Bud, Not Buddy

 

I had the great pleasure of seeing Christopher Paul Curtis on Tuesday for a reading and book signing. While it is true my experiences with author readings are limited, it was the very best by far. Mr. Curtis managed to be charming, hilarious, touching, and inspiring, sharing funny personal anecdotes and his journey to becoming a published, award winning author. I left that evening feeling inspired to write and to continue to pursue my own writing. I also left wanting to read another of his books, as I had only read one, The Watsons Go to Birmingham, 1963, which is an incredible book and very worth reading. And so I read Bud, Not Buddy, which Isaac had read, is currently reading at school, and had recommended. I enjoyed it, but not as much as his first book. It is a touching story, but I had a hard time connecting with Bud for some reason. I felt like I could empathize with him, but wasn't really connecting, if that makes sense. The book's ending made up for its slow beginning, though and was uplifting. I would still recommend The Watsons Go to Birmingham, 1963 first, but plain and simple, Christopher Paul Curtis is a very talented writer and everything by him is bound to be quite good.