Buddy

macrol - This book is much more real life and relatable than any other dog book. In my book Buddy a kid named Lil’T who already has a rough life, goes through some more rough time when he decides to get a dog of his own. The dog's name is Buddy. This book takes place in New Orleans, Louisiana. A conflict that he faces is Hurricane Katrina and having to leave his dog behind. When he goes back after the hurricane Buddy is missing! Lil'T really wants to go and look for Buddy but his family thinks that they should first find shelter and a place to live. In this book the antagonist is definitely the hurricane but also Lil'Ts family keeps switching between protagonist and antagonist from different situations. The protagonists are Lil'T and Buddy. Another conflict is that Lil'T has to make a life changing decision for both him and Buddy. Overall I really liked and enjoyed this book. I have read it so many times because of how much I enjoy the story. I really recommend this book and it is a great free read and independent book to enjoy.

July 15, 2012
Twelve-year-old Li'l T offers an absorbing first-person account of a poor, tightly knit, multigenerational family's experience in Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath, focused through the lens of Li'l T's relationship with a special dog named Buddy. Unlike other titles that deal with Katrina, this one eases up to the big event, enabling readers to establish a strong connection with the characters by slowly revealing how Li'l T and Buddy met and how Li'l T helped Buddy recover from the amputation of one of his legs. When the epic storm comes into the picture, readers find themselves as heartbroken as Li'l T when the family must leave Buddy behind in the evacuation. Li'l T struggles mightily during the family's temporary stay in Mississippi, suffering the loss of his dog, the family home and, finally, his beloved and now disconsolate grandfather. When the family moves back to New Orleans, Li'l T learns that he just might be able to get Buddy back from the family in California who has adopted him. The scenes involving the neighborhood criminal element and some final plot twists seem a little contrived, but Li'l T's voice and love for Buddy feel authentic, and those elements are enough to carry the story. A touching tale of hope, of holding on when you can, and of letting go when it's the right thing to do. (Fiction. 9-12)

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November 1, 2012

Gr 5-8-Twelve-year-old Li'l T, who lives with his extended family in the Ninth Ward in New Orleans, has wanted a dog for as long as he can remember, so when his father accidentally hits a stray with his car, Li'l T adopts the injured animal and names him Buddy. The two become inseparable until hurricane warnings force the family to evacuate to Mississippi. Believing they will be gone for only two days, and as there is literally no room in the car for Buddy, they leave him with food and water on the second floor of their home. Hurricane Katrina wreaks its destruction, and when the family is finally allowed to return, the house is still standing, but Buddy is missing. The only clue to his fate is a water-stained, incomplete toll-free telephone number from his rescuers. Li'l T is devastated and fears he will never find Buddy. This is more than just a dog story as the novel has strong, well-developed adult characters in a wise and caring grandfather and a tough but loving father. Both men teach Li'l T about right and wrong, about being part of a family, and about responsibility. There is also a strong community bond with neighbors and church members who help one another through the hard times. The only dissident note is that Li'l T does well in school but uses bad grammar when he speaks. Readers will figure out the ending long before the conclusion, but that doesn't detract from this well-written story.Nancy P. Reeder, Heathwood Hall Episcopal School, Columbia, SC

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