Buddy

by William Joyce

‘If you happened to be walking down the street in New York City in the 1930s you might have seen a most amazing sight; a beautiful woman with a very well-dressed, four-hundred-pound gorilla sporting a red carnation in the lapel of his jacket. The lady’s name? Gertie Lintz. And the gorilla’s name was Buddy.

But how does a gorilla come all the way from Africa to the streets of New York wearing a suit and tie and a red flower in his lapel? Well, here’s the story.’

High-spirited, heartbreaking, and ultimately joyous, Buddy is a classic in the making, told with the joie de vivre one now comes to expect from the ever versatile William Joyce.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Animals, True Story, Nonfiction

47 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1997

About the author

William Joyce does a lot of stuff—films, apps, Olympic curling—but children’s books are his true bailiwick (The Numberlys, The Man in the Moon, Nicholas St. North and the Battle of the Nightmare King, Toothiana, and the #1 New York Times bestselling The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore, which is also an Academy Award–winning short film, to name a few). He lives with his family in Shreveport, Louisiana.

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Orphaned at a young age, when his parents were killed by human hunters, Buddy the gorilla was still a baby, and a sick one at that, when he was adopted by New York socialite Gertrude Lintz. Soon becoming a part of her happy family, which included animals both domestic and wild, he lived an unusual life. Raised like a human, he became a curiosity in 1930s New York City, where he was seen promenading in his suit. But as Buddy grew he became more difficult to handle, and certain incidents involving water, which reminded him of the traumatic death of his parents, led to destructive behavior. Gertie knew she had to do something to make a better and happier home for Buddy - but what...?

Author/illustrator William Joyce, creator of many award-winning picture-books and children's novels, turns to the real-life story of Gertie Lintz and her gorillas in Buddy, a beginning chapter-book that hovers between picture-book and novel form. This is a highly fictionalized account, one which imagines Buddy's beginnings, and takes a number of liberties with the real story. Apparently the figure of Buddy, as he is named in this story, was named Massa in real life, and was, until his death at the Philadelphia Zoo in 1984, the longest-lived gorilla in existence. Confusingly, Lintz also raised a real-life gorilla named Buddy, although he was not the gorilla that went to Philadelphia. Leaving these issues aside, this was an engrossing story, one sure to raise questions in young readers about the ethics of how we treat wild animals. It is clear, at least in the story, that Gertie loved Buddy, and that she was wise enough to know that she could not keep him as a pet or surrogate son. Did she learn this lesson in real life, given that she raised so many wild animals in this way? Probably not. The story here is emotionally resonant, and the artwork (as is to be expected from Joyce) beautiful. Recommended to anyone looking for children's stories about gorillas.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heartbreaking.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 4 out of 5]

Buddy by William Joyce, 44 pages. CHAPTER BOOK Atheneum Books, 1997. $18. Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3), EL – ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

When Gertrude Lintz was twelve, her mother died and she was sent to work on a farm where the caregivers weren’t very kind, but the animals on the farm were her friends. When Gertrude got older she loved animals and they became her family. Buddy was a baby gorilla whose parents were killed in the jungles of Africa and he was brought to America to be cared for. Gertrude heard of the baby gorilla and knew that she just had to have him. Gertrude raised Buddy and as he got older and bigger she would go shopping with him in public and put him on display at the World Fair. Eventually, Buddy’s wild side became too much for Gertrude to handle so she found a place for him with other gorillas in a zoo, where she visited him often.

This book gives a glimpse into some of the outlandish things people did in the 1920’s. Gertrude and Buddy are easy to love and my son and I couldn’t put the book down because we had to know what would happen to them. My only complaint is that there aren’t very many illustrations, it is mostly text which makes it less appealing to younger readers. But the content is fascinating and the pictures that are there are great.

C. Peterson
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018...

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the true story of Gertie Lintz who kept wild animals as pets including many apes that we've seen in old movies. Her gorilla was named Buddy, and once enjoyed an outing in New York. This is his story...

[Celeste · Rating 4 out of 5]

My 8 year old and I devoured this book in 2 nights-so interesting!!

[Becky · Rating 2 out of 5]

Needs more illustrations in order for it it be an interesting read aloud for children. Also, photographs of Gertrude and Buddy would have made a welcomed addition. I was disappointed in this book.

[Relyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the one William Joyce book that didn't appeal to me. However, I read it anyway when I discovered that it was one of Joyce's own favorites. Oh, it was an appealing book. Great fun with excellent art and a lot of thought provoking issues.

Lesson Connections
Use as a part of an author study about William Joyce. This book will provide many serious discussion issues and can be a jumping off point for debate, discussion, and real-world research. Example: Is it acceptable to own wild animals? Are zoos ethical? What about drive through animal parks?

[Min · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute story for children that goes along with a movie about a gorilla named Massa. The fate of Buddy was very different.
As an adult that dislikes the very idea of humans owning such exotic creatures I am torn, yet, more conflicted that the story is a conflated tale that blends the pleasant sounding name of a gorilla whose life didn't end as pleasantly as Massa. I realize a children's story won't address the real Buddy's fate.
I focused my score for this book based on if a child would enjoy it.

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is crazy that this is based on a true story in the 1930's. It seems that a lot could be learned by looking at Gertrude Lintz and her raising primates like they were humans. At least in Buddy's case, it is obvious that it is not a good choice!

[Kaethe · Rating 5 out of 5]

True story of an eccentric flapper and her more eccentric pet. Lovely, and only a little sad.

[Leslie Fisher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating story. I love how William Joyce features the Lintz's dachshund.

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Watched the movie and so read the book. William Joyce always has interesting subjects.