Bud, Not Buddy

Customer Reviews

• 5 out of 5
  
  
  by Lstirl from Cornelius, OR | Oct 26, 2008
  

  On an adventure to find a family, Bud charms and moves the reader with both his fortitude and wit.
  
  
  Ages 9-12
  
  This is a very moving and heartwarming book. The adventurous nature of the book will appeal to children, as will the optimistic and humorous protagonist, Bud. Along his journey to find a family, Bud meets many interesting and well-presented characters, such as the mouth organ playing man at "Hooverville," his friend, Bugs, and Miss Thomas. While the setting is bleak and sad, Bud remains funny and hopeful, popping up with bits of his "Rules and Things To Have a Funner Life and Make a Better Liar Out of You."
  
  This book is richly layered with complex characters and numerous themes. A great book for children to begin to analyze literature with, as it is rich enough to contain many subject topics to discuss. However, it is not lacking in the 'fun' factor either. There are also lots of historical elements to open up discussions. This is a magical mix of education and entertainment. An all around winner. A well deserved award winner.
  
  Publishers Weekly
  
  As in his Newbery Honor-winning debut, The Watsons Go to Birmingham--1963, Curtis draws on a remarkable and disarming mix of comedy and pathos, this time to describe the travails and adventures of a 10-year-old African-American orphan in Depression-era Michigan. Bud is fed up with the cruel treatment he has received at various foster homes, and after being locked up for the night in a shed with a swarm of angry hornets, he decides to run away. His goal: to reach the man he--on the flimsiest of evidence--believes to be his father, jazz musician Herman E. Calloway. Relying on his own ingenuity and good luck, Bud makes it to Grand Rapids, where his "father" owns a club. Calloway, who is much older and grouchier than Bud imagined, is none too thrilled to meet a boy claiming to be his long-lost son. It is the other members of his band--Steady Eddie, Mr. Jimmy, Doug the Thug, Doo-Doo Bug Cross, Dirty Deed Breed and motherly Miss Thomas--who make Bud feel like he has finally arrived home. While the grim conditions of the times and the harshness of Bud's circumstances are authentically depicted, Curtis shines on them an aura of hope and optimism. And even when he sets up a daunting scenario, he makes readers laugh--for example, mopping floors for the rejecting Calloway, Bud pretends the mop is "that underwater boat in the book Momma read to me, Twenty Thousand Leaks Under the Sea." Bud's journey, punctuated by Dickensian twists in plot and enlivened by a host of memorable personalities, will keep readers engrossed from first page to last. Ages 9-12. (Sept.) Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.
  Children's Literature
  
  A great review that keys into the magic of the book. I agree and was "engrossed from the first page to last." I read this aloud to my 10 and 11 year old, and they would beg me to keep reading. This is in indicator of a sure winner. It also had us talking about issues like the depression, being an orphan, being African American and other topics introduced in this book.
  
  It has really been hard for Bud since his Mama died--one foster home after another. When he runs away from a family that really mistreats him, all he knows is that his long lost father must be the famed jazz musician Herman E. Calloway. Otherwise, why would his Mama have kept the posters? Good luck and friendly folk help Bud reach Mr. Calloway, but his supposed daddy is none too welcoming. The band members and vocalist are just the opposite. Bud is a spunky and likable kid, and this book has a fairy tale ending--it all works out for Bud and readers are left with a truly warm and happy feeling. However, the hard times during the Depression and especially the difficulties faced by African Americans are not ignored. A fast read for individual readers and a great book to read aloud.
  
  I really like the tone of this review. It is light and incites the reader to read more.
  
  School Library Journal
  
  Gr 4-7-When 10-year-old Bud Caldwell runs away from his new foster home, he realizes he has nowhere to go but to search for the father he has never known: a legendary jazz musician advertised on some old posters his deceased mother had kept. A friendly stranger picks him up on the road in the middle of the night and deposits him in Grand Rapids, MI, with Herman E. Calloway and his jazz band, but the man Bud was convinced was his father turns out to be old, cold, and cantankerous. Luckily, the band members are more welcoming; they take him in, put him to work, and begin to teach him to play an instrument. In a Victorian ending, Bud uses the rocks he has treasured from his childhood to prove his surprising relationship with Mr. Calloway. The lively humor contrasts with the grim details of the Depression-era setting and the particular difficulties faced by African Americans at that time. Bud is a plucky, engaging protagonist. Other characters are exaggerations: the good ones (the librarian and Pullman car porter who help him on his journey and the band members who embrace him) are totally open and supportive, while the villainous foster family finds particularly imaginative ways to torture their charge. However, readers will be so caught up in the adventure that they won't mind. Curtis has given a fresh, new look to a traditional orphan-finds-a-home story that would be a crackerjack read-aloud.-Kathleen Isaacs, Edmund Burke School, Washington, DC Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.
  
  A little to much plot description here, without keying into what makes this a great book. I feel that the reviewer liked the book, however, I'm left wondering what was so great.

  
  
   1 people found this review helpful
  
  

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• 3 out of 5
  
  
  by Rebecca from Oakland, CA | Jun 10, 2008
  

  This was no The Watsons Go to Birmingham. Just a little too predictable. But it's powerfully told, and Curtis has the rare ability to get inside the head of his young narrators. Especially smart, sassy, sensitive little boys... Bud is definitely a winner.
  
  Audiobook minuses:
  While younger readers might find them really funny, these two things drove me CRazy. Especially trapped in the car wishing my eyes could glaze over a line or two.
  1)The slang seemed vaguely era-appropriate (see Rebecca's Fictional Pet Peeve #10) but was super overused, and not really cute the first time - "woop, zoop, sloop." This was slightly redeemed by slipping "dollars to donuts" in there a few times.
  2) I started to cringe every time he launched into another of the "Bud Caldwell Rules and Things for Having a Funner Life and Making a Better Liar Out of Yourself." (Characters who make precocious lists? That's Rebecca's Fictional Pet Peeve #29)
  
  
  Audiobook plusses:
  1) It's read by James Avery, aka Uncle Phil from Fresh Prince!
  2)Author's note read by author. Y'all know if there's anything I like better than historical fiction, it's the real history lesson at the end. Curtis talks about how he modeled the two important male influences in the book on his two grandfathers, who both managed to be successful black businessmen in Michigan during the depression.
  AND his little daughter sings her own composition featured in one of the scenes... I knew it was too awesome for an adult to come up with!
  Mommy says no
  Mommy says no
  I listen you don't
  Wha-ha-ha-ha
  The building falls down
  The building falls down
  You get crushed I don't
  Wha-ha-ha-ha

  
  
   1 people found this review helpful
  
  

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• 4 out of 5
  
  
  by David from New York, NY | Mar 26, 2009
  

  Bud, Not Buddy is a book by Christopher paul Curtis. It is about an lonely african boy who is a orphan looking for this dad with only a slight amount of clues to seek him. His mother was sick and she died. Bud was sent to a place called the Home. His mother gave him some of what hes father was and he learned he was in a jazz band and more. So he gets out of the place and the search had begun.
  
  I can connect this to the world and other books of Orphans never knowing what their parents were or who some are. They were always curious and never hd the courage to go out and find their missing love ones. sdome do and some don't. In books there was once a boy that was lonely and lost so he found clues to find hes father. Also in the movie wanted Weaslyfaced a lot through hes life and later find out who hes father really was and who the bad one really are.
  
  I rated this book a 4 its historical in some ways. It is very detailed and pages filled with adventure of hes plan and goal to find his father and on a young age too. It sometimes at first gets boring but you should wait until the real action begins. Bud not Buddy i think is recommanded for anyone.

  
  

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• 4 out of 5
  
  
  by Lisa from University Center, MI | Feb 17, 2009
  

  Bud, Not Buddy is about a little boy who is growing up in a tough time of the Depression. Bud being black and motherless doesn’t help him during the story. All Bud had was his worldly possessions packed in a raggedy old suitcase. But the most important possession is a blue flyer that his mother got upset over and Bud was sure that, Herman E. Calloway, the man on it was his father. After running away from his abusive foster family, Bud decides to set out to find Herman E. Calloway. Bud has quite an adventure finding him with a very twisted ending. Will Bud ever really find his father?
  
  I believe anyone who reads Bud, Not Buddy will like it as much as I did. The book shows great emotion and has you keep reading on to see if Bud will overcome his problems. This book helps you look at the upside of things when it seems nothing is going right.
  
  I recommend this book to anyone looking to read about an adventure. You’ll want the underdog to finally get on top and you won’t put the book down till you find out.
  

  
  

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• 4 out of 5
  
  
  by Ash R. from The United States | Jan 15, 2009
  

  Bud, Not Buddy is a tense book that took place during the Great Depression. It is about an Orphan thats an African Boy looking for this father with only few clues of finding him. He use to live with his mother all his life, but after his mother got sick for awhile, she dies and Bud is sent to "The Home". His mother did tell him his father was in a jazz band and Bud escaped and was on his way to look for his dad.
  
  I can make a text to world connection to Bud trying to find his dad because there are many people who don't grow up with their dad and hopes to find them one day. Their are people who are so serious about finding a family member they search for along time! Bud and some kids want a dad and want to have the opportunity to have one and see how its like.
  This is a very good book because it makes you not want to put it down. It is so interesting how a boy so young is so determined to find his father that he didn't grow up with. He is a very brave and courageous boy thats what makes this story so good. I would rate his book a 4 because it was very good for a history book. You learn a lesson and have fun reading it!

  
  
   1 people found this review helpful
  
  

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