Title: Bud, Not BuddyAuthor: Christopher Paul Curtis
Summary: Bud, Not Buddy is the story of the young orphan Bud, (not Buddy), as he travels across the state of Michigan in search of his real father. He does not know his father's name and only has a few clues, that he carries around in his beloved suitcase, given to him by his mother left him before she passed. Bud is doing this searching at an especially hard time, in 1936, right in the middle of the Great Depression. His journey takes him through many issues and places that were fairly common during this era. He stumbles upon the Flint version of a Hooverville, or shanty town, that had been set up due the economic hardships of the depression. He also meets a Union organizer who is deemed dangerous by the Flint police department, who turns out to be not as dangerous as Bud originally thinks. And he does all this while he's "out on the lam" from the orphanage.
Despite all the obstacles that are placed in Bud's way, he retains a very positive attitude and is very polite to everyone he encounters. Christopher Curtis has done a very good job of creating a character that is able to deal with serious issues lightheartedly. Bud seems to have an optimism that cannot be dimmed by anything. This is a very effective tactic seeing as his audience will more than likely be children. This being said the writing is at times simplistic, one has to remember the audience, and at other times extremely descriptive and imaginative. Through Bud, Curtis describes certain situations and events with the creativity that can only be from a child's point of view. The story, although intended for younger readers, leaves readers with a sense of contentment as to the summation of the plot and with a feeling of hope as to the future of Bud, not Buddy.
Despite all the obstacles that are placed in Bud's way, he retains a very positive attitude and is very polite to everyone he encounters. Christopher Curtis has done a very good job of creating a character that is able to deal with serious issues lightheartedly. Bud seems to have an optimism that cannot be dimmed by anything. This is a very effective tactic seeing as his audience will more than likely be children. This being said the writing is at times simplistic, one has to remember the audience, and at other times extremely descriptive and imaginative. Through Bud, Curtis describes certain situations and events with the creativity that can only be from a child's point of view. The story, although intended for younger readers, leaves readers with a sense of contentment as to the summation of the plot and with a feeling of hope as to the future of Bud, not Buddy.
My Take: Grab a chair and start reading this book. The tale of a young boy, whose mother has died, placed in a orphanage. His trials and tribulations and finally his triumph. Christopher Paul Curtis is just one of the best children's authors ever, pulling you into the book right away. He keeps your interest and makes you care about his characters. Some of the characters in this book are based on family members, which makes it all the sweeter. This is one book you should not forget to read.
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