Bud, Not Buddy
By Christopher Paul Curtis
Coretta Scott King Winner 2000
Citation:
Curtis, C. P. (1999). Bud, not Buddy. New York, NY: Delacorte Press.
Summary
Bud, Not Buddy is a story of a 10 year old boy living during the Great
Depression. He wants to be called Bud, not Buddy (because that is what his
mother always insisted on). In the beginning of the story he is living in an
orphanage, is sent to a foster home which he runs away from. The reader finds out that his mother died
when he was 6 years old. He has a suitcase that he takes everywhere with him.
It has things that his mom left behind. After he runs away from the foster home
he goes in search of his father which he thinks is Herman
E. Calloway a Jazz musician. He thinks
he is his father because his mother had a lot of flyers with his name. He meets
many people along the way that help him. Bud finally finds Herman, but after
being welcomed by the band members, he eventually finds out that Herman is not
his father, but his grandfather!
This is a story of a resilient young boy. We find out pretty early on that his mother died when he was six. Then you learn of the torment he has gone through in the orphanage and foster homes. It was difficult to read the parts about another boy beating him up and seeing that the foster mother didn’t care and totally believed her son. After that they locked him up in a shed! It was hard to read, but it gives the reader a good glance of what types of things he had survived and wanted to escape from. After several setbacks, when he finally finds his grandfather and is taken in by him and the band, I was so happy for him! The fact that he was so young and overcame so much to finally find his family is very heart warming.
Professional Reviews
The lively humor
contrasts with the grim details of the Depression-era setting and the
particular difficulties faced by African Americans at that time. Bud is a
plucky, engaging protagonist. Other characters are exaggerations: the
good ones (the librarian and Pullman car porter who help him on his journey and
the band members who embrace him) are totally open and supportive, while the
villainous foster family finds particularly imaginative ways to torture their
charge. However, readers will be so caught up in the adventure that they
won’t mind. Curtis has given a fresh, new look to a traditional
orphan-finds-a-home story that would be a crackerjack read-aloud (Isaacs, 1999,
p. 221).
School Library Journal
Isaacs, K. (1999, September). Bud, not Buddy [Review of book]. School Library
Journal, 45(9) 221.
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“Bud, 10, is on the run from the orphanage and from yet another mean foster family. His mother died when he was 6, and he wants to find his father. Set in Michigan during the Great Depression, this is an Oliver Twist kind of foundling story, but it’s told with affectionate comedy, like the first part of Curtis’ The Watsons Go to Birmingham (1995). On his journey, Bud finds danger and violence (most of it treated as farce), but more often, he finds kindness—in the food line, in the library, in the Hooverville squatter camp, on the road—until he discovers who he is and where he belongs. 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 afterword 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.” — Hazel Rochman
Booklist
Rochman, H. (1999, September 1). Bud, not Buddy [Review of book]. Booklist, 96(1) 131.
Bud, Not Buddy could be used for several things. It could be used as a book talk in conjunction with a study in History class about the Great Depression or during Black History month.
It could also be used to discuss Jazz and other types of music. Different examples of Jazz music could be played for students along with showing pictures of the different instruments that were played in the story as well as listening to examples of what they sound like. Then the librarian could show students the sections of the library that books about music, instruments and bands could be found.
The figurative language used in this book is very rich. There are similes, metaphors, and onomonopias along with some words made up by Bud. These would make a great lesson.
References
Amazon. (2016). [Image of book cover]. Retrieved from
http://www.amazon.com/Bud-Buddy-Christopher-Paul-
Curtis/dp/0553494104
Curtis,
C. P. (1999). Bud, not Buddy. New
York, NY: Delacorte Press.
Isaacs,
K. (1999, September). Bud, not Buddy [Review of book]. School
Library
Journal, 45(9) 221.
Rochman, H.
(1999, September 1). Bud, not Buddy [Review of book]. Booklist,
96(1) 131.
Chato’s Kitchen
By Susan Guevara
Pura Belpré Award Winner 1996
Citation:
Soto, G. (1995). Chato’s kitchen. New York: Putnam & Grosset Group.
Summary
Chato is a cat that invites the mice that moved in next door over for dinner. He plans and makes some Mexican side dishes to go with his dinner. His friend, a fellow cat, even comes over to help. The mice ask if it would be alright to bring their friend Charizo that is visiting to dinner too. Chato says of course because he thinks he will have an extra snack! However, when the mice come over for dinner, Chato finds out that the visiting friend is Charizo, which happens to be a dog! Boy, was Chato surprised!
This story is cute and has a surprise ending. The Hispanic culture is shown throughout the story and illustrations. There are some stereotypical things in this story which are used in a comical way. Some examples include references to “low riders,” and Chato’s friend coming over in a “wife beater, flannel shirt and bandana.” I wonder if someone that is Hispanic might take offence to them. It is has a lot of Spanish terms throughout the story. There is a glossary of terms in the book to help out if a reader needs help. This is great for students that either are bilingual or want to learn some words.
“Illustrated by Susan Guevara. Chato, a "low-riding cat with six stripes," spends an afternoon in the kitchen along with his best friend, Novio Boy, a cat with "the loveliest growl in the barrio." They prepare a mouthwatering array of dishes, including fajitas, enchiladas, and chiles rellenos, but the heartiest dish is yet to come, for Chato has thoughtfully invited his new neighbors - a "tasty" family of mice. When the rodents arrive and announce that they've brought Chorizo, the cats think that the guests have come with even more treats: "Sausage! Chato and Novio Boy . . . gave each other a 'low four.'" However, the cats are in for a surprise. Chorizo, it turns out, is an old family friend from the old neighborhood, and he's neither sausage nor mouse. He's a dog -"a low, road-scraping dog." Chato resigns himself to a mouseless meal, comforted that dinner will still be pretty good because, "after all, it came from Chato's kitchen." Humorous details abound in Guevara's richly colored artwork, which portrays the characters with affection and authenticity. The illustrations convey the cats' cool and confident attitude - Chato has a gold hoop in one ear and wears his baseball cap backward, while Novio Boy, bandanna round his head, has a flashy cross dangling from his cat collar; both cats sport pencil-thin mustaches. Soto's fresh and satisfying fare is distinctively seasoned with the sights and sounds of East Los Angeles; the sprinkling of Spanish words and phrases adds the perfect flavor. A glossary - including the items on Chato's menu - precedes the story.”
Horn Book Magazine
Brabander, J. (1995, September/October). [Review of the book Chato’s kitchen by
G. Soto]. Horn Book Magazine, 71(5), 591-592.
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K-Gr 3- Chato, the coolest low-riding cat in East L.A., invites his new neighbors, a family of “tasty” mice, to dinner, but his intentions aren’t at all neighborly. His friend Novio Boy, “a cat with soft green eyes, sleek fur, and the loveliest growl in the barrio,” drops by and stays to share tin the feast. The mice family arrives—with their friend, Chorizo, and that’s when the fun begins! Soto adeptly captures the flavor of life in el barrio in the amusing tale. The animal characters have distinct personalities and their language, sprinkled with Spanish phrases and expressions, credibly brings them to life. Best of all, though, are Guevara’s striking illustrations that enrich the text with delightful, witty details. Each page, exudes “East L.A. culture,” creating vivid scenes in which bold colors and shapes combine to increase the humor and tension in the narrative. The characters’ expressions exhibit intense emotions, drawing readers into the plot beyond the reach of the written word. A really cool book.
School Library Journal
Italiano, G., & Jones, T.E. (1995). Book review: Preschool & primary grades
[Review of the book Chato’s kitchen by G. Soto]. School Library Journal,
