Wednesday, September 15, 2021

Bud, not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis




Bud not Buddy sat beside his precious mother and he watched her die. He now finds himself in an orphanage and as the story opens he is sent, yet again to a foster home. As in the past the foster parents are truly awful and the kid who already lives in the house, their son, is horrendous - cruel, mean and a liar.

After a nasty incident on the first day Bud runs away. He has a small suitcase containing a few possessions which were precious to his mother. He has no idea but the significance of most of suitcase contents but he is sure the concert flyers for a band featuring Herman C Calloway.  Bud is certain Herman must be his absent father. The brochures are his only clue but Bud sets out to travel from Flint Michigan to Grand Falls. Along the way Bud encounters great kindness and he meets an amazing group of musicians never suspecting the truth of his heritage until the final scene. 

You can read the full plot here.

.... the journey of Bud's hopeful heart that will stay with me for a very long time. Kids Book Review (Australia)

I actually thought I had already read this book and in a crazy moment of regret I also thought I had accidentally ordered the wrong book. Luckily both these premises are wrong. I have read The Watson's go to Birmingham also by Christopher Paul Curtis and we did have Bud not Buddy in my former school library but reading this book last week I am sure I had not previously read it so my purchase had a great purpose - allowing me to enjoy this very famous US book which won the Newbery Award and also a Coretta Scott King Award along with a host of state awards. Listen to a delicious audio book sound track here.

Here are some other covers. You probably already know I am bit obsessed with covers:



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