Bud, Not Buddy

The following materials bring books to life and support both individual and group literature study. Use these resources to draw real-world connections, plan interdisciplinary lessons, inspire unique research projects, create enrichment activities, and support differentiated instruction.

• Children of the Great Depression

This nonfiction resource by Russell Freedman depicts the daily lives and struggles of Depression-Era children using firsthand accounts and photographs.

• The Mighty Miss Malone

Deza Malone, one of Bud’s acquaintances in Bud, Not Buddy, tells her story in this 2012 novel by Christopher Paul Curtis.

• Interview with Christopher Paul Curtis (Collaborative Classroom)

This written interview with Christopher Paul Curtis explores the author’s influences, background, and writing process. Curtis notes strategies he used while researching for Bud, Not Buddy, particularly in the 9th question.

• “Catching Up with Christopher Paul Curtis”

This is a free, 37-minute podcast on All Write in Sin City from February 2021. In the interview, the author discusses his writing career, his novels, and his characters in relation to his background and influences.

• Jazz: A Film by Ken Burns

This is a 10-episode video documentary on the history and influence of Jazz in the United States; episodes 4, 5, and 6 focus on the 1930s (the time period in Bud, Not Buddy).