Simon Martin Quotes

Flour Babies centers around Simon Martin, his peers in Form 4C and their experiences of a ‘Child Development’ project, where they each take on the responsibility of a small sack of flour for several weeks.

“Simon Martin & his 4C classmates are a class with problems and are perceived as too stupid to participate in the difficult projects for the science fair....more’s the pity for them as the thought of blowing things up is something this group relish.”

Although the main protagonist of Anne Fine’s Flour Babies (opinionated and often rather annoying and careless teenager Simon Martin) really and majorly despises school work, he does nevertheless and grudgingly accept his assignment of having to take home a large bag of flour and then look after and take care of said bag like a baby, like a newborn infant.

“And while the ending of Flour Babies is fortunately and appreciatively cautiously optimistic and hopeful, thankfully and realistically, Anne Fine also does not simply and completely have Simon Martin be transformed from somewhat of a slacker, a teenager with often annoying and frustrating attitudes and habits to some kind of a glowingly pure hero.”

“They must be looked after exactly as if they where real babies and this is a task that Simon Martin is not looking forward to one little bit. But as the weeks progress he begins to find himself caring for his bag of flour and starting to question his own life and actions.”