Freckle Juice

First published in 1971, Freckle Juice is one of the earliest works by acclaimed novelist Judy Blume. Throughout her writing career, Blume became one of the most beloved authors of children’s literature in history with classics such as Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing and Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. Much like her other works, Freckle Juice is a story about a child trying to find comfort in his own identity, infused with lighthearted antics sure to make readers of all ages smile. The version used for this guide is the hardback by Four Winds Press, a division of the Macmillan Publishing Company.

Plot Summary

Second-grader Andrew Marcus wants freckles, just like his classmate Nicky Lane. Whereas Nicky is covered in freckles, Andrew has none. Andrew thinks that if he had freckles like Nicky, his mother wouldn’t be able to tell if he didn’t wash his neck and ears, and then he wouldn’t be late to school.

Another classmate, Sharon, tells Andrew that she has a secret recipe for freckle juice, which she will sell to him for only 50 cents. Andrew dismisses her claims at first but decides to try the freckle juice.