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Buddy
A classic boy-and-dog tale in the tradition of Old Yeller
Tyrone "Li'l T" Roberts meets Buddy when his family's car accidentally hits the stray dog on their way to church. Buddy turns out to be the dog Li'l T's always wished for--until Hurricane Katrina comes to New Orleans and he must leave Buddy behind. After the storm, Li'l T and his father return home to find a community struggling to rebuild their lives--and Buddy gone. But Li'l T refuses to give up his quest to find his best friend. From the author of the BBYA Top Ten selection The Great Wide Sea comes a powerful story of hope, courage, and knowing when to let go.
Tyrone "Li'l T" Roberts meets Buddy when his family's car accidentally hits the stray dog on their way to church. Buddy turns out to be the dog Li'l T's always wished for--until Hurricane Katrina comes to New Orleans and he must leave Buddy behind. After the storm, Li'l T and his father return home to find a community struggling to rebuild their lives--and Buddy gone. But Li'l T refuses to give up his quest to find his best friend. From the author of the BBYA Top Ten selection The Great Wide Sea comes a powerful story of hope, courage, and knowing when to let go.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published September 13, 2012
About the author
M.H. Herlong
3 books26 followersM.H. Herlong grew up in a small town in South Carolina where she once had a dog and never went sailing but did read about a million books. It makes perfect sense, therefore, that she writes all the time and that her first published novel was about sailing and her second, about a dog.
She went to The College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, where she majored in English and studied fiction writing under Stephen Marlowe. On the first day of the two-semester class, the students received the single assignment for the entire year—write a novel—which they all did. After college, Herlong taught high school English for a year then moved to Florida with her new husband where they served as captain and crew of the Sonshine and lived aboard Arawak, the sailboat which became the basis for Chrysalis, the boat in The Great Wide Sea. Together they have sailed at sea in Florida, the Bahamas, and the Virgin Islands but lately most of their sailing has been off the beach in Alabama.
After two sunny years in Florida, they moved back to Virginia, first to work on Capitol Hill and then to attend the University of Virginia where Herlong earned her Masters Degree in English and then her law degree. After law school, she and her husband moved to New Orleans where they both practiced law. Soon their first son was born and then the second. Herlong retired from the practice of law and a one-year stint as a law professor. Before long, sons number three and four arrived.
Sometime in the midst of the bottles, oatmeal, and soccer games, Herlong took up writing again. Her goal with The Great Wide Sea was to write a book her sons would want to read. Three of her sons read it immediately and liked it. Then The Great Wide Sea was named one of YALSA’s 2010 Top Ten Best Books for Young Adults and included on numerous state reading lists, including the Texas Lone Star Reading List and the Florida Sunshine State Young Readers List. But it wasn’t until three years after the book’s publication that the hold-out son finally read it. At last, she had succeeded. He liked it, too.
Herlong’s second published novel, Buddy, grows out of her experience as a New Orleanian when levee breaks in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina caused massive flooding and destroyed much of the city. Her own evacuation, return, and rebuilding story are quite different from the one of Li’l T and his family. But all New Orleanians, no matter what happened to them or where they are today, share the essential experience that firmly divided time for every one of them into life pre-Katrina and life after.
She went to The College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, where she majored in English and studied fiction writing under Stephen Marlowe. On the first day of the two-semester class, the students received the single assignment for the entire year—write a novel—which they all did. After college, Herlong taught high school English for a year then moved to Florida with her new husband where they served as captain and crew of the Sonshine and lived aboard Arawak, the sailboat which became the basis for Chrysalis, the boat in The Great Wide Sea. Together they have sailed at sea in Florida, the Bahamas, and the Virgin Islands but lately most of their sailing has been off the beach in Alabama.
After two sunny years in Florida, they moved back to Virginia, first to work on Capitol Hill and then to attend the University of Virginia where Herlong earned her Masters Degree in English and then her law degree. After law school, she and her husband moved to New Orleans where they both practiced law. Soon their first son was born and then the second. Herlong retired from the practice of law and a one-year stint as a law professor. Before long, sons number three and four arrived.
Sometime in the midst of the bottles, oatmeal, and soccer games, Herlong took up writing again. Her goal with The Great Wide Sea was to write a book her sons would want to read. Three of her sons read it immediately and liked it. Then The Great Wide Sea was named one of YALSA’s 2010 Top Ten Best Books for Young Adults and included on numerous state reading lists, including the Texas Lone Star Reading List and the Florida Sunshine State Young Readers List. But it wasn’t until three years after the book’s publication that the hold-out son finally read it. At last, she had succeeded. He liked it, too.
Herlong’s second published novel, Buddy, grows out of her experience as a New Orleanian when levee breaks in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina caused massive flooding and destroyed much of the city. Her own evacuation, return, and rebuilding story are quite different from the one of Li’l T and his family. But all New Orleanians, no matter what happened to them or where they are today, share the essential experience that firmly divided time for every one of them into life pre-Katrina and life after.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 263 reviews
August 12, 2013
I must say this is a really great book. Not just for dog lovers, and not just for people whose hearts are in New Orleans
M.H. Herlong does an incredible job portraying the way someone falls in love with a dog; immediately and fully. She describes the poor family's struggle, and a boy's determination to keep his dog. The struggle culminates when they can't even take the dog with them when they are forced to evacuate from Katrina. (Being a Dog Person, this would have really stood out to me even if it had not been a key point in the story; in movies and books that feature dogs as side characters, I always find myself wondering "what about the dog?")
Without giving too much away, the book mostly centers on the boy's determination to first get, then keep, and then find his dog again (after he is lost in Katrina). I do not recommend reading the book on public transportation, since I found myself crying often- but it was mostly good, happy crying. The end, well wow I won't say anything but the end is very very touching.
Definitely a good book for the older child to young adult set. It is probably best suited for middle school age and older because it does touch on some themes that may be older a younger child's head. But, I also recommend it to all ages, as I am in my twenties and enjoyed it.
M.H. Herlong does an incredible job portraying the way someone falls in love with a dog; immediately and fully. She describes the poor family's struggle, and a boy's determination to keep his dog. The struggle culminates when they can't even take the dog with them when they are forced to evacuate from Katrina. (Being a Dog Person, this would have really stood out to me even if it had not been a key point in the story; in movies and books that feature dogs as side characters, I always find myself wondering "what about the dog?")
Without giving too much away, the book mostly centers on the boy's determination to first get, then keep, and then find his dog again (after he is lost in Katrina). I do not recommend reading the book on public transportation, since I found myself crying often- but it was mostly good, happy crying. The end, well wow I won't say anything but the end is very very touching.
Definitely a good book for the older child to young adult set. It is probably best suited for middle school age and older because it does touch on some themes that may be older a younger child's head. But, I also recommend it to all ages, as I am in my twenties and enjoyed it.
August 4, 2022
3.5 stars
Great book about what the residents of New Orleans endured during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The love that Li’l T has for his family and his dog Buddy shows through, as they must rebuild their lives and help others do the same.
Great book about what the residents of New Orleans endured during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The love that Li’l T has for his family and his dog Buddy shows through, as they must rebuild their lives and help others do the same.
December 11, 2012
Poor family just getting by accidentally hits a dog on their way to church. Church community pulls together to get the dog proper vet care; dog loses a leg and boy gets to adopt him (after sacrificing his beloved gameboy to buy food). Dog gets left behind when family evacuates for Katrina. (Oh, right, this is set in New Orleans; there's not a great sense of Place around the book.) Boy will do anything to get his dog back, etc.
Not bad, a decent boy-loves-his-dog story, mixed with the grief a young teen understandably feels after his family has lost everything through no fault of their own. I'd have liked to have gotten a better sense of New Orleans both before and after Katrina, but overall it's a decent, heartwarming book.
Cover is terrible, though, and gives so little indication that it's a Katrina story. Would not be surprised to see this on middle-school reading lists in a year or two (hopefully the cover will be redesigned for the pb edition).
Not bad, a decent boy-loves-his-dog story, mixed with the grief a young teen understandably feels after his family has lost everything through no fault of their own. I'd have liked to have gotten a better sense of New Orleans both before and after Katrina, but overall it's a decent, heartwarming book.
Cover is terrible, though, and gives so little indication that it's a Katrina story. Would not be surprised to see this on middle-school reading lists in a year or two (hopefully the cover will be redesigned for the pb edition).
November 26, 2013
Buddy was one of the books featured at the book fair. I'm also a fool for a book about dogs so I gave it a try. I LOVE this book!
Lil T leaves in New Orleans with his family. He's been dying to get a dog for a long time. But there never seems to be enough money to afford one. Then, on the way to church one morning, his father accidentally hits a dog with the car. The vet fixes the dog's leg and then Lil T takes him home and names him Buddy. To afford to feed Buddy, Lil T begins a lawn mowing business. He makes enough money to be able to afford a bicycle, too. Life is great for Lil T, Buddy, and the entire family. Until Hurricane Katrina hits.
There is not enough room in the car for the entire family plus a dog. So they put Buddy in the upstairs bathroom with plenty of water and food, believing that they would return in a couple of days. Those couple days turn into three months. Lil T believes that Buddy has died in the hurricane and is absolutely sick about it. But then he receives news that maybe Buddy is alive after all.
Buddy ranks right up there with Where the Red Fern Grows and Shiloh.
Lil T leaves in New Orleans with his family. He's been dying to get a dog for a long time. But there never seems to be enough money to afford one. Then, on the way to church one morning, his father accidentally hits a dog with the car. The vet fixes the dog's leg and then Lil T takes him home and names him Buddy. To afford to feed Buddy, Lil T begins a lawn mowing business. He makes enough money to be able to afford a bicycle, too. Life is great for Lil T, Buddy, and the entire family. Until Hurricane Katrina hits.
There is not enough room in the car for the entire family plus a dog. So they put Buddy in the upstairs bathroom with plenty of water and food, believing that they would return in a couple of days. Those couple days turn into three months. Lil T believes that Buddy has died in the hurricane and is absolutely sick about it. But then he receives news that maybe Buddy is alive after all.
Buddy ranks right up there with Where the Red Fern Grows and Shiloh.
July 16, 2021
Cried while reading this book in my first grade class
September 17, 2012
My seventh grade students will be reading this beautifully-written, inspiring and hopeful book this October. The story upholds the potential of the human spirit and demonstrates the power that love has when given selflessly, time and time again. It brings the reader to Katrina in a moving and compassionate way. The chapters, text complexity, and length of book all assist in making this an enjoyable read for readers and "non-" readers alike. Finally, a book that both genders, ages 9 and up, can relate to and will desire to read, over and over again, both in and outside the classroom.
March 12, 2015
This was a good book. It is about a boy named Li'l T and his dog Buddy. Buddy gets separated from Li'l T in hurricane Katrina. Li'l T tries hard to find the dog, but it will depend upon his courage and strength during the rebuilding of the city, his house, and their lives after Hurricane Katrina. This book has Christ in it, and they go to church. I would recommend this book to boys and girls. It's about a boy but I still liked it. I found this book at the Book Fair.
December 24, 2018
This book is amazing, I am writing this review like a year after the last time I have read this so I am not going to do an overall review since I don't remember all of the details. But I loved this book...I still love this book!! It is a must read for all ages. I love dog books!! And this was a fantastic book. YOU HAVE TO READ THIS BOOK!! SOOOOO GOOD!!
January 21, 2014
Mrs. Preziosi Jenna recommended that book to me and I LOVED it! You should really read it!
September 11, 2014
Lil T is the main character and one person who takes care of Buddy.
T Junior, T Senior, and Mama, are all members of Lil's family.
One day on their way to church, T Junior hit a dog in the middle of the road. After church they had the dog looked at by a vet who said that one of Buddy's front legs had to be amputated, but that he would survive. Lil T had always wanted a dog and so he bargained endlessly with his parents so that he could keep the dog. His parents finally gave in and Lil T named the dog Buddy. Lil T loved Buddy and took great care of him. In fact, after a few weeks Buddy was ale to get around by himself. However one day Hurricane Katrina came into view and was heading right for New Orleans. Everyone was ordered to leave the city. Lil T's family prepared to leave except that there was one problem; Buddy wouldn't fit into the car with them. Lil T was devastated and didn't ever want to leave Buddy alone, but as the storm came closer he knew that he had to go without his best friend. They leave and go to Atlanta to stay with T Junior's cousin, but while they are in Atlanta, Hurricane Katrina reaches them. They end up leaving to go to the Superdome and after many days staying there, T Junior finds work and buys an apartment that escaped the drastic damage of the hurricane. They live there for a while, but Lil T changes. He misses his dog, and one night T Senior passed away in his sleep. His grades plummet and he isn't the same person. One days afterwards T Junior takes Lil T to New Orleans with him to help fix up the house. After many months of rebuilding the house it is complete. Lil T finds out his dog is in California and living with a family. Lil T works heartlessly day and night forever to get enough money to travel to California to find his dog. After he gives up all his money to bail out a good friend who was put behind bars for self-defense, he was hopeless, but the local pasture was able to get some tickets from a good friend who wanted to do the right thing. Lil T and his dad fly out to California to get Buddy, but after he realized that Buddy is better off living with his new family he leaves without Buddy and they fly back to New Orleans. Although he missed his best friend, he was happy to have his life back. In conclusion, Lil T kept a three legged dog named Buddy and took very good care of him until Hurricane Katrina forced him to part ways with his best friend. However after months of gathering money and worrying about Buddy, he has a chance to go to California and get his dog back, but he soon realizes that Buddy really loves his new family and so Lil T goes back to New Orleans to live his life again.
T Junior, T Senior, and Mama, are all members of Lil's family.
One day on their way to church, T Junior hit a dog in the middle of the road. After church they had the dog looked at by a vet who said that one of Buddy's front legs had to be amputated, but that he would survive. Lil T had always wanted a dog and so he bargained endlessly with his parents so that he could keep the dog. His parents finally gave in and Lil T named the dog Buddy. Lil T loved Buddy and took great care of him. In fact, after a few weeks Buddy was ale to get around by himself. However one day Hurricane Katrina came into view and was heading right for New Orleans. Everyone was ordered to leave the city. Lil T's family prepared to leave except that there was one problem; Buddy wouldn't fit into the car with them. Lil T was devastated and didn't ever want to leave Buddy alone, but as the storm came closer he knew that he had to go without his best friend. They leave and go to Atlanta to stay with T Junior's cousin, but while they are in Atlanta, Hurricane Katrina reaches them. They end up leaving to go to the Superdome and after many days staying there, T Junior finds work and buys an apartment that escaped the drastic damage of the hurricane. They live there for a while, but Lil T changes. He misses his dog, and one night T Senior passed away in his sleep. His grades plummet and he isn't the same person. One days afterwards T Junior takes Lil T to New Orleans with him to help fix up the house. After many months of rebuilding the house it is complete. Lil T finds out his dog is in California and living with a family. Lil T works heartlessly day and night forever to get enough money to travel to California to find his dog. After he gives up all his money to bail out a good friend who was put behind bars for self-defense, he was hopeless, but the local pasture was able to get some tickets from a good friend who wanted to do the right thing. Lil T and his dad fly out to California to get Buddy, but after he realized that Buddy is better off living with his new family he leaves without Buddy and they fly back to New Orleans. Although he missed his best friend, he was happy to have his life back. In conclusion, Lil T kept a three legged dog named Buddy and took very good care of him until Hurricane Katrina forced him to part ways with his best friend. However after months of gathering money and worrying about Buddy, he has a chance to go to California and get his dog back, but he soon realizes that Buddy really loves his new family and so Lil T goes back to New Orleans to live his life again.
February 8, 2022
This book definitely goes into my category of favorite dog books. Great story about a youth in New Orleans and Katrina with a couple of dogs in the story. Would be very good for youth but I would say great for everyone. Very good examples to be conversation themes to talk about with children.
The book does have Christian overtones, but only in what I see as normal stuff Christians do, not the preachy books that try to trick people as a way evangelize. I think everyone would like this book.
I agree with what I read in another's review that the cover did a disservice to the book in that it doesn't give some kind of hint to the great story dealing with Katrina. Really good example of you can't judge a book by it's cover. I am very glad we have people's reviews to be able to help us get beyond a cover. All I can say is that I have read well over 200 books on dogs at this point, and it is definitely in my top favorites so I highly recommend it.
The book does have Christian overtones, but only in what I see as normal stuff Christians do, not the preachy books that try to trick people as a way evangelize. I think everyone would like this book.
I agree with what I read in another's review that the cover did a disservice to the book in that it doesn't give some kind of hint to the great story dealing with Katrina. Really good example of you can't judge a book by it's cover. I am very glad we have people's reviews to be able to help us get beyond a cover. All I can say is that I have read well over 200 books on dogs at this point, and it is definitely in my top favorites so I highly recommend it.
February 25, 2013
I was pulled in by the dog on the cover, read this in about 3 hours and at least that many kleenexes. The characters seem very authentic, especially Lil'T. The recent memories of newscasts from Hurricane Katrina floated in the back of my mind, especially the heart wrenching rescues of the pets who were left behind.
March 23, 2018
It is about to never lose hope in anything.
September 24, 2018
My 10-year old son loved this book. We took turns reading and loved seeing Buddy and Lil 'T' s journey during Hurricane Katrina. A few tears were shed too. ;)
Read
February 3, 2020So sweet and sad
June 30, 2014
I finished this book with tears streaming. I can't say that M. H. Herlong's novel has a sad ending, so I guess I'll have to describe it as emotionally touching.
The relationship between Li'l T and his dog Buddy is something most dog owners know. These two share many heart-to-heart conversations throughout the novel.
Herlong draws the reader into the sights and sounds of New Orleans as Li'l T and Buddy sit together and listen. "The squirrels are chucking in the bushes and the birds are chirp, chirping their warnings to each other. There are kids playing in the next block. There are air conditioners running. There are cars and trucks in the streets. The tree frogs are singing in the trees and the people are talking when they walk by. There are sirens and that beep, beep sound when working trucks back up." (p. 59) These are the sounds that bond a boy and his dog as they sit in their own silence listening to the world while Li'l T pets his Buddy.
Sounds are vital to Herlong's storytelling. At one point in the story,as Daddy and Li'l T stand in Grampa's room Li'l T says, "It's so quiet in New Orleans now that when we ain't making noise ourselve my ears feel like they fill up with silence, like there ain't no such thing as sound." (p. 208)
Granpa T talks about returning to Mississippi after serving in the the army. He stops by a church and hears a girl whose singing causes his heart to lift up on the wings of a song. (p. 64) That girl would eventually become Li'l T's gramdmama though he would never meet her. Granpa T describes Grandmama as the most beautiful woman in the world. You know that she was his only true love. Not only do Li'l T and Buddy have a special bond but family in this story demonstrates human connections that are inspiring.
The devastation of Hurricane Katrina is important to the plot. Herlong offers a very human and personal perspective to the destruction and its affect on people and pets.
There are a couple of references to weed in the story. Li'l T was smart enough to keep his distance though he was given the opportunity to partake.
Buddy is a book about a boy and his dog. It's also a book about growing up and learning to let go. What a hard but rewarding lesson to learn.
(Note to myself)
I brought this book home over the summer from our junior high school library. Keep this book on top of the library bookshelves next year. It's a book every kid should read. I absolultely loved it!
The relationship between Li'l T and his dog Buddy is something most dog owners know. These two share many heart-to-heart conversations throughout the novel.
Herlong draws the reader into the sights and sounds of New Orleans as Li'l T and Buddy sit together and listen. "The squirrels are chucking in the bushes and the birds are chirp, chirping their warnings to each other. There are kids playing in the next block. There are air conditioners running. There are cars and trucks in the streets. The tree frogs are singing in the trees and the people are talking when they walk by. There are sirens and that beep, beep sound when working trucks back up." (p. 59) These are the sounds that bond a boy and his dog as they sit in their own silence listening to the world while Li'l T pets his Buddy.
Sounds are vital to Herlong's storytelling. At one point in the story,as Daddy and Li'l T stand in Grampa's room Li'l T says, "It's so quiet in New Orleans now that when we ain't making noise ourselve my ears feel like they fill up with silence, like there ain't no such thing as sound." (p. 208)
Granpa T talks about returning to Mississippi after serving in the the army. He stops by a church and hears a girl whose singing causes his heart to lift up on the wings of a song. (p. 64) That girl would eventually become Li'l T's gramdmama though he would never meet her. Granpa T describes Grandmama as the most beautiful woman in the world. You know that she was his only true love. Not only do Li'l T and Buddy have a special bond but family in this story demonstrates human connections that are inspiring.
The devastation of Hurricane Katrina is important to the plot. Herlong offers a very human and personal perspective to the destruction and its affect on people and pets.
There are a couple of references to weed in the story. Li'l T was smart enough to keep his distance though he was given the opportunity to partake.
Buddy is a book about a boy and his dog. It's also a book about growing up and learning to let go. What a hard but rewarding lesson to learn.
(Note to myself)
I brought this book home over the summer from our junior high school library. Keep this book on top of the library bookshelves next year. It's a book every kid should read. I absolultely loved it!
May 28, 2014
Another Katrina story about a boy and his dog, and yet--it wasn't. Lil 'T has wanted a dog for the longest time, but there was never enough money or room. So when his family car hits a stray, it seems like fate. Here is his dog--his Buddy. Yes, the dog is badly injured. One of the dog's legs needs to be amputated and Lil 'T needs to nurse him back to health. But Buddy recovers nicely and is everything Lil 'T wants in a dog. He even manages to win over the family. But then Katrina comes along and the family must evacuate. They think it will only be for a couple of days. Since there isn't room, Buddy is left behind. But of course, Katrina wasn't like the other hurricanes the family had experienced before. It is much longer before they are able to return to their home, and when they return, Buddy is gone. However, they realize he is alive somewhere and Lil' T still believes that Buddy is his dog. Will he be able to get him back? I liked that this book followed a family who evacuated and gave the the reader a chance to see that Katrina had a much longer reach than just New Orleans. I liked that Lil 'T obeyed his family and went with them-making the hard choice to leave Buddy behind. This family had every expectation, based on previous experience, that they would be back in a couple of days. I liked that the book showed that recovery was a slow and painful process--and that the families who were displaced felt hopeless and angry. This was a coming of age story about making hard choices, sacrifices and knowing when to let go.
September 21, 2014
Over and over I have heard it said that nothing in this world is truly ours. We are just given things and people and sometimes they stay in our lives and sometimes they do not. It does not take long in life to realize that we are not in control.
Li'l T Roberts's, family hits a dog on the way to church one Sunday. The dog has been abandoned and now needs medical care. After the new dog's leg was cut off, the family names him Buddy and Li'l T adopts him and works odd jobs to help feed him.
When Hurricane Katrina hits, the family leaves and Buddy stays behind in the house because there is no room for him. After the storm, the family finds the dog has been rescued but the note telling who to contact is moldy and cannot be read. Life goes on and Li'l T is given a new dog, but he never forgets Buddy.
One day Li'l T finds that his dog is alive and living with a family in California. When he goes out to claim the dog and bring him home, he discovers that Buddy was not his to keep, but his to love for a short time and then to share with another.
Favorite quote: "Brother James told me I was the instrument of God," I say. "He said our car hit Buddy so we could save him. I thought I was saving him for me. Turns out," I say,"I was saving him for Brian. I guess that was the plan all along. I just did not see it."
Li'l T Roberts's, family hits a dog on the way to church one Sunday. The dog has been abandoned and now needs medical care. After the new dog's leg was cut off, the family names him Buddy and Li'l T adopts him and works odd jobs to help feed him.
When Hurricane Katrina hits, the family leaves and Buddy stays behind in the house because there is no room for him. After the storm, the family finds the dog has been rescued but the note telling who to contact is moldy and cannot be read. Life goes on and Li'l T is given a new dog, but he never forgets Buddy.
One day Li'l T finds that his dog is alive and living with a family in California. When he goes out to claim the dog and bring him home, he discovers that Buddy was not his to keep, but his to love for a short time and then to share with another.
Favorite quote: "Brother James told me I was the instrument of God," I say. "He said our car hit Buddy so we could save him. I thought I was saving him for me. Turns out," I say,"I was saving him for Brian. I guess that was the plan all along. I just did not see it."
July 17, 2012
A GREAT dog book. L'il T never thinks he'll get a dog, until the day his dad hits one with their car, and his church helps raise the money needed to provide Buddy with medical care. The boy loves his new dog fiercely and makes his life in a rundown neighborhood in New Orleans bearable. Of course, Hurricane Katrina hits, and when they leave Buddy locked in their bathroom with plenty of food and water, they believe they are coming back in a day or so. As the disaster unfolds, L'il T's family lets the reader in to the experience of dealing with this completely devastating event. While we see them coping (and often not coping) with losing everything, we are caught up in finding out what becomes of Buddy. Adults do what they can (which is often not much), and readers will find the conclusion of this book especially satisfying. There are some very appropriate references to drug-use, crime, and other problematic situations, but mature kids in grades 4 and up should be able to handle this one, and I suspect most will really love it.
October 8, 2013
I found this story very slow to start. I wondered if I would stick with it as a kid but, since several of my students were reading it, I felt the desire to finish it. I was quite glad I did.
Lil T is an 11 year old obsessed with wanting a dog. Turns out, early in the book, his dad happens to hit a dog while driving so Buddy is suddenly there, Lil T's responsibility. The book follows the changes in Lil T from a self-centered boy to an ambitious, empathetic, understanding young adult. The coming of Hurricane Katrina offered lots of discussions as to how that may have affected families and communities at that time. For the reader in my class we needed to discuss what a shelter is and why folks may need to be there. Although we didn't for this reading, I could see numerous non-fiction opportunities as well.
In the end, I came to appreciate Lil T and his family and his church and spent more time thinking of what those who experience devastation need to endure - even if, in this case, it is told with the sub-story of a boy who loves a dog.
Lil T is an 11 year old obsessed with wanting a dog. Turns out, early in the book, his dad happens to hit a dog while driving so Buddy is suddenly there, Lil T's responsibility. The book follows the changes in Lil T from a self-centered boy to an ambitious, empathetic, understanding young adult. The coming of Hurricane Katrina offered lots of discussions as to how that may have affected families and communities at that time. For the reader in my class we needed to discuss what a shelter is and why folks may need to be there. Although we didn't for this reading, I could see numerous non-fiction opportunities as well.
In the end, I came to appreciate Lil T and his family and his church and spent more time thinking of what those who experience devastation need to endure - even if, in this case, it is told with the sub-story of a boy who loves a dog.
January 30, 2016
Li’l T is about to be 13 years old, and has always wanted a dog. When his father accidentally runs over a mangy dog, Li’l T takes it as a sign the dog is to be his and names him Buddy. From that day on, he and Buddy are inseparable.
Read the rest of my review at: http://shouldireaditornot.wordpress.c...
Read the rest of my review at: http://shouldireaditornot.wordpress.c...
July 16, 2014
Really enjoyed this story about a boy and his dog. Was afraid the Hurricane Katrina plot would take away from the story, but it really added to it and gave insight into decisions people have to make when evacuating. Very likable characters, fast-paced and the voice feels true to a middle school African American boy.
November 5, 2014
I thought that the book was really good. A boy and his family where going to church when they hit a dog. The dog gets a broken leg and the family decides to take the dog which ends up being a really close member of the family.
August 9, 2012
Anyone who loves dogs will love this story. I really LOVE this family. A good dad and great family. It seems few and far between in children's literature these days, so I appreciate that.
March 23, 2013
Ugh, I mean I liked the story but it was just a little over the top. Still, I think it's got a lot of appeal for kids who love dog stories...
March 26, 2015
This book was really good, but it made me cry.
May 12, 2022
Nice book. I love it!
September 27, 2021
Book report: Buddy
A nice fiction book, written by M.H. Herlong.
A book based around a street dog named Buddy, and a southern boy trying to take care of him when hurricane Katrina comes.
The main character section:
We first get introduced to Tyrone, a 13 year old boy living in New Orleans. He's not the only main character, but the most important one. He seems to be a very trustworthy person as shown when taking care of Buddy. He seems to follow through with things throughout the book. He seems to not like change too much, as his moodiness shown throughout him living in an apartment in Mississippi for a change. His personality shows that he is loyal to the ones he cares about, like Buddy, and his family which he protects.
Grandpa T. He is not shown doing anything important a whole lot. But, he does tell a descriptive tale about how he met Tyrone's grandma. This leaves an imprint on Tyrone, changing his whole course of life. Throughout the story, Grandpa T´s personality was shown to be clever, crafty, and helpful. As shown fixing up all of their apartments in Mississippi. Like Tyrone, his most important worry is his family.
Minor characters:
Tanya, Tyrone's 7 year old little sister. She's a minor character because she's not shown doing anything important. She's shown to have a fun, loving, but sometimes bratty personality. She loves her family, but to tell the truth, she thinks her dolls are more important. She LOVES her dolls, she has so many since all her new classmates gave them to her, she also fights with their new dog Rover for her dolls.
Ms.Washington, one of Tyrone's customers, when he had worked as a lawn mower boy. She's a minor character because she's not shown doing anything important, and just not shown in the book a whole lot in general.
However, she's shown as a caring, loving, old woman. She would give Tyrone cold drinks whenever he'd come in from mowing the lawn, and would pay him handsomely. She cares a lot about her nephew fighting in Iraq, and Tyrone would read his weekly letters to her. Overall, one of my favorite characters.
The main conflict:
Well it is fairly obvious that the problem the main character faces is taking care of his dog in hurricane Katrina. But there are some obstacles along the way such as, the dog can't come with them to Mississippi, how will he survive? And if he escapes (which he does) how will they find them? All of these issues are overcome later in the book though.
The plot:
A 12 year old boy named Tyrone ends up taking up a job mowing lawns to feed his dog Buddy he found and took care of after their families car hit him on their way to church. When hurricane Katrina hits, they end up situating Buddy in the family's bathroom with all essentials. They settle down in a small apartment in Mississippi where they start their new life while Tyrone and his dad fix up their house after the hurricane has stopped. Tyrone figures out where buddy is after brother James (the church priest) tells them that he's in a sort of ¨dog resort¨”in california. The word gets out about Buddy and Tyrone now has 2 plane tickets donated to him, they fly all the way out there to california where he and his dad meet the lady and her son, they end up staying for 2 days where at the last moment, Tyrone decides to leave Buddy behind as he thought god made him to be with brian, the lady's son.
It was a great book, and I'm glad I picked it.
It really tore through my emotions, like when I read that Ms.Washington (my favorite character) had drowned in her attic, and when Grampa T had died on their couch. Or when I read the part where Brother James was telling them about how he saw Buddy on TV and how he knew where he was I felt a boost of excitement because I knew that's how he would get Buddy back. The book somewhat compares to ¨Because of Winn-Dixie¨ Because of the setting, and plot. However I do find that ¨Because of Winn-Dixie¨ is a little better, because of the ending and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it more.
Overall, not a bad book. 8/10
A nice fiction book, written by M.H. Herlong.
A book based around a street dog named Buddy, and a southern boy trying to take care of him when hurricane Katrina comes.
The main character section:
We first get introduced to Tyrone, a 13 year old boy living in New Orleans. He's not the only main character, but the most important one. He seems to be a very trustworthy person as shown when taking care of Buddy. He seems to follow through with things throughout the book. He seems to not like change too much, as his moodiness shown throughout him living in an apartment in Mississippi for a change. His personality shows that he is loyal to the ones he cares about, like Buddy, and his family which he protects.
Grandpa T. He is not shown doing anything important a whole lot. But, he does tell a descriptive tale about how he met Tyrone's grandma. This leaves an imprint on Tyrone, changing his whole course of life. Throughout the story, Grandpa T´s personality was shown to be clever, crafty, and helpful. As shown fixing up all of their apartments in Mississippi. Like Tyrone, his most important worry is his family.
Minor characters:
Tanya, Tyrone's 7 year old little sister. She's a minor character because she's not shown doing anything important. She's shown to have a fun, loving, but sometimes bratty personality. She loves her family, but to tell the truth, she thinks her dolls are more important. She LOVES her dolls, she has so many since all her new classmates gave them to her, she also fights with their new dog Rover for her dolls.
Ms.Washington, one of Tyrone's customers, when he had worked as a lawn mower boy. She's a minor character because she's not shown doing anything important, and just not shown in the book a whole lot in general.
However, she's shown as a caring, loving, old woman. She would give Tyrone cold drinks whenever he'd come in from mowing the lawn, and would pay him handsomely. She cares a lot about her nephew fighting in Iraq, and Tyrone would read his weekly letters to her. Overall, one of my favorite characters.
The main conflict:
Well it is fairly obvious that the problem the main character faces is taking care of his dog in hurricane Katrina. But there are some obstacles along the way such as, the dog can't come with them to Mississippi, how will he survive? And if he escapes (which he does) how will they find them? All of these issues are overcome later in the book though.
The plot:
A 12 year old boy named Tyrone ends up taking up a job mowing lawns to feed his dog Buddy he found and took care of after their families car hit him on their way to church. When hurricane Katrina hits, they end up situating Buddy in the family's bathroom with all essentials. They settle down in a small apartment in Mississippi where they start their new life while Tyrone and his dad fix up their house after the hurricane has stopped. Tyrone figures out where buddy is after brother James (the church priest) tells them that he's in a sort of ¨dog resort¨”in california. The word gets out about Buddy and Tyrone now has 2 plane tickets donated to him, they fly all the way out there to california where he and his dad meet the lady and her son, they end up staying for 2 days where at the last moment, Tyrone decides to leave Buddy behind as he thought god made him to be with brian, the lady's son.
It was a great book, and I'm glad I picked it.
It really tore through my emotions, like when I read that Ms.Washington (my favorite character) had drowned in her attic, and when Grampa T had died on their couch. Or when I read the part where Brother James was telling them about how he saw Buddy on TV and how he knew where he was I felt a boost of excitement because I knew that's how he would get Buddy back. The book somewhat compares to ¨Because of Winn-Dixie¨ Because of the setting, and plot. However I do find that ¨Because of Winn-Dixie¨ is a little better, because of the ending and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it more.
Overall, not a bad book. 8/10
May 20, 2026
This book is a hard read. It's not poorly written, infact I think it's written so well to the point where my issues occur. Simply put: this book is not for sensitive, and I suppose more "woke" readers. The main character of the book is heavily neglected in his mental needs. Throughout the book he is told to "man up" despite being a little 13-year-old boy. He's just a kid and yet he's already expected to be more. This adultification is sickening especially since the black community already has an issue with adultification on little children both for black girls and boys.
This adultification starts early on in the book but only gets worse as it goes on. The main character eventually enters this depression. It's written very well. It's gloomy and depressing even for the viewer and reading it made me want to cry. What made it truly awful to read though was the fact that Lil T (the protagonist) has absolutely zero form of support system. He has no friends that uplift him, no family members, no body but a dog he didn't currently have. He's in this deep depression which I'd argue could equate to him being passive suicidal. He has no push to live; he exists. He struggles to find joy and while he's not sobbing every 2 seconds, he's miserable. Nobody helps.
When his grades fall his family is mad, but nobody really cares about his mental state. He's a kid that's lost his home, his dog, and one of his family members but when his grades slip his parents act like this was some shock. Like he failed as a person. Of course his grades slipped, everything that has occurred up to this would only REASONABLY put him in a terrible mental space. What's his family's solution to this? Work harder kid! Let's ignore the fact that forcing your kid to study harder and work harder won't solve the issue of why his grades slipped in the first place. Lil T's feelings are never properly focused on by his family members and when they "are" he's instead fed toxic masculinity. You're a man. You should man up. It's vile and disgusting to read especially since it was seemingly unintentional and how poorly his family has treated him was never addressed.
There were these little moments that bothered me as well. One being on Lil T's birthday. He was given no cake because a death occurred recently and the funeral was on the day. Have the cake... after the funeral? Or even the next day? This person meant something to Lil T but instead of having the mildest bit of consideration for her son the mom just doesn't care. Lil T is left to grief with absolutely no escape on his BIRTHDAY. This was so incredibly saddening and once again it's never addressed.
There's another moment at the very start of the book where Lil T is left to walk up to church on his own while the rest of his family takes the car. As a black reader this was very upsetting. Lil T, a black boy, left alone in racist America? He could've been hate crimed, he could've been lynched, yet his family didn't care enough to consider his safety.
There's one little thing I want to mention that's separate from my main issue. Lil T's grandpa is a pedophile? He was a grown man that preyed on a little girl (Lil T's grandma). In the book it was stated he had to wait for her to grow up. Ew? Once again this is never addressed. He's just a pedophile and neither the book nor the author cares. This makes me think very lowly of the author and makes me question their moral ethics.
I hate this book so much. The ending is also incredibly anticlimactic. Don't waste your time reading it.
This adultification starts early on in the book but only gets worse as it goes on. The main character eventually enters this depression. It's written very well. It's gloomy and depressing even for the viewer and reading it made me want to cry. What made it truly awful to read though was the fact that Lil T (the protagonist) has absolutely zero form of support system. He has no friends that uplift him, no family members, no body but a dog he didn't currently have. He's in this deep depression which I'd argue could equate to him being passive suicidal. He has no push to live; he exists. He struggles to find joy and while he's not sobbing every 2 seconds, he's miserable. Nobody helps.
When his grades fall his family is mad, but nobody really cares about his mental state. He's a kid that's lost his home, his dog, and one of his family members but when his grades slip his parents act like this was some shock. Like he failed as a person. Of course his grades slipped, everything that has occurred up to this would only REASONABLY put him in a terrible mental space. What's his family's solution to this? Work harder kid! Let's ignore the fact that forcing your kid to study harder and work harder won't solve the issue of why his grades slipped in the first place. Lil T's feelings are never properly focused on by his family members and when they "are" he's instead fed toxic masculinity. You're a man. You should man up. It's vile and disgusting to read especially since it was seemingly unintentional and how poorly his family has treated him was never addressed.
There were these little moments that bothered me as well. One being on Lil T's birthday. He was given no cake because a death occurred recently and the funeral was on the day. Have the cake... after the funeral? Or even the next day? This person meant something to Lil T but instead of having the mildest bit of consideration for her son the mom just doesn't care. Lil T is left to grief with absolutely no escape on his BIRTHDAY. This was so incredibly saddening and once again it's never addressed.
There's another moment at the very start of the book where Lil T is left to walk up to church on his own while the rest of his family takes the car. As a black reader this was very upsetting. Lil T, a black boy, left alone in racist America? He could've been hate crimed, he could've been lynched, yet his family didn't care enough to consider his safety.
There's one little thing I want to mention that's separate from my main issue. Lil T's grandpa is a pedophile? He was a grown man that preyed on a little girl (Lil T's grandma). In the book it was stated he had to wait for her to grow up. Ew? Once again this is never addressed. He's just a pedophile and neither the book nor the author cares. This makes me think very lowly of the author and makes me question their moral ethics.
I hate this book so much. The ending is also incredibly anticlimactic. Don't waste your time reading it.
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