Bud, Not Buddy

Curtis, Christopher Paul. Bud, Not Buddy. 1999. New York: Delacorte Press.

Bud is a ten year old boy who is on a mission to find his father. Bud, not Buddy as he wants to be referred to, lost his mother when he was six years old. He had no other family so he was forced to live in an orpahanage. He had been in many homes, but the story begins when he goes to live with the Amos'. The Amos' son, named Todd, picked a fight with Bud and for punishment they sent him to the shed for the night. While in there, he got attacked by hornets and broke threw the glass window to escape. He knew he could not live in that house any longer and he refused to go back to "the home" and so his journey began. All things precious to Bud, fit into a worn out suitcase which contained a picture of his mama, some rocks, and a blue flyer of a band named Herman E. Calloway and the Dusky Devastors of the Depression. Bud, beleived that his father was Herman E. Calloway so he decided to travel to Grand Rapids, Michigan to find him. On his journey he met many interesting people, got himself into some pretty scary situations, and even grew up a little. After arriving in Grand Rapids, he learns that this is truly his home, although it is not quite what he expected.

Christopher Paul Curtis tells this historical fiction threw the eyes of a young boy. Bud, is a strong, yet vunerable character whose hard life has forced him to grow up way beyond his years. He has the strength and courage to set out on his own to discover his past and his future. Curtis is sure to describe each situation throughly so that the reader can clearly picture in their mind exactly the house conditions, and what the shantytowns looked like. It will be as if the reader is thrown into the times of the Great Depression.