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3.85 AVERAGE
3.85 AVERAGE
adventurous
informative
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
This juvenile book was a true pleasure to read and is suitable for ages 9 and up. “Bud, Not Buddy” is about a 10-year old boy living in an orphanage in Flynt, Michigan during the Great Depression. His mother passed away when he was 6 years old and he sets off on journey to find his father.
The detail in which the author describes Bud’s inner dialog makes me wonder if the author interviewed other people who went through the foster system or perhaps he did himself. The author later mentions in the afterword that some of the characters are based on real people, which makes sense because this story provided some details that felt intimate and heartfelt.
I love Bud’s humorous sayings, such as “Kiss my wrist…”, “Woop, zoop, sloop,” “Human bean,” and “Bud Caldwell’s Rules and Things for Having a Funner Life and Making a Better Liar Out of Yourself.” Bud has a vivid imagination when it comes to his fears about monsters and bullies, but he still faces them bravely, despite his size and age.
The book definitely provides a constant sense of danger and uncertainty for the main character. This includes his experiences with his foster parents, interactions with the police, strangers he meets, and where he was going to find his next meal from one day to the next.
There’s something endearing and fateful when Bud hears live Jazz for the first time. I love how he describes the music like elements from a storm and then the sun shining through. You feel that Bud was meant to go on this journey, not necessarily to find his father, but perhaps to find himself and his place in the world. What a beautiful story.
“Bud, Not Buddy” received several awards, including the 2000 Newbery Medal for excellence in American children's literature. The author, Christopher Paul Curtis was also recognized with the 2000 Coretta Scott King Award. Well deserved. Highly recommended.
Check out this book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3K8x5p8
The detail in which the author describes Bud’s inner dialog makes me wonder if the author interviewed other people who went through the foster system or perhaps he did himself. The author later mentions in the afterword that some of the characters are based on real people, which makes sense because this story provided some details that felt intimate and heartfelt.
I love Bud’s humorous sayings, such as “Kiss my wrist…”, “Woop, zoop, sloop,” “Human bean,” and “Bud Caldwell’s Rules and Things for Having a Funner Life and Making a Better Liar Out of Yourself.” Bud has a vivid imagination when it comes to his fears about monsters and bullies, but he still faces them bravely, despite his size and age.
The book definitely provides a constant sense of danger and uncertainty for the main character. This includes his experiences with his foster parents, interactions with the police, strangers he meets, and where he was going to find his next meal from one day to the next.
There’s something endearing and fateful when Bud hears live Jazz for the first time. I love how he describes the music like elements from a storm and then the sun shining through. You feel that Bud was meant to go on this journey, not necessarily to find his father, but perhaps to find himself and his place in the world. What a beautiful story.
“Bud, Not Buddy” received several awards, including the 2000 Newbery Medal for excellence in American children's literature. The author, Christopher Paul Curtis was also recognized with the 2000 Coretta Scott King Award. Well deserved. Highly recommended.
Check out this book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3K8x5p8
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I read Bud, Not Buddy with my 5th grader for her school reading assignment. I really enjoyed this story. It is about a 10-year old orphan named Bud Caldwell. Bud’s mother passed away when he was six and he has been in many foster homes the past four years and he finally decides to “go on the lam” to try to find his long missing father. The journey and his discovery are both believable and entertaining.
There are some touching and emotional parts in the story that were very well done. The author also included some clever humor which worked well to offset some of the heaviness of the plot. I laughed out loud many times while reading it.
Christopher Paul Curtis has a winner with Bud, Not Buddy, and I recommend it for middle school readers.
There are some touching and emotional parts in the story that were very well done. The author also included some clever humor which worked well to offset some of the heaviness of the plot. I laughed out loud many times while reading it.
Christopher Paul Curtis has a winner with Bud, Not Buddy, and I recommend it for middle school readers.
I needed this little bit of happy. I was cheering for Bud the whole way through!
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
inspiring
slow-paced
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated