Synopses & Reviews
The day Uncle Goodwin "Buddy" Bush came from Harlem all the way back home to Rehobeth Road in Rich Square, North Carolina, is the day Pattie Mae Sheals' life changes forever.
Pattie Mae adores and admires Uncle Buddy he's tall and handsome and he doesn't believe in the country stuff most people believe in, like ghosts and stepping off the sidewalk to let white folks pass. He unsettles the dust and brings fresh ideas to Rehobeth Road. But when Buddy's deliberate inattention to the protocol of 1947 North Carolina lands him in jail for a crime against a white woman that he didn't commit, Pattie Mae and her family are suddenly set to journeying on the long, hard road that leads from loss and rage to forgiveness and pride.
Shelia P. Moses tells a moving and lyrical story in The Legend of Buddy Bush that introduces the remarkable and memorable character of Pattie Mae Sheals a girl whose sense of humor, ability to get into "grown folks business," and determination to know the truth will endear her to readers everywhere.
Review
"Readers will discover universal truths about fairness, dignity, and compassion, and gain an understanding of the older generation as Pattie Mae realizes that home is where the heart is." School Library Journal
Review
"The description of Pattie Mae's life is rich in detail and dialect, offering readers a realistic glimpse into segregation-era life in the South....[H]ighly recommended." VOYA
Review
"Patti Mae's first-person voice, steeped in the inflections of the South, rings true, and her observations richly evoke a time, place, and a resilient African American community." Booklist
Synopsis
Celebrate the fifteenth anniversary of Shelia P. Moses's National Book Award finalist and Coretta Scott King Honoree, The Legend of Buddy Bush, with this classic novel that's more relevant than ever. The day Uncle Goodwin "Buddy" Bush came from Harlem all the way back home to Rehobeth Road in Rich Square, North Carolina, is the day Pattie Mae Sheals's life changes forever.
Pattie Mae adores and admires Uncle Buddy--he's tall and handsome and he doesn't believe in the country stuff most people believe in, like ghosts and stepping off the sidewalk to let white folks pass. But when Buddy is arrested for a crime against a white woman that he didn't commit, Pattie Mae and her family are suddenly set to journeying on the long, hard road that leads from loss and rage to forgiveness and pride.
Synopsis
The day Uncle Goodwin "Buddy" Bush came from Harlem all the way back home to Rehobeth Road in Rich Square, North Carolina, is the day Pattie Mae Sheals' life changes forever.
Pattie Mae adores and admires Uncle Buddy -- he's tall and handsome and he doesn't believe in the country stuff most people believe in, like ghosts and stepping off the sidewalk to let white folks pass. He unsettles the dust and brings fresh ideas to Rehobeth Road. But when Buddy's deliberate inattention to the protocol of 1947 North Carolina lands him in jail for a crime against a white woman that he didn't commit, Pattie Mae and her family are suddenly set to journeying on the long, hard road that leads from loss and rage to forgiveness and pride.
Shelia P. Moses tells a moving and lyrical story in The Legend of Buddy Bush that introduces the remarkable and memorable character of Pattie Mae Sheals -- a girl whose sense of humor, ability to get into "grown folks business," and determination to know the truth will endear her to readers everywhere.
Synopsis
When Mr. Bro. Wiley, Bean's adopted grandfather and the last slave man around, dies in the summer of 1940, Bean and his very best friend Pole are some kind of hurt. Everyone in the Low Meadows is. Despite their grief, they are proud and excited to be included in their very first Sittin' Up--a wake for the dead. Bean and Pole know this special week will be one to remember, especially if the coming storm has its way and riles up Ole River enough to flood the Low Meadows right in the middle of Mr. Bro. Wiley's Sittin' Up.
Shelia P. Moses tells her most charming story yet. Laced with humor and a lot of heart, this is an affecting, fun tale from a storytelling master.
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, andlt;iandgt;Callus on My Soulandlt;/iandgt;, as well as the award-winning author of several books for young readers: andlt;iandgt;The Legend of Buddy Bushandlt;/iandgt;;andlt;iandgt; The Return of Buddy Bushandlt;/iandgt;; andlt;iandgt;I, Dred Scott: A Fictional Slave Narrative Based on the Life and Legal Precedent of Dred Scott;andnbsp;andlt;/iandgt; and andlt;iandgt;The Baptismandlt;/iandgt;. Shelia lives in Atlanta, Georgia.
Table of Contents
andlt;Bandgt;CONTENTSandlt;/Bandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;1 Thursday Lettersandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;2 Dancing White Ladiesandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;3 The Strawberry Patchandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;4 The Walkandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;5 Catfish Fridayandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;6 The Queen's Chairandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;7 What a Timeandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;8 The Amen Cornerandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;9 Pretty Ladyandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;10 Cloud Headsandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;11 Yellowandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;12 The Chain Gangandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;13 The Trialandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;14 Back to Harlemandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;15 The Lawandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;16 Have You Ever Seen Cotton Grow?andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;17 The Trainandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;Author's Noteandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Acknowledgmentsandlt;/Iandgt;
Reading Group Guide
A Guide for Reading Groups The Legend of Buddy Bush
by Shelia P. Moses
Discussion Questions
1. What was life like for African Americans living in the South in the 1940s? How were African Americans treated? What rights did they have? What rights were they denied? What was happening in the United States, and the world, at the time The Legend of Buddy Bush takes place? Does The Legend of Buddy Bush accurately portray the social, economic, and political climate of the United States during the 1940s? Give examples to support your answer.
2. When Pattie Mae asks Uncle Buddy why they have to sit in the balcony at the movie theater, he explains: "The same reason we had to buy our tickets in the back and eat last month's ice cream. We have to sit up here for the same reason that lady yelled at me like I was trying to hurt her." What does he mean? Explain, in your own words, the reason Pattie Mae and Uncle Buddy have to sit in the balcony. What other rules must the African American residents of Rich Square obey? Who made these rules, and why? By whom are they enforced? What are the consequences for violators? Did these same laws exist in New York and other northern states during the 1940s?
3. How has the experience of living in Harlem impacted Uncle Buddy's life in Rich Square? How did life in the North affect his views on race relations in the South? Do you think Uncle Buddy would have been accused of rape if he had not lived in the North?
4. "Sometimes I feel like the only reason I was born into this world is to wash dishes, pick cucumbers, and chop," says Pattie Mae. "Uncle Buddy said that it is all post slaves stuff that I am doing around home and on Jones Property." What does Uncle Buddy mean when he calls Pattie Mae's work "post slaves stuff"? Give examples of and describe the work done by Pattie Mae and her family. How does the legacy of slavery affect the work life of Rich Square's black citizens?
5. What role does religion play in the lives of Rich Square's African American residents? Explain the importance of the church. Give examples of how church members join together in support of Buddy Bush and the Jones family.
6. Pattie Mae dreams of living in Harlem. When Grandpa dies she finally gets her chance. "I hope it is just as beautiful as in my dreams," she says. What does Pattie Mae think Harlem will be like? Will her expectations match the reality? Why or why not? How will life in Harlem be different from life in Rich Square? What adjustments will Pattie Mae have to make as she goes from a rural environment to an urban environment? Will Pattie Mae stay in Harlem or will she eventually come back to live in Rich Square? Explain.
7. Shelia P. Moses uses a literary device called dialect to draw readers into the story. What is dialect? Give examples from the book. How would The Legend of Buddy Bush have been different if it was not written in dialect? Would it have been as effective? Explain. Give examples of different American dialects and other books you have read that use dialect.
8. Why do you think The Legend of Buddy Bush was selected as a Coretta Scott King Honor Book? Remember, the CSK Award recognizes books that offer a message of peace, nonviolent social change, brotherhood, and honor. Give examples of the ways in which The Legend of Buddy Bush fulfills these four pillars of the CSK Award.
Activities and Research
1. Create a Jones Family Tree, with images of each family member. Place Grandpa and Grandma Jones at the top, and branch out from there. (Make a list of all the family members before you begin.) Make your family tree look like an authentic Jones Family document. Think about the materials and technology available in the 1940s. Photographs, for example, were printed in black and white. People didn't have computers, either, so they used typewriters, pens, and pencils instead.
2. Study sharecropping and tenant farming. Visit the American Memory page of the Library of Congress at http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/ to learn more. In the search bar, type sharecropping + North Carolina. Look at the photographs. Describe what you see. How do the images compare to the picture created by Shelia Moses? Do they look like what you imagined? Why or why not? Select and print five to ten images that remind you of scenes and characters from The Legend of Buddy Bush. Organize the images in a photo album and label them with passages from the book.
3. Research the Great Migration. This mass movement of African Americans from the rural South to the urban North is perhaps one of greatest population shifts in our nation's history. Why did so many blacks leave the rural South to start a new life in the North? What forces (economic, social, political, agricultural, etc.) pushed African Americans out of the South and into northern cities like New York, Chicago, and Detroit? Visit In Motion: The African American Migration Experience at www.inmotionaame.org/home.cfm and click on The Second Migration (1940-1970) to learn more.
4. Examine Jim Crow laws. Once widespread, these laws limited the rights of African American citizens. Visit www.jimcrowhistory.org/home.htm to learn more. Find examples of Jim Crow laws from North Carolina and other southern states. Did Jim Crow laws exist where you live? If so, what were they?
5. The Legend of Buddy Bush is a work of fiction that's based on real events. Think about the resources Shelia Moses drew upon to create this story, then write your own fictionalized account of a historic event in African American history. Research primary sources (newspaper articles, letters, photographs, drawings, artifacts, oral histories, etc.) to create a realistic story.
6. Stage a mock trial for Buddy Bush. Base your trial on details drawn from the story and your knowledge of American history. Present both sides of the case. Think about what happened from the perspective of Buddy Bush, and from the perspective of his accuser. What testimony would witnesses, including Pattie Mae, have to offer? What verdict will the jury reach?
7. Once Pattie Mae arrives in Harlem, do you think she will write home? To whom would Pattie Mae write? Would she encourage others to come north? Why or why not? How would she describe Harlem? What is new and exciting to her? What is frightening and strange? Who does she meet? How does she spend her time? What, if anything, does Pattie Mae miss about home?
This reading group guide has been provided by Simon and Schuster for classroom, library, and reading group use. It may be reproduced in its entirety or excerpted for these purposes.
Margaret K. McElderry Books SimonSaysTEACH.com