Bud, Not Buddy: Module Five Part Two

Curtis, C.P. (1999). Bud, Not Buddy. New York, NY: Random House, Inc.

Summary:

We are first introduced to the main character, ten-year-old Bud, in the orphanage that has been his home since the death of his mother when he was merely six.  He is about to be placed with a foster family that has a twelve-year-old son.  When Bud arrives, he is treated in an atrocious manner by the family's son, who, in a final act of malice, gets Bud in so much trouble that they lock him in a garden shed.  Bud escapes the shed and decides to run away to find his father with only a few fliers of a musical group that were his mother's as a guide.  He believes that one of the players is his father.  He hitches a ride to Grand Rapids, Michigan, and soon discovers one of the players from the flyer named Herman E. Calloway.  Though their is some initial misunderstanding, Bud and Herman soon discover that Bud's mother was Herman's daughter making Herman Bud's grandfather. 

My Evaluation:

The story was very interesting and drew me in when Bud was in the orphanage, and after Buddy is placed with the foster family, he faces a horrible reality to which many children can relate.  However after Bud ran away, I had more and more trouble feeling like the story was believable.  This surprised me considering the fact that most books that have this much recognition are truly captivating and deserving of the awards.  I think it might be that I was having trouble relating to the story because it is really geared towards boys.  However, the part I most appreciated was the afterward included by the author.  In the afterward, he brought out the real people that inspired him to write the book.  He includes real details about his grandfathers Earl "Lefty" Lewis and Herman E. Curtis that have a richness and reality about them that is so lacking in the story itself.

Reviews:

Rochman, H. (1999). Booklist Review of Bud, Not Buddy. Retrieved from http://www.booklistonline.com/Bud-Not-Buddy-Christopher-Paul-Curtis/pid=1707749

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. 

Bird, E. (2010). Top 100 Children's Novels Poll. School Library Journal. Retrieved from http://blog.schoollibraryjournal.com/afuse8production/2010/02/23/top-100-childrens-novels-poll-50-46/

#47 Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis (1999) 

A tiny bit more color gets on the Top 100 list.  We had this problem with the Top 100 Picture Books list too, as I recall.  But I am quite pleased to see that this particular Curtis book crested the Top 50.  It was the first book of his I ever read, and is one doozy of a story.

The plot synopsis from the publisher reads, "It’s 1936 Flint, Michigan. Times may be hard, and 10-year-old Bud may be a motherless boy, but Bud’s got a few things going for him: 1. He has his own suitcase full of special things; 2. He’s the author of "Bud Caldwell’s Rules and Things for Having a Funner Life and Making a Better Liar Out of Yourself"; 3. His momma never told him who his father was, but she left a clue: posters of Herman E. Calloway and his band of renown, the Dusky Devastators of the Depression. Bud is sure those posters will lead him to his father. Once he decides to hit the road, nothing can stop him, not hunger, not fear, not would-be vampires, not even Herman E. Calloway himself."

The book won both a Newbery Award and a Coretta Scott King Award in 2000.  In terms of the Newbery, it beat out Newbery Honors Getting Near to Baby by Audrey Couloumbis, Our Only May Amelia by Jennifer L. Holm, and 26 Fairmount Avenue by Tomie dePaola. About the Award, Curtis tells Leonard Marcus in the book Funny Business, "One of my sayings is ‘I get through life by having really low expectations.’  Anything good that happens is a bonus.  If it’s bad, well, I wasn’t expecting anything more, anyway.  The fact that I was older when I won the Newbery Medal made a real difference.  It wasn’t as likely to turn my head.  I have a good friend I’ve got to be careful around, because when I’m with him I laugh so hard I almost choke.  One of his sayings is ‘One day chicken, next day feathers.’  This is now.  Tomorrow may be something different.  Don’t take yourself too seriously."

My Suggestions for Use in a Library Setting:

I would use this book in a writing workshop for children.  This book would be used as an example of how authors often draw ideas from real people or events in their lives or history. Bud, Not Buddy would be used to illustrate how this can often be used as a starting point for their own writing.

Esperanza Rising: Module Five Part One

Ryan, P.M. (2000). Esperanza Rising. New York, NY: Scholastic Press.

Summary:

The story begins with a poignant moment between a vineyard owner and his young daughter listening the heartbeat of the land.  Fast forward a few years later, and we learn that this young lady is now preparing for the grand celebration of her birthday.  She loves the world of El Rancho de las Rosas, and the opulence in which she lives, but most of all, she loves her father.  Sadly, that very night, her father is killed by bandits and after being threatened and pressured by Esperanza's uncles, she and her mother decide to immigrate to America with a family that used to be their servants.  Esperanza is now living in a migrant camp for Mexican workers who bring in the crops of American farmers.  Much of the book focuses on her attempts to overcome her spoiled nature and sense of entitlement that came from the way in which she was raised.  However, she is able to find happiness in her new life and find out the amazing strength which she possesses.  The book closes with a lovely bookend.  Esperanza had not been able to hear the heartbeat of the earth after the death of her beloved father, but by the end of the book she is able to hear it once again.

My Evaluation:

I enjoyed this book not only because of the wonderful evolution of the main protagonist, Esperanza, but because of the focus it gives to a piece of our history that is often forgotten.  The Grapes of Wrath gave attention to the plight of "Okies" during the Great Depression, but what about the other migrant workers?  Esperanza Rising gives us a glimpse at the plight faced by many Mexican workers.  Furthermore, we are given a glimpse into the extreme prejudice faced by those of mixed Spanish and Native American lineage.  As Americans we learn of the horrific slavery faced by African Americans, but I appreciate Ryan teaching children of the prejudice faced by our neighbors in Mexico.  The themes in this book also are wonderful lessons for our children.  Just as Esperanza realized that possessions are not the things that matter in this world, we too should remember this important fact.  Furthermore, Esperanza learned that she had to find her own happiness rather than waiting for it to be given to her.  It is no surprise that this is an award winning book when you consider the depth, wonderful themes, and the captivating story.

Reviews: 

Engberg, G. (2000). Booklist Review of Esperanza Rising. Retrieved from http://www.booklistonline.com/Esperanza-Rising-Pam-Muoz-Ryan/pid=440263

Moving from a Mexican ranch to the company labor camps of California, Ryan’s lyrical novel manages the contradictory: a story of migration and movement deeply rooted in the earth. When 14-year-old Esperanza’s father is killed, she and her mother must emigrate to the U.S., where a family of former ranch workers has helped them find jobs in the agricultural labor camps. Coming from such privilege, Esperanza is ill prepared for the hard work and difficult conditions she now faces. She quickly learns household chores, though, and when her mother falls ill, she works packing produce until she makes enough money to bring her beloved abuelita to the U.S.. Set during the Great Depression, the story weaves cultural, economic, and political unrest into Esperanza’s poignant tale of growing up: she witnesses strikes, government sweeps, and deep injustice while finding strength and love in her family and romance with a childhood friend. The symbolism is heavy-handed, as when Esperanza ominously pricks her finger on a rose thorne just before her father is killed. But Ryan writes movingly in clear, poetic language that children will sink into, and the books offers excellent opportunities for discussion and curriculum support. 

Ransom, J. (2011, July 14). Re: Thursday's Book Review: Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan [Web Log Message]. Retrieved from http://galleryofportraits.wordpress.com/2011/07/14/thursdays-book-review-esperanza-rising-by-pam-munoz-ryan/ 

Drawing on her own family history, Pam Munoz Ryan tells the story of a young Mexican girl, Esperanza, living during the time of the Great Depression in America.  She is the cherished daughter of a wealthypadrone, and lives in luxury and ease until political upheaval and the greed of her own step-uncles rob Esperanza of both her father and her wealth, and send her fleeing to California with her mother for safety. 

Esperanza quickly learns that America is not the answer to all her problems.  Nor does it provide the new life Miguel, her friend and former servant, hopes for.  There is still the vast divide between rich and poor, only now those inequalities are compounded by differences in language and race.  Ryan wields these issues deftly.  They never become oppressive or political.  She keeps everything true to what Esperanza sees and experiences.

Esperanza is the perfect representative for the plight of the poor laborer.   She is incredibly wealthy before her troubles begin, so she experiences what it means to be poor for the first time, and we see it through her eyes.  It is a rag to riches story in reverse.  And it does not end with an easy answer.  Only the reassurance that life’s most important riches are family, friends, the fruit of the land, and the power of hope.

My Suggestions for Use in a Library Setting:

I would use Esperanza Rising in a public library setting by having an entire Saturday devoted to exploring life in the 1930's for children.  It would be a big event with the types of food children would have eaten, games they would have played, and books they would have read.  I would read an excerpt of Esperanza Rising to illustrate what life was like for migrant workers.  The book would also be included on a list of books that illustrate life in the 1930's that would be given to the children and their parents who attended the event.

Lincoln: A Photobiography: Module Four Part Two

Freedman, R. (1987). Lincoln: A Photobiography. New York: NY: Clarion Books.

Summary: 

The book provides a captivating look at the life of Abraham Lincoln.  Beginning at his birth and following the journey of his life until his assassination at the hands of John Wilkes Booth, this book augments the words with vivid pictures from his life.  We are introduced to Lincoln's life with his birth on February 12, 1809 in Hardin County, Kentucky.  We learn about his humble boyhood roots and his early interest in politics.  The book informs us of his marriage to Marry Todd on November 4, 1842, their subsequent children, his successful law practice, and his continued pursuit of government positions.  The book guides us through his tenure as president and the continued burden he faced in attempting to win the Civil War.  Finally, we are presented with the joy of the war ending turned quickly to weeping at the death of the president at the age of 56 on April 15, 1865.

My Evaluation:

I have been intending to read this book for some time, as I was curious to see why this non-fiction book captivated the Newbery committee considering the fact that fiction novels are their usual choice.  It was well worth the read, and the reason for their choice became clear to me.  The writing is excellent: clear, factual, and captivating.  It is a talented writer who can make history a treat for children.  Furthermore, the author challenged some of the concepts that are often spouted by Lincoln historians - including Lincoln's motivation for entering the war.  The author presented that the reason Lincoln entered the war was not because of slavery - that only came later.  It is important for children to learn to not assume that everything they read or hear is correct, and that they should do their own exploration of a topic rather than just swallow the first thing they hear.  Also, the photographs in this book were phenomenal.  They added considerably to the impact of the words, and gave the book a richness that would not have been achieved otherwise.  It made Abraham Lincoln a real person rather than just a dusty, historical figure.  The picture progression that illustrated how much he aged in the presidency was especially striking for me.

Reviews:

Aronson, M. (2006). Originality in nonfiction. School Library Journal. Retrieved from http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/slj/printissuecurrentissue/864175-427/originality_in_nonfiction.html.csp 

Recently, there has been an explosion of innovation in fiction and picture books—from the proliferation of novels in verse or in multiple voices to the triumphant rise of the graphic novel. But what makes for originality in nonfiction for young people? I think about this a lot. While experiments in other brands of writing are easy to recognize, there are particular reasons why equally fresh and creative work in nonfiction can escape notice. And yet, the essence of the best nonfiction is originality...There are two morals to this story. One: originality can come as much in organization and presentation as in spadework. Two: a good index of originality in books for young people is attentiveness and creativity. In what ways has the author re-conceptualized information available to adults in order to reach younger readers? The very best example of this is the most famous, Russell Freedman's Lincoln: A Photobiography (Clarion, 1987). Freedman married very sophisticated academic ideas about Lincoln's presentation of himself, his unknowability, with photos, which even a nonreader can examine.

Plot Summary of Lincoln: A Photobiography. (n.d.). Allreaders.com. Retrieved from http://www.allreaders.com/Topics/info_30653.asp

Freedman's biography of Abraham Lincoln transcends the typical juvenile biography by incorporating features typically associated with adult biography. He quotes from primary sources and portrays Lincoln in a fair and balanced approach, discussing Lincoln's faults as well as his contributions. He begins by contrasting legends about Lincoln with the facts themselves. Especially helpful are the sections at the end of the book that include excerpts from Lincoln's speeches, a list of historical sites associated with Lincoln, and a list of books about Lincoln. Freedman writes in a straight forward style and includes well known and lesser known photographs, drawings, and cartoons to illustrate the detailed text. This innovative biography won the 1988 Newberry Book Award. 

My Suggestions for Use in a Library Setting:

This book would be well suited for use in a short presentation/discussion for students in a school library.  I would use the book to present to students the idea of thinking for themselves.  With the overwhelming amount of advertising and information that children are exposed to everyday, I feel that this is a useful skill for them to possess.  This book challenges ideas that have been presented by others about Lincoln, and attempts to present him in a truthful light - flattering or not.