Buddy

Publishers Weekly

Bustard (T Is for Texas) heralds the roots of a rock-and-roll legend in this animated tribute drenched in Texas twang. The story opens with Buddy Holly's mostly typical boyhood and his musical beginnings. "Ooooo-eeeee, could his kin sing. At night they'd raise soaring-to-the heavens hymns plus toe-tappin', boot-stompin' western tunes." The drawl-studded prose seems overdone at times, with musical references (e.g., "It was country, gospel, and blues all fired into one. Hot-diggity! Rock 'n' roll!") likely to soar over the heads of youngest readers. Even those familiar with the musician's career may be caught offguard by the narrative's quick shift from his sixth-grade dabbling on the guitar to a weekly gig on the radio at age 17, just a few pages later. However, Cyrus's (Avalanche Annie) watercolor-and-colored-pencil illustrations reflect the heightened energy of the text and incorporate details of the era. One spread of Holly's childhood features vignettes of baseballs, slingshots and comic books, along with onomatopoeia that foreshadows his musical ear: "Peltin' cans with his slingshot. Ping. Pang. Ping... Readin' comics. Kapow. Zow." In another, music notes stream from an old-fashioned radio, float across the spread and form the backdrop for Holly's quartet in the recording studio. Though the singer's early death (at 22) is not mentioned in the story (an author's note chronicles his life in more detail), a parting illustration shows an ethereal image of Holly's face in the moon, among floating 45 records. Those already familiar with the rock-and-roll crooner will better appreciate this lengthy tale and its quirky phrasings. Ages 5-9. (Feb.) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Children's Literature

Before rock and roll, before even the Beatles, there was Buddy Holly. Here is a picture book biography that brings his short, vibrant life to young readers. The author's text is rich with the cadence of the Lone Star State where Buddy grew up. "A time or two ago, out West Texas way . . . " and we are off, rolling like tumbleweeds over the flat dusty streets of this story's beginning. It is an affectionate rendering of an ordinary childhood marked by an extraordinary talent. The text, however, also highlights the power of dreams, of genius mediated by something else—something internal and fiery that had to find expression. Kurt Cyrus's watercolor, ink and colored-pencil scenes invite the reader to step right in. Words and images move us at a brisk pace through the pages, from the living room of a family singing together to make the hard times go by, all the way to the wide-open stage that Buddy Holly and the Crickets were to make their own. This is a natural pick for adults who want to share their own sense of musical history with children, or for elementary teachers interested in integrating music into their curriculum. For example, the book would make a nice addition to a social studies unit exploring the decades of the twentieth century through its music. An informative afterword addresses biographical details including Buddy's untimely death, and the significance of his impact on popular music, musical arrangement, and recording techniques. A discography, bibliography, and selected Internet resources round out the back matter. 2005, Simon and Schuster, Ages 5 to 9.
—Uma Krishnaswami

School Library Journal

Gr 3-5-Bustard describes Holly's early life, his family's fascination with music, and his path to becoming a recording star. Information on his musical influences, his early bands, and the creation of the Crickets and their success is included. This lively work is written in a folksy vernacular, with plenty of yeehaws, whoo-de-doos, and yeeee-doggies thrown in with colloquial expressions like "knee-high to an armadillo" and "Buddy stuck to that guitar like white on rice." While the enthusiastic text is very casual, a factual afterword presents more details about Holly's life and career. Attractive watercolors contribute to the down-home atmosphere. Well done, but of limited interest to most kids.-Jeffrey A. French, Willoughby-Eastlake Public Library, Willowick, OH Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

Corn-pone language cripples this wholly inadequate picture-book biography of the rock 'n' roll pioneer. From the day the infant Buddy is "howdied . . . into this ol' world" through his early years when, "Boy, howdy! Just five years old and he lassoed first prize" at a talent show, into his young adulthood when, "Yeehaw! It was cooler than cool," he and a friend opened for Elvis, Bustard keeps up a relentless Grand Ole Opry patter that leaves no "g" undropped. The child reader who perseveres through this will learn that Holly's meteoric rise to success began when he was given a guitar in the sixth grade. Cyrus employs a pastel palette as he depicts the teenage Holly listening to the jukebox and the radio, soaking up country, gospel, and the blues, but although the text gives such influences lip service, it cannot give Holly enough depth to explain his place in the pantheon. In its slavish desire to include every West Texas-ism imaginable, it insults West Texans, Holly-whose singing sounds downright cultured next to this-and the reader. (author's note, discography, bibliography, web sites) (Picture book/biography. 5-8)