Bud, Not Buddy

It is 1936 in Flint, Michigan, and ten-year-old Bud Caldwell has been on his own since his mother died. He keeps his few belongings in a battered suitcase and lives by a long list of rules for getting through life with as little trouble as possible. After a miserable stay with a foster family, Bud decides to run away and search for the father he has never met. His only clue is a set of old flyers advertising a jazz bandleader named Herman E. Calloway, and Bud is sure they point the way. His trip across Depression-era Michigan is full of hunger, kindness from strangers and Bud's own hilarious commentary. The novel suits readers about 10 and up and pairs warmth and humor with a clear view of hard times.