The first one is a graphic novel by Matt Phelan, titled Bluffton. The story takes place in Muskegon, Michigan beginning in 1908. A boy, Henry, befriends a young vaudeville performer, Buster Keaton, on vacation with his troupe out in Bluffton.
The two boys play baseball and fish and become the best of friends over the course of the summer. Henry then goes about his life until the next summer, when they pick up where they left off the summer before.
Matt Phelan's illustrations are beautiful pastel watercolors and the book has received many starred reviews. It is a historically accurate book and does encourage the reader to find out more about vaudeville and Buster Keaton. But aside from the gorgeous artwork, to me, it was just "ok". Looking at the starred reviews, I must be missing something. Read the book for yourself and you decide!
Bluffton by Matt Phelan
My second book of the week that made me go, "hmm" was Lulu Walks the Dogs by Judith Viorst. Now, this is again a book that many people enjoyed. I thought it was just okay. The cover art and illustrations throughout the book, by Lane Smith, are adorable. But the story did not win me over. Maybe my so-so attitude is because the little girl is pretty rude and ungrateful and I am kinda over kids being so ungrateful these days. She does lighten up towards the end and she does become a better friend to her unwanted partner, Fleischman.
So, in the end, maybe I really didn't dislike this book as much as I originally thought I did. Maybe I am the one that needs to learn to loosen up and enjoy the making of a true friendship between an unlikely twosome...
Lulu Walks the Dogs, by Judith Viorst
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