Bud, Not Buddy (Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner)

Plot Summary: Ten-year-old Bud, a motherless boy living in Flint, Michigan, during the Great Depression, escapes a bad foster home and sets out in search of the man he believes to be his father--the renowned bandleader, H.E. Calloway of Grand Rapids. (from cataloging) Evaluation: Well, what can I say? The Newbery and Coretta Scott King committees cannot be wrong – this was a great...more

Plot Summary: Ten-year-old Bud, a motherless boy living in Flint, Michigan, during the Great Depression, escapes a bad foster home and sets out in search of the man he believes to be his father--the renowned bandleader, H.E. Calloway of Grand Rapids. (from cataloging) Evaluation: Well, what can I say? The Newbery and Coretta Scott King committees cannot be wrong – this was a great book! Bud is as engaging a children’s character as any I have read, and the story is interesting and poignant throughout. One of the most distinguishing characteristics of the book is its appeal to children. So many children’s fiction seems over the heads of many young readers, but Bud seems like he would be just about right for a ten-year-old boy. I thought his list of “rules and things” was just a tad contrived, but the sentiments are surely something that any ten-year-old is beginning to notice about adult behavior. The descriptions and settings were such that most children could get a good context for the book with minimal background knowledge, so I appreciated the author’s consideration there as well. Possible Uses with Children: You could use this book in just about any context – social studies, small group reading, read aloud, etc. Especially if you’re looking for a book about an African American experience other than slavery, this would be a great place to start. Many children even today would identify with Bud’s experience in the Home and with his foster family.   hide