2. Pertinent Book Information
Author: Christopher Paul Curtis
Illustrator: None
Date: 1999
Pages: 243
ISBN: 0-439-22188-9
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Category: Fiction
Awards:
Winner 2000 - ALA Coretta Scott King Award
Winner 2000 - ALA Notable Children's Books
Winner 1999 - School Library Journal Best Books of the Year
Winner 2000 - IRA Children's Book Award for Older Readers
Winner 2000 - ALA Best Books for Young Adults
Winner 2000 - ALA Coretta Scott King Award
Winner - ALA Best Books for Young Adults
Winner 1999 - Publishers Weekly Best Books of the Year
3. Book Summary
Bud Caldwell is a ten year old African American
orphan growing up in Flint, MI during the
Great Depression of the 1930’s. His mother
left him only a few trinkets when she died,
and these seemingly insignificant possessions
trigger Bud’s desire to find his father based on
their clues. There are adults in his life that
help him along the way, as well as a big
surprise waiting on him when he reaches his
destination.
4. Suggested Vocabulary List
11. jackknife
12. recorder
13. doggone
14. union
15. flyer
16. mouth organ
17. thug
18. paddled
19. lam
20. dribbles
1. foster family
2. commence
3. drowsy
4. hoodlum
5. orphanage
6. alias
7. fiddle
8. hypnotizing
9. dusky
10. britches
5. Cross-Discipline Activity : Math
background: http://www.verrazano-consulting.com/FinancialPage.html
Images from: www/animationfactory.com
Time and Distance Calculations
Map Reading
Word Problems
Conversions
Percentages
Historic Prices
Inflation
Cost of Living Increases
6. Cross-Discipline Activity : History
The Great Depression (1930’s)
“Hooverville” & Period Politics
Racial Sensitivity
Packard
Jazz music
Railroad travel
7. Cross-Discipline Activity : Music
Big Band music, especially scat and jazz, are featured prominently in this
book. Music teachers could use this to introduce new genres of music
to students.
The recorder, alto sax, drums and bass are all mentioned in this book.
Discussions about different woodwind and percussion instruments
could uncover a students interest in these instruments.
http://www.art.com/products/p12191792-sa-i2790677/bernard-ott-jazz-band.htm
8. Georgia Performance Standards (GPS)
This book integrates the following GPS’s for the
7th
grade curriculum:
READING
READING COMPREHENSION
LISTENING, SPEAKING, VIEWING
ELA7R1
ELA7R2
ELA7R3
ELA7RC1
ELA7RC2
ELA7RC3
ELA7RC4
ELA7LSV1
(Grade Seven, 2006)
9. Comments from Mr. Carpenters 7th
grade class of 2009
about Bud, Not Buddy
“ This was the best book on the reading list. It was easy to understand and I got to
read about a boy from a different culture living on his own. The music we got to listen
to in class was fun.” – Nathan C., 12 years old
“This was a great book. I thought that Bud would never find his family. I was happy
when he did and he found a job.” – Tim D., 12 years old
“I enjoyed reading this book. It was not too long and the story was interesting, so I
read it in just one weekend.” – Alicia B. , 13 years old
10. References
• Georgia Department of Education (2006). Grade Seven. Retrieved September 10,
2009, from https://www.georgiastandards.org/standards/Georgia%20Performance
%20Standards/Grade-Seven.pdf
Hinweis der Redaktion
Additional words can be selected by each teacher. Some of the listed words have dual meanings, such as dribbles, which can mean a basketball skill or rolling slowly, and recorder, which can mean a device to record something or, as in this case, a beginners musical instrument.
In the book, Bud has to calculate the time it would take to walk from Flint, MI to Chicago, IL. This is a good exercise to introduce students to fact-gathering and research. It also provides an opportunity to teach the proper construction of a word problem. Scenarios could be developed whereby Bud walks part of the way, or for a period of time, then rides with someone in a car or a train for another portion of his journey.
Monetary conversions could be introduced, since an entire meal of 10 cents was quite a banquet during the Great Depression. Students could use web-based currency conversions to estimate the cost of different items in different countries. Using GDP and average salary tables, teachers could show students the effect of buying power using percentage of earnings instead of flat rate costs.
Students could learn to adjust for dollars of different years by comparing the historic prices of certain consumer goods to the prices today.
The setting of this book is the 1930’s, during the Great Depression in America. Teachers could use descriptions of the times and events in Bud’s life to present the mood of America during a time of want.
The mention of Hooverville in the book can introduce politics of the day. The President is seen as being responsible for the condition of the country, and when people begin living in cardboard jungles (a term directly from the text) near railroad lines, they take on the name of the leader at that time, Herbert Hoover.
Teachers could use this book to introduce racial concerns at that time, although the book does not emphasize differences in races. Blacks are not treated differently in the book, and this could lead to open discussion about regional differences in race relations during the early 20th century.
Packard automobiles, jazz music, and railroad travel all are obsolete or out-dated now, so discussing these subjects could introduce a different cultural theme and give us background information about how we came to be where we are today.
