Book summary

Still heartbroken over the death of his mother, a 10-year-old boy named Bud decides to run away rather than live in yet another foster home. Bud is convinced that all would be perfect if he could only get in touch with his father--a man he's never met. The only clues Bud has about his father's identity are some old fliers that his mother saved--fliers that mention a jazz musician named Herman E. Calloway. Convinced that he's Calloway's son, Bud goes in search of the legendary musician. Winner of the 2000 Newbery Medal and the 2000 Coretta Scott King Author Award.

Media reviews

"While the circumstances surrounding Bud's return to his family may gently chafe against credulity, Curtis' characterizations are so strong they make coincidence acceptable. The resourceful Bud is a hero readers will take immediately to heart, and the people he encounters on his journey have a specificity that raises them above plot devices and makes them individually memorable."