The Return of Buddy Bush

by Shelia P. Moses

First introduced in Shelia P. Moses' award-winning The Legend of Buddy Bush, Pattie Mae Sheals continues her journey in The Return of Buddy Bush. Pattie Mae goes to Harlem to visit her sister after the death of their beloved grandfather and the disappearance of Uncle Buddy, who has been wrongly accused of a terrible crime. Harlem could not be more different from Rich Square, North Carolina-people speak differently, people dress differently, and black men and women work and run their own businesses, just like any white man would do. Harlem is magical to Pattie Mae, and a chance meeting with the black writer Richard Wright fully opens her eyes to the fact that anything is possible in her future.

Pattie Mae is not only determined to soak up the Northern lifestyle, but she is on a secret mission to find her uncle. The rumors are that he is hiding out in Harlem, so Pattie Mae wants to bring him back. In her innocence she believes that once Uncle Buddy returns, he can have a fair trial and prove once and for all that he did nothing wrong.

What Pattie Mae learns about life and opportunity, and what Uncle Buddy learns about family and justice, are at the heart of this rich and unforgettable novel.

Genres: Historical Fiction

160 pages, Hardcover

First published December 20, 2005

About the author

Poet, author, playwright, and producer Shelia P. Moses was raised the ninth of ten children on Rehobeth Road in Rich Square, North Carolina. She is the co-author of Dick Gregory's memoir, Callus on My Soul, as well as the award-winning author of several books for young readers. Shelia lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

Reviews

[NS - Cami Houston · Rating 4 out of 5]

Appropriate for middle school to early high school, this book was a bit trite, but as you read on it begins to pick up a bit. After being falsely accused of the attempted rape of a white woman, Uncle Buddy escaped jail and a KKK lynching and disappeared into the streets of Harlem. Here, Pattie Mae, 12, describes the funeral of her brokenhearted grandpa; her journey North with her sister; and her search for her beloved, legendary uncle. The girl is dazzled by Harlem: indoor plumbing; streets filled with cars and well-dressed people; endless store windows; black-owned businesses; and a pervasive attitude of independence, self-respect, and possibility. When she finds Uncle Buddy, she explains that Grandma isn't well, and he reluctantly returns home. There, after a family reunion, the sheriff takes him to the State Correction Center for his own protection. In separate, highly publicized trials, Buddy and the Klansmen are acquitted. Nonetheless, he knows that he cannot survive there and says farewell again to his family. Pattie Mae's voice is fresh and colloquial, and her spunky narration will speak to readers.

[Ms. Tongate, TLC Librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now I need to go back and read the first book, Legend of Buddy Bush. This is a great audio book that has a fabulous reader. I loved that she met author Richard Wright while he was getting his shoes shined in Harlem.

Setting: Rich Square, NC, in 1947.

From SLJ: After being falsely accused of the attempted rape of a white woman, Uncle Buddy escaped jail and disappeared into the streets of Harlem. Pattie Mae, 12, describes the funeral of her grandpa; her journey North with her sister; and her search for her uncle. The girl is dazzled by Harlem: indoor plumbing; streets filled with cars and well-dressed people; endless store windows; black-owned businesses; and an attitude of independence, self-respect, and possibility. When she finds Uncle Buddy, she explains that Grandma isn't well, and he reluctantly returns home. There, after a family reunion, the sheriff takes him to the State Correction Center for his own protection. In separate, highly publicized trials, Buddy and the 7 white men (Klansmen) are acquitted. Nonetheless, he knows that he cannot survive there and says farewell again to his family and heads back to Harlem. Pattie Mae's voice is fresh and her spunky narration will speak to readers. Her Rehobeth Road community comes to life through her observations, reflections, and mason jar eavesdropping. A Harlem-street-corner meeting with author Richard Wright opens her eyes to the depth and breadth of the black struggle and helps her to understand Uncle Buddy's decision.

[Harlie Pevley · Rating 4 out of 5]

12 year old Pattie Mae visits her sister in Harlem after her grandfather passed away. Her uncle Buddy has been missing and wrongly accused of a crime. She is determined to find him. Barjean is her cousin and she travels with her. They found out that uncle Buddy was part of the KKK. They went to New York and quickly found out it was very different than where they came from. Grandma is my favorite because she is the head of the family. People have to say good morning to her first before they say good morning to the other family members. They have to ask her for permission before doing anything.
I can relate to Pattie Mae. She is losing a lot of her family in a very short time. I have lost some of family in the past 2-3 years. Pattie Mae loves going through family obituaries to find out about her family. I like looking at pictures and seeing what my family looks like.
I enjoyed reading the book because it is written like a southern African American is talking. I loved the beginning. It talks about everyone dying and I think that is very interesting. The way it is said makes it seem like everything is going to be ok. The author has an interesting voice.
I would recommend this book. It is an easy read. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes books about discovering about family.

[Adrienne · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the sequel to The Legend of Buddy Bush, Pattie Mae heads north to Harlem with her sister to visit for a few weeks. She is determined to find her uncle, Buddy Bush, to let him know that her grandfather has died and that the KKK members who kidnapped Buddy have been arrested and will stand trial.

While I enjoyed returning to Pattie Mae's world, I didn't like this book as much as the first one, perhaps because we didn't see as much of the other lovable characters, such as Grandpa and Grandma Babe, who really brought the first book to life. However, I did enjoy learning more about the Buddy Bush story and Pattie Mae is still a highly engaging narrator.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this one up at the Barnes & Noble since Shelia P. Moses is going to be coming for a book signing soon. What I didn't realize until I started this was that this is actually the sequel to The Legend of Buddy Bush. Set in postwar Harlem and in North Carolina, this story depicts societal differences between living in the North and the South, especially for black people during this time. Pictures and an Author's note at the end lend credibility to this piece of historical fiction. Abrupt and sad ending for me.

[Adrienna · Rating 3 out of 5]

The narrative is from a 12 year old girl who attends several funerals in the south. She speaks highly of her Uncle Buddy. Since it is written in a southern tone, I prefer modern speech but does not take away from the storyline at all.

[Debbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maybe 2.5 stars

Sequel to "The Legend of Buddy Bush" set in 1947 North Carolina and Harlem. While visiting her sister in Harlem, Pattie Mae meets the author, Richard Wright ("Native Son"), while he's getting his shoes shined.

[Karen Gibson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I now need to read the Legend of Bobby Bush--this is a sequel. This book has excellent voice.