“Here we go again.”

From Christopher Paul Curtis’ Bud, Not Buddy.

It’s Michigan in 1936 and 10-year-old Bud has lost his mother and has been living with a foster family.  He is constantly tormented by his foster brother, so Bud decides he needs to set off in search of the mysterious man that he believes is his father.  He only has a few clues left behind by his mother, one of which is a poster for a band, and Bud decides that is his best option.  He leaves his foster home and heads off to Grand Rapids to find the band… and his father.  He meets several interesting and helpful characters along the way, but the most interesting character interaction that happens is between Bud and Hermon E. Callaway, the leader of the band on the poster.  Callaway allows Bud to stay in an empty room in his house while Bud tries to discover who his father is, but it quickly becomes evident that Bud will have a harder time than he expected in discovering who his father.

The book shows a snapshot into African-American culture during the Great Depression.  Bud must travel across the state in order to find the man that he believes is father, and along the trip readers are allowed to gain a new perspective into the feelings of the nation at the time.  The dialog is witty and fun, even when dealing with some darker moments.  The characters are unique, bold, and multi-layered that interact to create an amazing story.  Stereotypes are presented, but only to serve as a learning opportunity for readers who are unaware of the social injustices that African Americans were forced to endure.  Bud, Not Buddy is a captivating read for people of all ages, and it would be a tragedy for adults to skip this book simply because of the target audience.