Bibliography
Curtis, Christopher Paul. 2009. Elijah of Buxton. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN-13: 978-0439023450
Plot Summary
Elijah of Buxton was known for being born free in a settlement in Canada. He is eleven-years old and wants to be a man but has a hard time convincing everyone including himself that he's ready to be one. His parents constantly refer to Elijah as being "fragile" and weak because he cries a lot. Elijah is confronted with life or death situations and learning about slaves on his journey.
Critical Analysis
Elijah of Buxton is an interesting character that slowly evolves in each chapter until the end of the story. From the introduction, Elijah was the average eleven-year old trouble maker that turned out to be a brave young boy who made man decisions. The history of Buxton was really precise from the start of the story. The subject matter was awesome-he had great settings and talked about a wide array of issues that would catch the reader off guard. The book has heavy dialect of the way people probably talked back then. The language seemed very authentic and it added interest to the reading. Elijah of Buxton leaves readers with a universal truth understood by all groups who have been oppressed and enslaved; as long as hope survives, a brighter tomorrow exists for future generations.
Reviews Excerpts/Awards
Coretta Scott King Award Winner
Jane Addams Children’s Book Award Honor Book
John Newbery Medal Honor Book
Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction Winner
ALSC American Library Association- Notable Children’s Books
Publishers Weekly Best Children’s Books
Starred Review in BOOKLIST: “A fine original novel from a gifted storyteller.”
Starred Review in KIRKUS: “This is Curtis’s best novel yet…”
Connections
-Read and research more books about slavery.
-Read more book from the author Christopher Paul Curtis such as, Bucking the Sarge, Mr. Chickee's Funny Money, and Mr. Chickee's Messy Mission.
-Write about being a slave versus born free.
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