Judy Moody Gets Famous!

Judy Moody’s attempts to become famous start out superficial, and she initially thinks of fame as something she can obtain through one instant, grand act. Judy’s misguided thinking leads her to trouble, and her attempts to become famous through these means fail. Each of these failures represents a key moment of growth and showcase Judy’s personal development as she learns from her mistakes. Her parents allow her to undertake this journey, and as she tries again, she demonstrates Perseverance and the Art of Standing Up Again. Her resilience, though often paired with short-term frustration, is what ultimately propels her toward more meaningful change.

Judy’s first attempt at becoming famous sees her trying to fool people into believing she has an old cherry pit from George Washington’s famous tree, complete with his initials. The moment is ironic on two levels: First, Judy is attempting to gain instant fame by playing off the hard-earned fame of another; second, Judy ends up losing her cherry pit to the first spectator when he swallows it. The failure teaches Judy that she cannot gain meaningful recognition through dishonest means. It also underscores how fame built on illusion is easily undone—literally swallowed up by reality. Next, Judy enters her cat in a contest, which goes surprisingly well but ends in another ironic moment when Judy’s elbow is the only part of her caught in the picture. It seems like Judy will just keep failing, but it only takes one more failure to change her perspective and her approach. The elbow incident is also a key turning point in Judy’s relationship with Jessica, as it unexpectedly becomes the reason Jessica reaches out to spend time with her, introducing the idea that connection may matter more than competition.

Judy’s desire to break a record and become famous drives her to increasingly outlandish stunts—including a group effort to form the world’s longest human centipede, which lands Frank in the hospital. Rather than deterring her, the incident becomes a pivotal moment, inspiring Judy to reflect on fame, friendship, and what really matters. Seeing Frank injured—and her own role in that injury—forces Judy to think beyond herself for the first time. The contrast between Judy’s frantic, attention-seeking schemes and her brother’s effortless success sharpens the sense of rivalry between them. Stink garners recognition without trying, while Judy must rely on her imagination, persistence, and the support of her friends to chase her goals. However, they ultimately work together, with Stink bringing along his Guinness World Records to help his sister achieve the fame she so desperately desires. 

In the chapters leading up to Judy’s personal transformation, the narrative becomes fast-paced and eventful. Each attempt that Judy makes to become famous is quickly followed by another, making it clear that she wants to experience instant gratification with relative ease. The concept of fame is repeated throughout, emphasizing the importance of this goal and how frequently the idea passes through Judy’s mind. Judy’s obsession begins to border on desperation, but the speed of her failures pushes her to reassess what she actually values. Wordplay in the chapter titles themselves (“Broken Records,” “Fame Is the Pits”) also reflect Judy’s own creative and playful style, as well as adding an element of humor to the novel’s structure itself.

The illustrations in the story, made by Peter H. Reynolds, do not overwhelm the text but instead accent and emphasize it. Illustrations are somewhat infrequent, and when they do appear, they showcase key moments in the story, like the moment that Judy goes through her scrap box and finds nothing of importance. The look of disappointment on her face communicates an added layer of depth alongside the narration. The illustrations also work to break up the text and make it more accessible, and some of the illustrations add additional context and information to the story or its characters. Illustrations in the story also give readers a moment to stop and reflect on what they are reading and to associate a visual with the words. Reynolds uses a casual and simple style of illustration, which relies on loose lines to create texture and character. The slightly chaotic style of drawing reflects Judy’s own chaotic emotional state. Illustrations typically focus on the characters and their expressions rather than settings and are done in black and white to emphasize the characters themselves. This character-driven approach matches the story’s emotional emphasis, centering Judy’s growth as both humorous and heartfelt.