Sheila Tubman sometimes wonders who she really is: the outgoing, witty, and capable Sheila the Great, or the secret Sheila, who's afraid of the dark, spiders, swimming, and dogs. When her family spends the summer in Tarrytown, Sheila has to face some of her worst fears. Not only does a dog come with the rented house, but her parents expect Sheila to take swimming lessons! Sheila does her best to pretend she's an expert at everything, but she knows she isn't fooling her new best friend, Mouse Ellis, who happens to be a crackerjack swimmer and a dog lover. What will it take for Sheila to admit to the Tarrytown kids -- and to herself -- that she's only human?
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"Sheila is not exactly the world's most likable protagonist. That's what I like about her. She's a self-important, lying brat . . . who just wants everyone to pay attention to her, respect her, and like her. Since everyone knew a show-off, a brat, a fibber . . . it's kinda neat to get into the head of one, and see an author doing something different once in a while. Sheila shows up in the Fudge books and is shown as an antagonist. I like hearing her side of it and not necessarily liking her any better but relating to her more. I related to her fear of dogs (I'm not exactly afraid of dogs, but I don't like them), and I thought it was interesting to see how Sheila's temporary neighbor didn't really buy her act. The swimming scenes and Sheila's triumphs at the end of her swimming test were very memorable. I think this author really captures being a kid very well."
— Swankivy (4 out of 5 stars)
" another great book in the series this one getting over ones fears. "
— Joe, 2/18/2014" nice..pretty funny..kool "
— Vidhi, 2/11/2014" This wasn't too bad. I had been excited to read another Blume book, since I didn't get too many as a child. And Blume being one of the most banned authors, well... The story was cute. Sheila got on my nerves and was bossy and lied all the time. But she was meant to be a flawed character. This book was written to give readers a glimpse into Peter's "arch-enemy." It makes sense why Sheila is the way she is, and I grew up with quite a few people like her. The thing that annoyed me the most with the book was some of the way the narrator told the story. There were just things I didn't agree with. But when I saw it was read by the author, I decided to let it go. :-) "
— Heidi, 1/31/2014" i have it but i still didnt finish it i got it like 2 yrs ago and im not even halfway haha =P but i so far like it...and its not cuz im a slow reader i had to read a lot of books... "
— Jisha, 1/29/2014" This book is absolutely AMAZING! One of the greatest books i have read. After i read it i was speechless. i was so impressed. I felt that I should read it again just because it is that good. I think i read it more that once. "
— Morgan, 1/23/2014" The summer travails of a 4th grade girls who is afraid of dogs, swimming, spiders, and the headless horsemen. I asked the girls to rate this when we finished, and one gave it 5 stars, the other gave it 3 (because the talk of the headless horseman scared her). "
— Kris, 1/23/2014" This book is teaching children to face their fears. "
— Teiya, 1/23/2014" I love the books that Judy Blume writes. It's really interesting to read her books. Judy Blume writes specific emotions and add lots of details so you know what is going on. "
— 7709mei, 1/21/2014" I remember reading the Fudge books which starred Peter Hatcher, and in these books we sometimes saw Sheila Tubman. You could see this book as an offshoot of the world created in the Fudge series, since the story focuses on Sheila. There's actually several Sheila books, and I recommend all of them. "
— Delicious, 1/20/2014" i like how in this book, and all the other judy blume books i've read so far in this serieis, make me feel like i'm the main character in stead of reading th book and just pituring what happens. "
— Leah, 1/14/2014" This book is about a girl called Sheila, she a girl who hate spiders,swimming,and most of all dogs. Sheila found decide to go to the country for the summer. Now she have to suffer with swimming lesson,creepy spiders, and DOGSSSSS. If you are a person who hate those things too, you should read that! "
— Julie, 1/5/2014" The return of Fudge....and we getta see a soft syd of Sheilaaaaaaaaaaa!@!!! "
— Padya, 1/5/2014" this book is great and most like it . "
— Abi, 12/29/2013" wow!! wow!! i love this book, i dont even know where to start "
— Elaina, 11/30/2013" This one wasn't nearly as good as the previous one. Sheila comes off as an insecure, scared of everything, compulsive liar. Though things don't go we'll for her by lying, she never seems to learn her lesson. "
— Joshua, 11/26/2013" I adored this one. I remember my mother and I driving to Washington D.C., and we read this book together in the car. "
— Eveline, 11/10/2013" Funny and realistic I love the way it shows a completely different side of "know-it-all" Sheila. Shows that even though you "know everything" you can still be insecure. Judy Blume has done it again! "
— Katrina, 11/7/2013" I read this book in school, which was a while ago, a good, fun read :-) "
— Matt, 11/4/2013" Loads of fun! "
— Truda, 9/22/2013" Thought Sheila was a jerk. "
— Shannon, 6/22/2013" Pretty good for a book about a girl. Funny cuz bad stuff happens to Sheila. "
— Tristan, 4/9/2013" Don't get too excited for another Fudge book, folks. This one's from Sheila's point of view. "
— Sam, 3/6/2013" This was my fave fudge book tied with Fudge-a-mania!! It was so much fun when Miss Ferrari a.k.a. Mrs. Lopresto read it to us!! "
— Caralyn, 1/12/2013" I forgot how funny these books are! My daughter and I have really enjoyed it. "
— Carri, 12/19/2012" more kids stuff I love. "
— Bianca, 12/2/2012" I borrowed this from Dana between books while in Albuquerque. Blume knows tweens and teens like nobody's business. This was an entertaining read, and I'd recommend it to any young girls I know. "
— Beverly, 8/18/2012" for frightened children everywhere. "
— allie, 7/29/2012" I'd rate this higher - cause I enjoyed the read... but Sheila is just so darned annoying. "
— Whit, 4/25/2012" Pretty Funny... "
— Whitney, 2/16/2012" This book is just like the other books with these characters.HILARIOUS! I loved it "
— Jordan, 1/15/2012" Awesome blast from the past! "
— Samara, 10/10/2011" i really thought this was a great book, because it was about summer. "
— Emilie, 9/23/2011" Sheila is not my favorite Blume heroine. Her bravado irritated me, even as a kid. I do remember being interested in her portrayal of an East Coast summer, though. "
— Sharon, 9/12/2011" It was very funny and she was scared of everything! "
— Eeboo, 6/2/2011" Not my favorite Judy Blume title, though it's the first one I've read in years. Passed it on to a shopkeeper's kid in Bhuj. "
— Zack, 5/2/2011" Not the best book I have read. "
— Grace, 3/30/2011" right now im reading it but loving it "
— Kendal, 3/30/2011" I loved this book because you got to meet Shelia, who you didn't get the full story on in the other fudge books. "
— Emma, 3/26/2011" It was good thought not as good as the other fudge books! It made me like Sheila a lot less! "
— Ivy, 3/1/2011" This book is absolutely AMAZING! One of the greatest books i have read. After i read it i was speechless. i was so impressed. I felt that I should read it again just because it is that good. I think i read it more that once. "
— Morgan, 2/28/2011" I think this book is good, but not a good as the other books. "
— Johnny, 2/18/2011" classic!! judy blume can do no wrong! "
— Lizette, 2/15/2011" realy good book would recn mend it <br/> "
— Lupita, 2/14/2011" The is like a bio of judy Blume but her name is sheila. sheila is scared of dogs,water and the dark even yo-yos. "
— Nathalie, 2/8/2011" Even though I've read all the Fudge books (some when I was a kid), this was the first time I read Sheila's story. It was cute. Nothing objectionable for the younger set. "
— Tracy, 1/29/2011Judy Blume is the enduringly popular author of many books for young readers. Over eighty million copies of her books have been sold, and the Fudge books (which feature a character based on her son Larry) are timeless classics. Among Blume’s many awards is the Margaret A. Edwards Award for Lifetime Achievement. She lives in Key West with her husband.