alot. One time he put a cold chicken leg under Cyn’s pillow.There is much more but who has time. All of these say that sibling life is hard but you have to love them to care for them.


You should read the book Fig Pudding because is very prodigious. It reminds you to love your. I am sure if your are under the age of 15 this will blow you away. P.S not the review!

[Sara P · Rating 4 out of 5]

This read like an autobiography from the viewpoint of the oldest child of six. The author is the oldest of nine. Each chapter in this short book is a vignette from a little over a year in this child’s life. It was written in 1995, in a world without screens, where kids wander around the neighborhood with their friends, and neighbors know and care for each other. There isn’t really a plot, just detailed moments in time, enough to get the difference between each kid and feel warmth towards this family that feels so real.

Because this is marketed as a heartwarming and humorous children’s story, there is something you need to know. A child dies, suddenly. And it is obviously a tragedy that the book cannot move beyond just like a real family wouldn’t have. I don’t recommend this as a cozy bedtime read aloud. It is a sensitive book written about how a family deals with heartbreaking grief.

[Hiya · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a good book that I would recommend to someone who enjoys reading bit by bit, or someone who doesn't have enough time to sit down and read an entire book in one go. There are short stories that are separated by chapters and I enjoyed reading the entire thing from start to end. I don't think it is a book that is age restricted, although it does have some sad bits and some happy bits which might have more impact on more mature readers. Overall, this book is short and sweet but has meaning that is deep and serious.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I binge-listened to this book from my childhood all at once. As an only child, I'll never truly understand the joys and annoyances of a large family, but Fig Pudding gently and humorously spins a tale of a big family from eldest child Cliff's perspective. I love that I come to care for every member of the family through the chapters, especially at the end when Fletcher delves into the difficult topic of death. I think Fig Pudding approaches the topic sensitively and shows how there is no one "right" way to deal with death. A book I would love for my children to read.

[Brenda Oberholtzer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a peek into family life. The ups and downs. The lessons they learn, the growth, love and grief they share. You will laugh. You will cry. This story is written from the oldest-of-six’s perspective. I kept thinking as I read this book that he (the author) just nailed it!!! I get the feeling he must’ve been the oldest in a large family—he describes the fun, the chaos, the sibling interactions so realistically. (I am the oldest of 8) The author deals so well with several hard subjects.

[Anna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fig Pudding: DNF. This was a reread of a book I had as a kid, so I already knew the plot twist that arrives later in the story, and found that for now I wasn't in the mood to read something tragic. The language used in the book is also harsher than I recalled--mental-illness/neurodivergence-related terms we wouldn't use today, and corporal punishment.

Interestingly, the e-book edition I read had an extra epilogue that was not part of the original book.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book hit close to home as it is about a rambunctious family and the many hilarious and sad stories that go along with many individuals in one household. The climax of the story was unexpected, but such is the twists and turns of life. Hopefully it brings healing to many individuals who deal with the tragic death of a loved one, and trying to continue on this rollercoaster we call life.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eleven-year-old Cliff Abernathy shares his family's trials and tribulations

Heather's Notes
I read this book because my 11 year old daughter asked me to. She loved it, which is why it gets 4 stars. I thought it was a sweet book, that was a good read for her age group. There were some sad things and some life lessons as well. I am glad she got to read and enjoy it.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me a while to finish this because I sobbed through the entire second half. Maybe I've just been thinking a lot about death and loss lately, which this book handled beautifully. This was good.

[Margi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. Such unexpected sadness in this book; no hint of it in the back cover. I enjoyed the story of the Abernathy family. A year in their life. It touches on many childhood issues, but in a very subtle way.

[Susie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet, slice of life book. Sometimes I wish the descriptions of books held back a bit more; I do not really relish the idea of wondering which character in a book is going to die, especially if it's a child. It was nice to read a story with loving parents and other adults.

[Katie Bing · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you wanna a peek into the life of a large family, this is it. if you need a good laugh, and cry, and laugh again? this is it. I read this book for the first time when I was about 12. I reread it as a 38 year old. it's still a fantastic book.