Reviews

For the first time, one children's book-Bud, Not Buddy--has won the both the prestigious Newberry Medal and the Coretta Scott King Award. The success of this book is also significant because of the subject matter: the life and hard times of a resourceful foster child during the Great Depression.

Bud Caldwell is a motherless African-American boy who runs away from a foster home in search of Herman E. Calloway, a bandleader who just might be his father. In the book's afterword, the author, Christopher Paul Curtis, explains that he used elements of his grandfathers' lives for the novel. He encourages young readers to talk with their relatives and explore their own family histories.

The New York Times named Bud, Not Buddy Best Children's Book of the Year. And USA Today said it is "both literate and funny, demonstrating that families come in many forms." We created our own book review staff from the Casey family and asked them to give their thoughts on the book.

"Bud, Not Buddy won me over rather quickly- I found him endearing and ever so 'spunky' as he managed to bounce back from life's little (and not so little) hurdles. He learned a lot in his 10 years and survived the ravages of the Depression and a child welfare system that did little to provide for even his most basic needs. There were no 'Casey kids' in the USA of the 1930s."
- Odessie Preston, team leader, Rhode Island

"I liked Bud, Not Buddy because I thought it was funny, heartwarming and interesting. I didn't know a lot about foster kids before I read the book, but I learned that sometimes they had it rough and at other times they feel life is fine. I never really thought about being a foster kid before. Reading this book may help people change their minds about prejudice because I feel it shows what prejudice is all about-families torn apart, sad hearts and unhappy faces."
- Josh, 10, Ohio

"My favorite part of the book was when Bud was sleeping in the shed and he saw the beehive and he got away. I liked the ending because Bud found his family and it was happy."
- Olga, 9, Rhode Island