Ten-year-old Bud Caldwell is a foster child living in Flint, Michigan, during the Great Depression. After escaping an abusive placement, he sets out on foot for Grand Rapids to find Herman E. Calloway, a jazz musician he believes is his father based on old flyers left by his deceased mother. Bud navigates the dangers of 1936 America, encountering a Hooverville, riding the rails, and meeting a suspicious driver who helps him reach his destination. He keeps a suitcase of memorabilia and a mental list of rules to help him survive as he seeks a permanent home with the band members of the Dusky Devastators of the Depression.
Middle-grade readers and students of historical fiction read this book to understand the specific hardships and social structures of the 1930s through a child's perspective. It provides a look at the history of jazz music, the logistical realities of the Depression, and the impact of Jim Crow laws on travel. The reader learns how a sense of belonging is constructed through family artifacts and shared stories, finishing the narrative with a clearer picture of how individuals found stability during economic collapse.
Clear-cut; an easy read.
Best for readers like The Story Seeker. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 1994
- Language
- EN
