It’s 1936, in Flint, Michigan, and when 10-year-old Bud decides to hit the road to find his father, nothing can stop him.
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reviews
Jul 13, 2011
Linda
rated it: 
Christopher Paul Curtis did it again! In writing this 2000 Newbery Medal and Coretta Scott King award-winning book, he wove another magical, enchanting, complex, well crafted and spell binding tale filled with poignancy, sadness and laughter while teaching history in a captivating way.
I've raved about this author before, so please indulge my obsession one more time in encouraging you to take a few hours of solitude to savor every word, phrase and nuance of this incredible writer.
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I've raved about this author before, so please indulge my obsession one more time in encouraging you to take a few hours of solitude to savor every word, phrase and nuance of this incredible writer.
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Dec 30, 2011
Amanda
rated it: 
When Bud Caldwell decides to run away from his most recent foster family in Depression-era Michigan, he has no destination in mind. After a few days (and a failed attempt to hop a train), he realizes that the only place he knows to go is Grand Rapids, Michigan, to look up the man that he is convinced is his father. Unfortunately Herman E. Calloway, a famous jazz musician, has no interest in taking care of a 10-year-old orphan who could not possibly be his son. Bud lands on his feet, though, than
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Dec 02, 2008
Lstirl
rated it:
On an adventure to find a family, Bud charms and moves the reader with both his fortitude and wit.
Ages 9-12
This is a very moving and heartwarming book. The adventurous nature of the book will appeal to children, as will the optimistic and humorous protagonist, Bud. Along his journey to find a family, Bud meets many interesting and well-presented characters, such as the mouth organ playing man at "Hooverville," his friend, Bugs, and Miss Thomas. While the More...
Ages 9-12
This is a very moving and heartwarming book. The adventurous nature of the book will appeal to children, as will the optimistic and humorous protagonist, Bud. Along his journey to find a family, Bud meets many interesting and well-presented characters, such as the mouth organ playing man at "Hooverville," his friend, Bugs, and Miss Thomas. While the More...
Jun 25, 2008
Rebecca
rated it: 
This was no The Watsons Go to Birmingham. Just a little too predictable. But it's powerfully told, and Curtis has the rare ability to get inside the head of his young narrators. Especially smart, sassy, sensitive little boys... Bud is definitely a winner.
Audiobook minuses:
While younger readers might find them really funny, these two things drove me CRazy. Especially trapped in the car wishing my eyes could glaze over a line or two.
1)The slang seemed vaguely era-appropria More...
Audiobook minuses:
While younger readers might find them really funny, these two things drove me CRazy. Especially trapped in the car wishing my eyes could glaze over a line or two.
1)The slang seemed vaguely era-appropria More...
Mar 26, 2009
David
rated it:
Bud, Not Buddy is a book by Christopher paul Curtis. It is about an lonely african boy who is a orphan looking for this dad with only a slight amount of clues to seek him. His mother was sick and she died. Bud was sent to a place called the Home. His mother gave him some of what hes father was and he learned he was in a jazz band and more. So he gets out of the place and the search had begun.
I can connect this to the world and other books of Orphans never knowing what their parents More...
I can connect this to the world and other books of Orphans never knowing what their parents More...
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Feb 17, 2009
Lisa
rated it:
Bud, Not Buddy is about a little boy who is growing up in a tough time of the Depression. Bud being black and motherless doesn’t help him during the story. All Bud had was his worldly possessions packed in a raggedy old suitcase. But the most important possession is a blue flyer that his mother got upset over and Bud was sure that, Herman E. Calloway, the man on it was his father. After running away from his abusive foster family, Bud decides to set out to find Herman E. Calloway. Bud has quite
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Jan 15, 2009
Ash R.
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Bud, Not Buddy is a tense book that took place during the Great Depression. It is about an Orphan thats an African Boy looking for this father with only few clues of finding him. He use to live with his mother all his life, but after his mother got sick for awhile, she dies and Bud is sent to "The Home". His mother did tell him his father was in a jazz band and Bud escaped and was on his way to look for his dad.
I can make a text to world connection to Bud trying to find his More...
I can make a text to world connection to Bud trying to find his More...
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Nov 20, 2008
Jacquelyn
rated it:
Genre: Historical fiction Reading level: Ages 9-12
A young boy decides to run away from his foster home and travel across country in search of a man he believes to be his father. His only knowledge of this elusive figure lies in his most precious possessions, a handful of flyers that his mother held dear featuring a musician in a series of jazz bands. Bud uses his wit, humor, and his “Rules and Things for Having a Funner Life and Making a Better Liar Out of Yourself”. Food and jobs may More...
A young boy decides to run away from his foster home and travel across country in search of a man he believes to be his father. His only knowledge of this elusive figure lies in his most precious possessions, a handful of flyers that his mother held dear featuring a musician in a series of jazz bands. Bud uses his wit, humor, and his “Rules and Things for Having a Funner Life and Making a Better Liar Out of Yourself”. Food and jobs may More...
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Dec 11, 2011
Cat
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Title: Bud, not Buddy
Author: Christopher Paul Curtis
Year: 2004
ISBN: 9780385323062)
Type: Book
Genre: Historical Fiction
Age:9 to 13
Length/Pages: 256
Publisher/studio: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Annotation/Teaser: Bud a ten years old boy, without parents and a home he is searching for home
Plot:
Bud Caldwell is 10 years old boy living in Flint, Michigan during the Great Depression. When his mother dies, now, an orphan, h More...
Author: Christopher Paul Curtis
Year: 2004
ISBN: 9780385323062)
Type: Book
Genre: Historical Fiction
Age:9 to 13
Length/Pages: 256
Publisher/studio: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Annotation/Teaser: Bud a ten years old boy, without parents and a home he is searching for home
Plot:
Bud Caldwell is 10 years old boy living in Flint, Michigan during the Great Depression. When his mother dies, now, an orphan, h More...
Nov 15, 2011
Ashton
rated it:
Genre: Historical Fiction
Summary: Bud is a young orphan, in Michigan, who runs away to find his true family. He uses his own set of rules and his suitcase full of his prize possessions to find his way.
Critique: a) This book succeeds because of it’s wonderful, descriptive, and different characters.
The characters in this story range from young, brave children dealing with the effects of the depression to older, wise-cracking, band members. Each character that Bud runs in to, is More...
Summary: Bud is a young orphan, in Michigan, who runs away to find his true family. He uses his own set of rules and his suitcase full of his prize possessions to find his way.
Critique: a) This book succeeds because of it’s wonderful, descriptive, and different characters.
The characters in this story range from young, brave children dealing with the effects of the depression to older, wise-cracking, band members. Each character that Bud runs in to, is More...
Nov 07, 2011
Kelley
rated it:
Critique- Junior Book/Newbury Medal Winner/Coretta Scott King Award Winner
This story takes place during the Great Depression and follows a young boy named Bud, who lost his mother and has been in the foster care system for several years. The story follows Bud as he is looking for a man he believes to be his father, and a place to call home.
a. Setting
b. The setting in the story is Flint, Michigan during the Great Depression. This element was almost like another chara More...
This story takes place during the Great Depression and follows a young boy named Bud, who lost his mother and has been in the foster care system for several years. The story follows Bud as he is looking for a man he believes to be his father, and a place to call home.
a. Setting
b. The setting in the story is Flint, Michigan during the Great Depression. This element was almost like another chara More...
Nov 06, 2011
1. Historical Fiction
2. This book tells the story of Bud - never to be called "Buddy" - a young orphan during the depression. The book shows Bud's journey to find his father, which ends when he finds what he was really looking for: family.
3. The strength of Bud, Not Buddy lies in the point of view. The whole story is told from Bud's point of view, how he sees the world, not how someone would see it form the outside. This is great because it really draws the rea More...
2. This book tells the story of Bud - never to be called "Buddy" - a young orphan during the depression. The book shows Bud's journey to find his father, which ends when he finds what he was really looking for: family.
3. The strength of Bud, Not Buddy lies in the point of view. The whole story is told from Bud's point of view, how he sees the world, not how someone would see it form the outside. This is great because it really draws the rea More...
Nov 06, 2011
Angelina
rated it:
1. Historical Fiction
2. Bud is an orphan who is placed in a new foster home; after realizing he is in an abusive situation, he runs away. This book is about Bud’s journey, with the people he meets along the way, as he goes from Flint, Michigan to Grand Rapids in search of his father.
3. A. Accuracy
B. In the afterword, Christopher Paul Curtis states, “Although Bud, Not Buddy is fictional, many of the situations Bud encounters are based on events that occurred in the 1930s, d More...
2. Bud is an orphan who is placed in a new foster home; after realizing he is in an abusive situation, he runs away. This book is about Bud’s journey, with the people he meets along the way, as he goes from Flint, Michigan to Grand Rapids in search of his father.
3. A. Accuracy
B. In the afterword, Christopher Paul Curtis states, “Although Bud, Not Buddy is fictional, many of the situations Bud encounters are based on events that occurred in the 1930s, d More...
Nov 04, 2011
Ashley
rated it:
1. Historical Fiction
2. Bud (not Buddy!) is a black orphan, struggling through the hardships life in the depression hands to all. Through his travels in search of his mysterious father, he finds friendship and even hope. There are trains to catch and meals to find, but this young boy is stronger than the world gives him credit. In this adventure the young boy takes a wild ride (and I'm not talking about the train) that transforms his life from orphan to family member and from lost to fo More...
2. Bud (not Buddy!) is a black orphan, struggling through the hardships life in the depression hands to all. Through his travels in search of his mysterious father, he finds friendship and even hope. There are trains to catch and meals to find, but this young boy is stronger than the world gives him credit. In this adventure the young boy takes a wild ride (and I'm not talking about the train) that transforms his life from orphan to family member and from lost to fo More...
Nov 03, 2011
Katlyn
rated it:
1. Genre: Historical Fiction
2. Summary: This title is about a young African American boy named Bud, not Buddy. Bud is an orphan, his mother died at the age of six, and he is determined that his mother left him with the clues to find his father. Bud decides to leave his home, town, and terrible foster parents to make the journey in which he knows he will meet his father.
3. Critique:
a. I believe the best part of this book is the language use or dialogue of Bud.
b. The way More...
2. Summary: This title is about a young African American boy named Bud, not Buddy. Bud is an orphan, his mother died at the age of six, and he is determined that his mother left him with the clues to find his father. Bud decides to leave his home, town, and terrible foster parents to make the journey in which he knows he will meet his father.
3. Critique:
a. I believe the best part of this book is the language use or dialogue of Bud.
b. The way More...
Sep 16, 2011
Leah
rated it:
I fell in love with Bud, not Buddy within the first chapter. The way Christopher Paul Curtis relates his characters to true life situations is masterful. Even though the story takes place during the Great Depression, the reader should have no problem creating the images in their mind as they read. Curtis weaves a fantastic tale of the struggles and triumphs of ten year old Bud in his story. The events, although sometimes a bit extravagant, are imaginative and believable at the same time. Th
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Sep 15, 2011
Jessica
rated it:
Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Curtis was a very entertaining, heart-warming, and humorous young adult novel. Ten-year-old Bud has gone through many hardships most people will never have to deal with in their entire life. Although the style of this story was depressing at times, it showed a very mature side to Bud. Bud used very distinct language, that of a ten-year-old, yet the ideas he expresses throughout the story are very realistic and mature for his age. Throughout the story he manages to g
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Sep 15, 2011
Kristen
rated it:
Would you be able to survive the Depression on your own? Ten- year- old Bud is searching for his father after running away from his foster home during the Great Depression. Christopher Paul Curtis adds many humerous adventures to a serious topic matter. This is a good mutlicultural, Newbery Award winning book to read.
Bud, not Buddy is a good book for learning about people during the 1930's. It is an entertaing story with a history lesson embedded into it. This is not the type of b More...
Bud, not Buddy is a good book for learning about people during the 1930's. It is an entertaing story with a history lesson embedded into it. This is not the type of b More...
Sep 04, 2011
Melanie
rated it:
1. The genre where you believe it belongs
This book falls into the category of a junior book, historical fiction.
2. a brief one or two sentence summary of the content
Set during the depression era, Bud Caldwell is a boy who is struggling to survive. Orphaned after his mother died unexpectedly, Bud is a boy who has learned to control his emotions to try to give people what they expect. We follow Bud’s story as he left his foster family to create a life of his own. He keeps hi More...
This book falls into the category of a junior book, historical fiction.
2. a brief one or two sentence summary of the content
Set during the depression era, Bud Caldwell is a boy who is struggling to survive. Orphaned after his mother died unexpectedly, Bud is a boy who has learned to control his emotions to try to give people what they expect. We follow Bud’s story as he left his foster family to create a life of his own. He keeps hi More...
Aug 22, 2011
Leah
rated it:
I liked Bud Not Buddy. I liked how you got to see how Bud got around the country on search of his father by doing things I would never be brave enough to do. I also really liked how you were expecting something to happen in the book and then being completely surprised. I think the message of the book was that when you're focused on one thing so much you may be surprised when you reach your goal. Also never give up, and always stand up for yourself. The setting was all over the place. But the way
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Aug 14, 2011
Zakiah
rated it:
In the book Bud not Buddy Bud's mom died when he was six years old. Bud then went to live in an orphanage. Before his mom died one thing she told him is "never let anyone call you Buddy, Buddy is a dog's name". That's where the book received its title "Bud Not Buddy". Now Bud is ten years old and is in a foster home. The foster family doesn't believe anything Bud has to say over their son even when they know he is wrong. Bud was locked in a shed because of him and stung by
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Aug 01, 2011
Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis, the 2000 Newbery Award Winner. I finished this fantastic book a few days ago and meant to write a wonderful entry all about it, but seizures happened and now my memory of the story is a bit spotty and the entry I had outlined is disappeared from my memory banks, so apologies if this isn't up to my usual standard. Spoilers ahead, of course!
Bud (not Buddy, natch) is the main character. He's been an orphan for four years, spending most of his time in the More...
Bud (not Buddy, natch) is the main character. He's been an orphan for four years, spending most of his time in the More...
Jul 29, 2011
Peachy
rated it:
My ten year old niece had read Bud, Not Buddy, recently, at school, and as I’m always interested to know what it is she’s being taught, I decided to pick it up. At first I was discouraged by the book as it seemed to deal with a rather depressing story of a young orphan during the depression era, who was acting out revenge upon a foster family that had mistreated him. While making a mental note to explain to her the errors of vengeful retribution, I continued on and was soon pleasantly surprise
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Mar 15, 2011
Dan
rated it:
This book was funny and sad there were parts that made me laugh and parts that made me mad. I thought Bud’s rules were hilarious, and his friend Bugs was too. I could not stand the racism of the police in this book or the way the new found grandfather treated Bud at first. This book has so much you can do with it. You can incorporate mad reading skills by having the students track the distance Bud traveled in search of his father. This book was set in during the Great Depression, a history
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Mar 06, 2011
Carly
rated it:
"Bud, Not Buddy" is a great historical fiction book about a 10 year old boy that lives in Flint, Michigan during the time of the depression, 1936 to be exact. Bud is a very determined boy. After he is put in a foster home after his mother dies he is determined to find his real father and he escapes from his foster and risks being homeless and hunger to find his real father. Although the book kind of seems sad, the author does a great job of putting a humorous twist in the book. This bo
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Mar 03, 2011
Jackson
rated it:
I just finished this book and I loved it!
As an historical fiction novel, it does a great job of showing a lot of different sides of the Depression in Michigan and different types of families. From standing in line at soup kitchens, to building and living in shanty towns near the train tracks, to riding freight trains in hopes of a better economy somewhere else, to the dangers of organizing unions in hopes of a better life in your job, to enjoying comfort and success in the entertain More...
As an historical fiction novel, it does a great job of showing a lot of different sides of the Depression in Michigan and different types of families. From standing in line at soup kitchens, to building and living in shanty towns near the train tracks, to riding freight trains in hopes of a better economy somewhere else, to the dangers of organizing unions in hopes of a better life in your job, to enjoying comfort and success in the entertain More...
Jan 11, 2011
Debbie
rated it:
This book won the 2000 Newbery Medal for “the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children” and the award is well-deserved.
Set in Flint and Grand Rapids Michigan in 1936, the story covers three tumultuous days in the life of Bud Caldwell, orphan, age 10. Bud’s single mom died when he was six and he has lived in the orphanage and various foster homes since. Bud’s already wise to the system. So wise that he can feel sorry for the six-year-old who’s being sent to a More...
Set in Flint and Grand Rapids Michigan in 1936, the story covers three tumultuous days in the life of Bud Caldwell, orphan, age 10. Bud’s single mom died when he was six and he has lived in the orphanage and various foster homes since. Bud’s already wise to the system. So wise that he can feel sorry for the six-year-old who’s being sent to a More...
Dec 08, 2010
Brenna
rated it:
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
Nov 10, 2010
Jill
rated it: 
I have to say, for one of the newer Newbery winners I wasn't particularly impressed. It's funny, Mandy told me she thought it started off slow and became a little more interesting toward the end. I had the opposite experience--after the first few chapters I thought the story had great potential. I had high hopes, but for me the writing started to drag in the middle and fizzled out toward the end. I thought the author could have done more to resolve the relationship between Bud and Herman.
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Oct 26, 2010
The Rusty Key
rated it:
Reviewed by Rusty Key Writer: Jordan B. Nielsen
Recommended for: Boys and Girls, ages twelve and up, but this book will probably soon be assigned in classrooms all across the country along with To Kill a Mockingbird and Number the Stars, where it rightfully belongs, so if you’re entering middle school, you may want to wait.
One Word Summary: Timeless
It’s deeply heartening to know that there are still writers out there who are creating works like Bud, No More...
Recommended for: Boys and Girls, ages twelve and up, but this book will probably soon be assigned in classrooms all across the country along with To Kill a Mockingbird and Number the Stars, where it rightfully belongs, so if you’re entering middle school, you may want to wait.
One Word Summary: Timeless
It’s deeply heartening to know that there are still writers out there who are creating works like Bud, No More...
