Book Review: Bud, Not Buddy (Audio)

This book, similar in content to Holes, will have readers rooting for the underdog. Bud, the main character, loses his mother early in life but she leaves him with the advice that one door closing means another door opening. The author does a superb job of building the anticipation as readers see this opening and closing take place, not always for the best. In this audio version the narrator’s upturned intonation at the end of many sentences is a bit off-putting, as if he’s not sure of his reading. In addition, the book is written completely from a 10-year-old child’s perspective, which will endear it to the reader 8 to 12 years of age, but the narrator sounds like a gruff older man, making the story feel less believable than audio books using children’s voices such as A Series of Unfortunate Events or Blubber. Narration aside, the writing paints a picture of every scene and emotion that will still leave readers engaged with the story in this format.