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Bud, Not Buddy
by Christopher Paul Curtis
by Christopher Paul Curtis
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 his suitcase full of mementos to remind him that he was once loved.
3. critique (using the a, b, c format, please)
a. The best part about this story was the emotions that the author evoked. Bud became part of your heart – and you find yourself rooting for him. Any book that can make me cry is one that should be read.
b. Bud was one of those characters who the reader has to love. This love is not based on the color of his skin or the great feats that he has accomplished, but his perseverance. Bud continues through his obstacles and remains a loveable character. Meanwhile, readers get a small glimpse of what life was like during this era.
c. How does the author make you fall in love with Bud? Whenever Bud comes across a horrible situation, he is not written as a boy who dwells on the negative. Often, “Bud Caldwell’s Rules and Things for Having a Funner Life and Making a Better Liar Out of Yourself” are pulled out to highlight how funny and transparent adults can be. Little sayings can be interpreted and categorized as Bud does throughout the story. His situation is also one that evokes sympathy. His mother is gone, he is living during the depression, and he feels as though no one cares about him. No one does care about him, but he finds his own way.
4. a curriculum connection
This book can be related to the Virginia Standards of Learning USII.6d. Often students do not study this until middle school, but this book would be a great preparation for that study. To introduce the book earlier, the book can be related to the Language Arts curriculum as a historical novel.
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 his suitcase full of mementos to remind him that he was once loved.
3. critique (using the a, b, c format, please)
a. The best part about this story was the emotions that the author evoked. Bud became part of your heart – and you find yourself rooting for him. Any book that can make me cry is one that should be read.
b. Bud was one of those characters who the reader has to love. This love is not based on the color of his skin or the great feats that he has accomplished, but his perseverance. Bud continues through his obstacles and remains a loveable character. Meanwhile, readers get a small glimpse of what life was like during this era.
c. How does the author make you fall in love with Bud? Whenever Bud comes across a horrible situation, he is not written as a boy who dwells on the negative. Often, “Bud Caldwell’s Rules and Things for Having a Funner Life and Making a Better Liar Out of Yourself” are pulled out to highlight how funny and transparent adults can be. Little sayings can be interpreted and categorized as Bud does throughout the story. His situation is also one that evokes sympathy. His mother is gone, he is living during the depression, and he feels as though no one cares about him. No one does care about him, but he finds his own way.
4. a curriculum connection
This book can be related to the Virginia Standards of Learning USII.6d. Often students do not study this until middle school, but this book would be a great preparation for that study. To introduce the book earlier, the book can be related to the Language Arts curriculum as a historical novel.
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Nicely done.
