Title: Bud, Not Buddy
Author: Christopher Paul Curtis
Publisher and Date:Scholastic, Inc., 1999
Genre: Historical Fiction
Age Range: 6th-8th
Summary:
Bud is living in the midst of hard times. It’s 1936 and ten-year-old Bud has just “closed the door” to his old life is on a hunt for his next open door. His only clues to where this open door might be lie within a tattered suitcase; treasures cherished by his mother and collected by Bud after her death. Amid the photos and rocks lie flyers advertising Herman E. Calloway and the Dusky Devastators of the Depression. Bud hits the road in search of this mysterious man, who he believes might just be his very own father. Filled with determination, Bud is prepared to face fear, hunger, vampires, strange countryside, and even Herman E. Calloway himself in search of the truth.
Response:What an inspiring story. From the very beginning of the book I found myself cheering for Bud. His perseverance and humor are to sure keep readers of all ages engaged throughout the book. One of my favorite features of the book is Bud Caldwell’s Rules and Things for having a Funner Life and Making a Better Liar Out of Yourself. His rules and thoughts were humorous and often insightful as well. Another aspect of the book that is sure to tickle younger readers is Bud’s dialect, epically his use of the phrase “human bean.” All in all, this book is a must read, filled to the brim emotion and sprinkled with history, and topped with humor.
Teaching Ideas:This book would be a great text to include in a unit on the Great Depression. Topics for further research could include: Pullman porters, redcaps, the role of musicians during the Great Depression, and the plight of African Americans and other during this time period.
For further information check out Christopher Paul Curtis’ Afterward.
Here’s the link to a lesson plan from Read Write Think on Bud, Not Buddy:
http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/press-conference-buddy-303.html
