Buddy is the book that inspired me to name my own Border Collie, buddy. The compelling story of a 3 legged dog being taken care of by a family and was eventually left alone due to a storm. The story was amazing to read as a kid, but looking back at it now it was relatively bland at times. Overall still a good read for a younger audience. ( )

Readers should sit back and take notes. After reading this book I felt there was a little more of humanity restored through the decisions that Lil T made. This entire book surrounded a young boy in New Orleans wanting a dog, a car accident that led a dog to him. Lil T did everything he possibly could to take care of Buddy. Then along comes Hurricane Katrina, where Lil T's dad T Jr. forced hi to leave Buddy behind. The process of getting back to Buddy was rough however Lil T kept his faith and knew that Buddy was still alive. The chain pf events that happened after he found out where Buddy was is a true tear jerker and inspiration. I aspire to have that level of selflessness one day. ( )

Buddy by M.H.Herlong was a great book. This story potrays the power of love as Katrina passes over and brings a family to a worrying time of their life. This book starts off with a little boy by the name of Lil'T who desperately wants a dog. As he and his family are on their way to church one Sunday morning they hit a dog by accident. The family made the church aware of the accident and they came together to get the dog proper care. Lil'T even went out of his way to cut grass and sell his video game in order to responsibly care for his three-legged friend. The love Lil"T had for Buddy was astonishing, he stood up for him when negative comments were thrown at him. As Katrina approached they were forced to evacuate their homes, leaving Buddy behind. Lil'T didn't think he would be gone as long as he was due to Katrina. He and his family ended up being stuck in Mississippi for a very long time because New Orleans was destroyed. As time went by all Lil'T could think about is his dog, he grew depressed and lost himself in a sense. When they were finally able to visit New Orleans they found out that Buddy was okay and was rescued and taken to California. Buddy was adopted by a new family, the little boy needed Buddy more than Lil’T did. While visiting California Lil’T had a change of heart and decided to let him stay with the little boy that caught seizures from time to time. Lil’T believed that it was God’s plan and the right thing to do. I really enjoyed how descriptive this book was in regards to attaching readers emotionally on the way Lil’T felt. He never lost his faith and gave up on what he believed in. Although things didn't work out in Lil’T’s favor, he believed it was the right thing to do. ( )

The setting of this novel is 2004 New Orleans, Louisiana, just before hurricane Katrina hit. The protagonist is a little boy who goes by the name "Lil T", and his family. Lil T's first interaction with Buddy is when he and his family were on their way to church and actually hit Buddy with the car. In order to keep Buddy, Lil T cut grass and even sold his Gameboy Advance (a handheld video game system) to afford the vet visits Buddy needed. Sadly, Buddy has to be left behind when the water started rising.
One of the themes I picked up on was, keep hope through tough times. As well as, Maturation in times of unsuspected hardships. Throughout the novel we watch Lil T make a decision based on reason and objectively. This is highlighted with his decision to leave Buddy with his new owner in California. Building up to that he noticed how happy Buddy was running on the beach as he had never had before. ( )

Buddy got off to a very slow start, and it wasn't until Grandpa T's death that I really got into it. I know this book is centered around Little T and his dog, Buddy, during Hurricane Katrina in 2005. I felt like the book was much more about the family, as they looked to each other for strength during this turbulent time. In spite of many obstacles, their faith never wavered.

In my opinion, this book lacked depth, and the ending seemed unrealistic. ( )