Buddy
by M. H. Herlong
Buddy by M. H. Herlong is assigned in US schools at grades 6–8. It appears across 1 curriculum reference and 1 state, sourced from state DOE pages and AP/IB/Common Core syllabi. Every citation below links to the primary source.
This page shows where Buddy is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.
- Grade range
- Grades 6–8
- Pages
- 239
- Reading time
- about 4h 25m (est.)
- First published
- 2012
- ISBN-13
- 9781101591796
Where to find this book
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About this book
In the tradition of Old Yeller, classic boy-and-dog tale set against the events of Hurrican Katrina. Tyrone "Li'l T" Roberts meets Buddy when his family's car accidentally hits the stray dog on their way to church. Buddy turns out to be the dog Li'l T's always wished for--until Hurricane Katrina comes to New Orleans and he must leave Buddy behind. After the storm, Li'l T and his father return home to find a community struggling to rebuild their lives--and Buddy gone. But Li'l T refuses to give up his quest to find his best friend. From the author of the BBYA Top Ten selection The Great Wide Sea comes a powerful story of hope, courage, and knowing when to let go. "A testament to the human capacity to endure.” —The New York Times Book Review
Where this book is assigned
William Allen White Children's Book Award
- recommended·6th grade · Kansassource: William Allen White Children's Book Award winners (Emporia State University), via Wikipedia — 2015
- recommended·7th grade · Kansassource: William Allen White Children's Book Award winners (Emporia State University), via Wikipedia — 2015
- recommended·8th grade · Kansassource: William Allen White Children's Book Award winners (Emporia State University), via Wikipedia — 2015
Similar grade-level books
The GiverLois Lowry · 760L
The Diary of a Young GirlAnne Frank · 1080L
The OutsidersS.E. Hinton · 750L
To Kill a MockingbirdHarper Lee · 870L
See all books like Buddy→ — matched on theme + reading level.
Common questions
- What grade level is Buddy?
- Buddy is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 6–8. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.
- How long does it take to read Buddy?
- It takes about 4h 25m to read Buddy (239 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 265 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
- What curricula assign Buddy?
- Buddy appears on reading lists for William Allen White Children's Book Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
- Is Buddy banned in schools?
- Buddy does not appear in PEN America's Index of School Book Bans 2022-2024. No documented multi-district removals on record, but individual districts may challenge titles locally.
Why this book is on this list
Each dimension below is sourced from a public reference. The full framework is documented on the classification standard page.
- Lexile measure
- Not classified — this book has no published Lexile measure.
- Grade band
- Grades 6–8 — drawn from state ELA frameworks and AP/IB syllabi citing this book.
- Curriculum alignment
- Cited in 1 curriculum on this site (see “Where assigned” above for primary-source links).
- State-level evidence
- Cited in 1 state ELA framework or DOE list (see citations above).
- Removal / banning records
- No tracked removal or challenge records in cited sources.
- Seasonal / contextual tags
- Tagged for: award-winner.