Bud, Not Buddy Teaching Ideas

Are you looking for some Bud, Not Buddy Teaching Ideas? You’ve come to the right place.

Story Summary

Bud, Not Buddy tells the story of a 10-year-old orphan whose mother died four years earlier. The year is 1936. This is during the Great Depression. Bud is taken in by the Amoses who think Bud is a troublemaker. They lock him in the shed, and Bud runs away.

Bud goes to the library looking for Miss Hill. She has moved away. There, Bud sees his friend Bugs who is running away out west. Bud joins him hoping to find his father. Bugs and Bud become separated when Bud is too slow to catch the train.

Bud goes to the library to research the walking distance to Grand Rapids where he believes his father is. While walking to Grand Rapids, Bud meets Lefty Lewis who gives him a ride.

Bud finally reaches Grand Rapids and finds Herman Calloway, the man he believes is his father. Herman Calloway is an old coot who denies he has a son.

Why Read the Novel?

Bud, Not Buddy is a terrific choice for a class novel study for several reasons:

• Bud, Not Buddy tells the story of a young boy living during the 1930s Great Depression. Through this story, students get a feel for this time in American history. The story tells of poverty, hardships, orphanages, and hunger. Students read about several events of the Great Depression: soup kitchens, train-hopping, and Hoovervilles.

• The story is rich in figurative language. The author filled the novel with similes, metaphors, onomatopoeia, and so on. The novel even contains language that was made-up by the main character Bud. The author’s word choice really enhances the novel.

• Bud, Not Buddy is a Common Core Exemplary Text. This means that the novel contains complex language. Advanced vocabulary and other elements challenge students.