Christopher Paul Curtis
Bud, Not Buddy (audio book)
Age Level: 9-12
In 1936, ten-year-old Bud sets out to find his jazz-playing father, but ends up learning a great deal about himself, music, and the Great Depression in this unforgettable reading of a Newbery Medal-winning book.
Bud, Not Buddy
Age Level: 9-12
Young Bud runs away from the latest and worst foster home in search of his father. Though he doesn't find his father, Bud (not Buddy) does find family, music, and more on his long trek across Michigan during the Depression. In this Newbery-winning novel, both humor and Bud's naive voice make difficult issues accessible to younger readers.
Elijah of Buxton
Age Level: 9-12
Eleven-year-old Elijah was born in Buxton, a Canadian settlement that was the final stop on the Underground Railroad. The free child of slaves, Elijah reveals his growing awareness of the horrors of slavery on his journey to young adulthood. Vivid characters and a strong sense of place create both humor and horror in this moving novel.
Mr. Chickee's Funny Money
Age Level: 9-12
Could it be real? A quadrillion dollar bill? In this funny, fast-paced tall tale, nine-year-old Steven, helper and friend of his blind neighbor, Mr. Chickee, solves the mystery of this strange money.
Mr. Chickee's Messy Mission
Age Level: 9-12
The Flint Future Detectives are back for another wacky adventure in which the dog owned by Steven's friend, Russell (first introduced in Mr. Chickee's Funny Money) inadvertently launches an out-of-this-world series of events. Readers will see the satire in this improbable, funny, and fast-reading novel.
The Watsons Go to Birmingham — 1963
Age Level: 12-14
Kenny narrates this often funny but ultimately poignant family story of an African-American family that travels to visit relatives in Birmingham, Alabama during the struggle for Civil Rights. Ultimately, what Kenny witnesses forever changes him and the nation.
The Watsons Go To Birmingham - 1963
Age Level: 9-12
Fourth-grader Kenny goes with his older brother Byron and his parents on a road trip from Flint, Michigan to the South, where Byron will be spending the summer with his grandparents, away from the temptations of city life. Curtis mixes humor with the volatility of the South in the summer of 1963.
