Bud, Not Buddy (1999)

I think this was a good book, good for 3-5th grade boys.

Woop, zoop, sloop.... great book for literature circles or a whole class read. Bud (not Buddy) shows determination and perseverance as he searches for his father. ( )

I thought this was a really good story and did a good job of showing some of the struggles that foster kids have to go through. I would love to use this book in my classroom, especially if I had foster kids in the class, so that the students can learn to appreciate what they have and understand what others have to go through. While I know this is not the situation for every foster student, sadly it is for some and it might explain a lot of behaviors of these kids. I laughed at Bud's list he had going throughout the book and it really showed the survival skills these kids have ingrained in them from a very early age. ( )

Genre: Historical Fiction

Critiques: This is a great historical fiction novel because it accurately portrays the time of the Great Depression through the language, relationships, roles, music, and hardships of the story. Furthermore, the book uses realistic events, characters, and settings to gain perspective of the Great Depression. For example, when Bud is staying in the cardboard camp for a night, it is a realistic representation of the actual Hoovervilles of the Great Depression.
The book follows an intrugal setting because the time and place is specific and necessary to follow the storyline. The setting is crucial for the character development of Bud finding his family.

Media:

Summary: story about an orphaned African American living in Flint, Michigan, during the Great Depression. The main character, Bud, decides to try and find his father. The only clue his mother left him was several flyers about a band in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He gets a ride to Grand Rapids, and finds Herman E. Calloway, the man that he believes is his father. He does not get the reception he imagines, and Herman does not believe that Bud is his son. As it turns out, though, Bud is his grandson. Bud's mother had gotten into a fight with Herman, and had never spoken to him again. Herman did not even know that she had died. The book ends with everyone still in shock about the death of Herman's daughter, and Bud and Herman beginning a fragile relationship.
Genre critique: This story is an example of a historical fiction because it is a story about a fictional character during a real event. The readers can relate because they know about the setting, which is during the Great Depression, and also helps the reader connect with the different characters.
Character critique: Bud in the story is the main character who proves to be a very dynamic character. Throughout the story Bud learns many lessons and finds himself changing with each experience he encounters. He starts as a bitter young boy who ends up maturing through the story to the point of finding his own family and becoming a joyful young boy.