Historical Fiction

I. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Curtis, Christopher Paul. 1999. BUD, NOT BUDDY. New York: Scholastic

II. PLOT SUMMARY

BUD, NOT BUDDY takes place in Michigan during the depression era. Bud is an orphaned ten-year-old boy who sets off to find his father, escaping an abusive foster home. Relying on the subtle clues his mother left him, Bud believes a bass player featured in the flier for a musical group is his long, lost father. The book follows Bud while he is on the lamb, from his attempt to jump on a train to walking from Flint to Grand Rapids. A kind man picks Bud up from the side of the road and takes him to Grand Rapids and the man Bud believes is his father. In a touching turn of events, Bud learns that Herman E. Calloway is not his father but his grandfather.

III. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

BUD, NOT BUDDY is set against the desperate time of the American Depression, and the story includes many issues that were important during this period of time. From shantytowns to unionization, Bud experiences history, and the reader learns about the period through the eyes of a funny, creative young boy. The story is told in first person from Bud’s point of view. By utilizing this technique, the reader is drawn into the humorous observations Bud makes about his world. For example, Bud has “Rules and Things for Having a Funner Life and Making a Better Liar Out of Yourself.” These rules scattered throughout the story add humor.

The setting of BUD, NOT BUDDY is described by Bud himself, so young children reading this book will easily picture the sites and experiences of the depression era. From standing in line for food to Hooperville, the shantytown by the railroad tracks, Bud reveals to the reader the desperate situations people of all situations experienced during the Depression. It is in this shantytown that Bud sees a family of white people off to themselves, not accepting help from anyone, especially black people. This little observation brings to light the discrimination that went on during this period, even among the poor.

It is the character of Bud, though, that captures the reader and makes the story fun and endearing at the same time. Bud is likable and curious, and young people can certainly relate to his clever ideas and wit. Some parts of the book are laugh out loud funny. The characters he meets along the way are believable and integral to the story. The story does not focus on the history; it is merely part of the story. The story draws the reader in through the curiosity of Bud, and the experiences and observations Bud makes allows the reader to learn about the era in an authentic way.

The plot of the story moves quickly. Bud sets out on a journey to find his father, and the journey he embarks on is full of suspense and moments of perceived danger. However, Bud is never harmed and instead learns about the world around him. The dialog captures the speech of the era. Bud is trying to discover who he is by finding his father’s identity. Ultimately, Bud finds out about his family and the power of love. The anguish his grandfather experiences as he learns Bud’s identity is moving and powerful.

Curtis’ writing style is fun and witty. Bud is such an endearing character, that the world he inhabits seems real. The descriptions are written from a young person’s point of view, so young children will be able to relate to the places and experiences Bud describes. The use of first person allows the reader to truly experience the Depression era, but the text is not laden with too many historical facts or details that might make the text too cumbersome. Instead, the reader experiences history through the eyes and adventures of a young, curious, vivacious boy…Bud, Not Buddy.

IV. REVIEW EXCERPTS

“The lively humor contrasts with the grim details of the Depression-era setting and the particular difficulties faced by African Americans at that time.”—School Library Journal

“Told in the boy's naive, desperate voice, with lots of examples of his survival tactics (‘Rules and Things for Having a Funner Life and Making a Better Liar out of Yourself’), this will make a great read-aloud. Curtis says in an afterward that some of the characters are based on real people, including his own grandfathers, so it's not surprising that the rich blend of tall tale, slapstick, sorrow, and sweetness has the wry, teasing warmth of family folklore.”—Booklist

“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.”—Publishers Weekly

V. CONNECTIONS

**Have children make their own list of rules for life.

**Learn more about unions, and invite a local railroad union (or other union official) to be a guest speaker.

**Share more about the Great Depression through the following books:
CHILDREN OF THE GREAT DEPRESSION by Russell Freedman.
THE GREAT DEPRESSION by Elaine LandauTHE GREAT DEPRESSION by P. Conrad Stein