Judy Moody Gets Famous!

“You’re not in one of your famous moods, are you?”

Judy Moody is so named for the fact that she is prone to feeling strong emotions. These strong emotions are what motivate her and provide her with Persistence and the Art of Standing Up Again. Judy cares deeply about her goals and accomplishing her dreams, and her strong emotional state can be interpreted as both a strength and a weakness, depending on what the consequences are. This line also sets the tone for the novel’s exploration of Judy’s identity—her moods are not just personality quirks, but key markers of her emotional development.

“There had to be lots of ways people got famous besides spelling.”

Judy’s goal of becoming famous is what motivates her throughout the story. Her creativity and ingenuity are part of her persistence and willingness to keep trying even when things are going wrong. Through this journey, Judy discovers that she has her own strengths and unique traits and doesn’t need to follow someone else’s path. This line signals the beginning of Judy’s journey away from envy and imitation toward originality and self-discovery.

“Judy came across a macaroni picture of herself in kindergarten, with a screaming O for a mouth. She put it back. Stink would just love the chance to call her a noodle head. And remind her that she had a big mouth.”

Megan McDonald creates familiar images from childhood to make Judy’s experiences reflective of a typical childhood experience. Judy is only in third grade, but already looks back at her past self as being somewhat embarrassing and unevolved.