Elijah of Buxton (Scholastic Gold)

Eleven-year-old Elijah Freeman could talk up a storm, had a generous heart, did well in school, and had a fantastic throwing arm. But he was also gullible and took fright easily, running and screaming like a madman when spooked, especially by snakes. His parents, former slaves who had escaped to Canada, often took comfort in the fact that Elijah was born into freedom rather than slavery given his "fragile" nature, as they called it. In fact, Elijah was the first child born into freedom in Buxton, a settlement of former slaves in southern Ontario close to the United States border that was founded in 1849.

Elijah enjoyed a happy life in Buxton, a community that thrived in large part due to strict rules regarding land ownership and home construction, as well as the establishment of its own school and lumber processing facilities. Yet Elijah heard stories about the horrors of slavery from his parents and other residents in Buxton. He also witnessed the physical scars on their bodies, the extraordinary fear exhibited by newly-escaped slaves who found their way to Buxton, and the depths of sadness when neighbors got news of the death of loved ones who were still in captivity.

Ultimately Elijah experienced the grim reality of slavery first-hand when a family friend's loss of a large sum of money led Elijah across the border to Michigan in search of the thief and the stolen money. Would this fragile child be able to draw on his talents to survive such a dangerous situation? The author has used his exceptional storytelling abilities to weave a tale of humor, treachery, agony, and childhood innocence into this award-winning novel. Important lessons in economics related to economic self-sufficiency and the institution of slavery are interwoven into this memorable work of historical fiction.

Elijah has a good life in Buxton, the Canadian settlement that is a refuge for runaway slaves and their children. He and his best friend, Cooter, go to school, attend church, do chores and think up elaborate pranks, such as putting a huge "toady-frog" in his mother's knitting bag. Of course, sometimes the pranks get turned on them. Elijah's mother is able to exact revenge; a town visitor known as the Right Reverend Deacon Doctor Zephariah Connerly the Third, or "the Preacher," preys on Elijah's fear of snakes with wild tales about vicious rolling hoop snakes.

The truth is, Elijah is sensitive. His mother calls him "fra-gile." Riding horses terrifies him, and it doesn't take much for him to cry. When he practices his special skill of killing fish by throwing rocks at them, the Preacher easily talks him out of much of his catch. Elijah's sensitivity is put to the test when he must deliver sad news to a neighbor. Will he be able to fully realize what the moment means while not breaking down?

The story takes another deeper, darker turn when one freed slave sends a man to buy his family's freedom. When the situation goes awry, Elijah finds himself on a quest to set things right. In his attempt, he faces devastating circumstances and decisions. His actions will prove his mettle. Is he up to the task, or is he too fragile to cope?

Elijah's coming-of-age story is a powerful page-turner, full of humor, adventure, heartbreaking sorrow and buoyant promise. It also introduces the reader to a fascinating (and little known) time and place in our history. Loose threads are not woven together into a tidy ending, yet the climax serves up a satisfying uplift of hope and triumph.

There are storytellers, and then there are Storytellers; it's no surprise that Christopher Paul Curtis, winner of numerous awards for his fiction (including the prestigious Newbery Medal), qualifies for that capital letter. It is, as always, an honor and a pleasure to lose oneself in one more mesmerizing tale from him.

--- Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon

Twelve-year-old Elijah's mother wishes he would quit being "so doggone frag-ile," but Elijah can't help it. Sure, most of the adults in the Buxton Settlement in Ontario, Canada are escaped slaves used to a life of hardship, but Elijah is the first free-born member of the community. He doesn't know what real suffering is like. He wants to grow-up less "frag-ile," but his childhood is filled with pranks, simple chores, and fishing--until an act of cruelty lands one of Elijah's friends in terrible trouble. Elijah finds himself on a dangerous journey into the United States that brings him face to face with the horrors of slavery in the decade leading up the American Civil War.

Elijah of Buxton is a hilarious and beautifully woven tale about an emotionally vulnerable boy just becoming a man. Curtis' story-telling introduces the reader to the emotional drama of slavery without overwhelming her with graphic details. Elijah develops an abiding appreciation for the freedom his parents fought so hard to win for him. Elijah of Buxton was a Newbery Honor Book in 2008.

The dialect of Elijah's first-person narrative may be a little difficult for some readers to understand--try reading a chapter aloud with Elijah's accent.

A book that has won four awards, Elijah of Buxton tells of a time when Elijah Freeman begins to change from boy to man. In 1860 Buxton is a settlement of former slaves from the United States. Buxton is located in Canada not too far from Detroit, Michigan. Elijah has many boyish adventures at school and the woods around town. However, the presence of slavery in the United States haunts the town with fears that men will come to force the townspeople back into slavery.
Elijah of Buxton has memorable characters. Elijah Freeman is the main character in a story that tells about events when he was eleven. The son of former slaves, Elijah is known in town as the first free child born in Buxton, Canada. He is a good boy with a lot of fears and anxiety. His mother calls him "fra-gile" because of his fears and strong emotions. Elijah is adventurous and skilled at hunting and fishing, and by the end of the book he shows an inner strength and determination that will make his parents stop calling him "fra-gile." Elijah is responsible and easy to like. He seems a little too easy to fool, however. The Preacher is a fast-talking, strange man who is a little too slick to be completely trustworthy. He attempts and sometime succeeds at some very grand plans, but you always wonder if his plans will backfire. Mr. Leroy is an extremely hard worker who hopes to buy his family from their owner in Virginia. He takes a risk to bring his family back sooner, and Mr. Leroy's plans get Elijah tangled up in a dangerous journey. Elijah's mother and father are good, sensible parents who do their best to raise Elijah right. They will be surprised at the daring of their "fra-gile" boy.
I enjoyed Elijah's adventures in school and the woods around town. It reminded me of when I was his age and could roam the woods in our neighborhood and something was always going on at my school. Some of the stories are funny, such as the boys misunderstanding of the phrase "familiarity breeds contempt." This books does is excellent at showing how slavery damaged your emotions and scarred your mind as well as body. Slaves live in constant fear, a fear that never really goes away even when they escape to freedom because of the threat of being kidnapped by slavers and brought back to the United States. Mr. Leroy makes a powerful impression on Elijah as to why he should not use ugly words to describe his own people. Freedom becomes the most important thing to many slaves and can even be more important than family.
This book has a heavy use of the way that the townspeople probably talked back then. It might be called colloquial or maybe slang language. This probably required a lot of work from the author to make it seem authentic, and it adds flavor to the reading. The exaggeration and fantastic tales that former slaves seem prone to tell reminds me of Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn. I wonder if living a life with extremes of mental and physical pain makes them more likely to make things seem more fantastic.
I think that this book might be better recommended for students in middle years. It has some grim scenes and implied violence. A reader needs to accept that you have to adjust to how the townspeople talked, but that makes it seem more genuine. A little effort makes it easier to learn to read the slang. A 4th or 5th grader should be prepared to ask questions from adults in order to understand this book.
One message of Elijah of Buxton is that slavery was horrible and very damaging to society. The former slaves were damaged and in a way the slave owners were damaged as well because they could become cruel. For example, Mr. Leroy shows Elijah his brand. Mr. Leroy and tells Elijah that the owner of his family would probably charge double to sell the wife and children to Mr. Leroy because of spite.

I was told at TLA that Christopher Paul Curtis said this is his favorite book. For a person who loved Bud Not Buddy like me, I couldn't see how this could be. Having read Elijah, I would say I still like Bud Not Buddy a little more, but this is a worthy sibling.

Elijah is the first child born free in Canada to former American slaves. Buxton is a real town in Canada that was founded by a Presbyterian minister in the 1800's as a refuge for American slaves and as a place to make a brand new, wonderful start. This was a novel of great hope and terrible sadness. One of the last big scenes in the book, the scene that takes place in the barn, is a scene of heart-wrenching sadness and yet beautiful hopefulness. Newbery Honor.

This is one of the most amazing historical-fiction books that I have ever read! How the author mixes in survival, action, and comedy into the theme is absolutely wonderful. What adds to this already fantastic book is that it touches on how most free slaves in Buxton would never go back to America. That just shows how bad things were. One of the many shocking things is when Mr. Leroy back-hands Elijah to the ground. It was so fast and unexpected. Personally, I find it unsurprising when Mr. Leroy's money is stolen. Also, the fact that Elijah uses chunking stones to fish and defend himself from a vicious dog is very unique to me. The only thing that I did not like was the ending, that is it. There is a lesson to be learned from this story: with persaverence and an iron will you can make it happen. The climax of the book is when Mr. Leroy's money is stolen. The most exciting part is when Elijah and Mr. Leroy go after the thief. That is one more thing people will never forget about Elijah, along with being the first freeborn in Buxton and throwing up on Mr. Frederick Douglas as a baby. This book also shows how much different Canada and the U.S. were back then, and maybe even today.

We listened to this book on audioCD. I highly recommend that format, the reader does really well with the characters, they all have unique voices, which really match each character's personality. It is such a treat to hear him read/act this book. You really feel like you are on the porch with Maw and Paw telling stories and pulling pranks. Listening to the audiobook would probably be good for those who have trouble with the "slang".
This is a really outstanding book. Really really outstanding. It is a historical novel about a settlement of freed slaves in Ontario. The plot gradually draws you in, through stories and anecdotes about Buxton and flashbacks to earlier times in the settlement, and adults' stories of being slaves. It is not a straight, to the point plot, but sort of circles around laying the background: who each character is, their personality is, the workings of the settlement and how they make decisions as a community. Hearing the community's way of welcoming new folks, Mr. Leroy's reaction to the n-word, and other stories of slavery really helps you understand why it is such a heinous thing for the preacher to steal the money intended to buy someone's freedom. The "preacher" is a complex character, an obvious con-man who pretends to be a preacher, but cheats at cards and wants to teach Elijah about flim-flam scams. And yet he has such a strong, moral, reaction to the carnival owner offering to buy Elijah (to become a slave), and rescues the poor boy (a slave) in the carnival who was not sure he wanted to be rescued, not too long before stealing the freedom money and running off to gamble and drink. Definitely gives you a lot to think about.
I listened to this with both my children, age 7 & 13. The 7yo had to skip one CD, #5, which is where most of the violence occurs. She kept asking to hear the first 3 CD's over again, and really liked Elijah and the other characters. The 13 yo (7th grade) listened to the whole book, and also really liked it. This book is less violent than the last 3 Harry Potter's, the Hunger Games, or Ranger's Apprentice, all of which are popular and read by children in 6th grade or younger. I actually think the scene in the barn really helps us better understand slavery and all the horrors than went with it, and that what violence there is in the book, is an integral part of the story and not gratuitous.

Based on the true settlement town of Buxton, Canada, this is a hilarious, fabulously written book with some very serious and real-life aspects. It is about a boy named Elijah and his coming of age story when slavery was still legal in America. We listened to this as a family (ages range from 4 to 10) and every one of us fell in love with the book. It is 8 enjoyable hours of excellent writing, and the narration is fantastic. In fact, it is so good, we listened TWICE in 1 week, and my children now quote lines from the book which they remember as hilarious and memorable. Yes, it is dramatic and there are certain parts which delve into the nitty-gritty realities of slavery and price people were willing to pay for freedom, but it is an accurate portrayal of history and I do not think excessively overwhelming. My kindergartener loved this book as much as my 4th grader. We hope to visit Buxton some day as a family....

I recognized the author's name - Christopher Paul Curtis - from a novel we'd listened to and enjoyed a few years ago entitled Bud, Not Buddy.

This was a long listen. It seemed to take weeks. It was overdue at the library when we finally had a listening binge in the school room one night because we just had to hear how the story ended.

It was a beautifully delivered story based in truth and history about an unspeakable part of American history when black people were enslaved by white people. The story takes place primarily in a town in Canada that offers respite and freedom and hope for former slaves and free black men and women and families.

Christopher Paul Curtis weaves a story powerfully with clever words and a myriad of quotable lines. I'd love to re-read this one with the text in my own two hands because there was so much good I wanted to jot down in my little black book of quotes.

The story is serious and compelling yet funny and approachable. Curtis writes as if the English language itself is his old friend.

The narrator of this particular version lends such warmth to the re-telling. He is fabulous. His dialect is impeccable and he reads with warmth and rhythm that makes the story alive.

The novel is told through the voice of a young boy named Elijah who was born free and lives in the settlement of Buxton. He is a character both endearing and charming and honest. His words convey a tender, brave and clear insight into how children view us as adults and our style of communication and how our words as grown ups can be complicated and confusing. Elijah is, at the core, a young boy learning the language of grown ups in a world filled with struggle and beauty and trouble and hope.

Elijah is a perfect protagonist in a beautiful story. He is heroic and fragile. He finds himself in impossible circumstances that are at times rather intense for the young listener but worth the difficult conversations they produce after listening.

The Author's Note of "Elijah of Buxton" begins with a statement on the part of author Christopher Paul Curtis declaring that when you ask authors what their favorite published work is, they'll generally hem and haw and refuse to select just one title. Not Mr. Curtis. Unlike these writers, he has no qualms about selecting the book he has always loved the most (it's "The Watsons go to Birmingham", in case you were curious). Now ask a librarian what his or her favorite Christopher Paul Curtis title is. Go on. The answer is going to be interesting. Some might play the hem and haw game, but many will burst out with their favorites without hesitation. The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963!Bud, Not Buddy!Mr. Chickee's Funny Money! One or two brave souls might even select his teen novel on the sly. Not me, of course. My favorite Curtis novel is "Elijah of Buxton ", no question. And when I am old and grey I will claim that it was my favorite right from the start, publication dates be damned. To my mind "Elijah" is an example of everything Curtis does well. His historical research is superior. His characters heartwarming. His prose funny and heart-wrenching in turns. Plus, any book where a character is famous for having upchucked onto Frederick Douglass when he was a baby is worth its weight in gold. Be prepared to meet your favorite Christopher Paul Curtis book as well.

Elijah Freeman's known for two things. First and foremost, he was the first child born free in the Elgin Settlement at Raleigh in Canada West (better known as Buxton). Second, when he was a baby he barfed all over the great Frederick Douglass. That's the kind of stuff no one ever lets you forget when you grow up in a town as small as Buxton. Populated entirely by escaped slaves and their children in 1860, Buxton residents make it their business to help new arrivals any way they can. Described as "fragile" because he cries easily, Elijah has a hard time convincing anyone that he's ready to be a man. But that's before Mr. Leroy, his friend, gets enough money to buy his family. Before he trusts that money to the slick-talking preacher in town. Before the preacher disappears with the money somewhere in Michigan and Mr. Leroy wants Elijah to come with him to track the double-crosser down. And before Elijah must puzzle through and come to terms with a decision that means life or death.

When it comes to writing, doff your hat to Mr. Curtis. The history of Buxton was what really hooked me from the start. As the Author's Note in the back points out, Buxton was a real place and it thrived and survived beautifully. Economically self-sustaining with an enviable school system, the place was practically custom made for a children's novel. And the more I learned about the place, the more I wanted to learn. I wouldn't be shocked if next year we see a crop of fine Buxton-related non-fiction children's titles sweeping the marketplace. As for Curtis's subject matter, not only does he go in for great settings, Curtis tackles a wide array of issues that might catch you off-guard. When Elijah uses the n-word around a former slave (and his superior) the response is swift and furious. The piece undoubtedly is speaking as much to Elijah as it is to kids today, but when a discussion of this sort fits the story and doesn 't feel hammered into place, you don't have to label it as necessarily didactic. Elijah's such an interesting character too. On the one hand, he's just your average eleven-year-old troublemaker. And sometimes (probably more often for the adult reader, than for the child) he's a little more dense than you'd like. How often does one meet a heroic and not entirely with it hero, though?

I also enjoyed the little observations slipped within the text that come up with situations that are immediately understandable. Things like, "I learnt a long time ago that when you're smelling something real good, you only get two or three first-place smells of it afore your nose won't take no more notice." Words and language play an important part in the book. For example, a particularly frightening doll owned by a fellow student is labeled "terrorific " in Elijah's eyes. Best of all, there's humor, as seen when discussing the aptitude many former slaves have for storytelling and exaggeration. Elijah mentions that, "They'll tell you I throwed up on Mr. Douglass for a whole half a hour afore Ma come and snatched me away and pointed me out the schoolhouse window. They say I near drownded the man." I'd write more but it gets kind of gross after that point. "Elijah" kind of reminded me of those old Robert Peck "Soup" books. Same mischief and confusion. Same high spirits and fun. The section where poor Cooter (Elijah's best friend) comes to believe that the day's lesson "Familiarity Breeds Contempt" is going to be dirty has all the markings of a classic.

One person I spoke to about "Elijah" mentioned that the book hopped about from story to story too much for her tastes. She didn't feel that Curtis had created an adequate linear narrative, choosing instead to leapfrog between incidents and occurrences. To my mind this was a very purposeful move on Curtis's part. The first half of the book (at least) does indeed show a variety of different interactions and happenstances between the residents of the town and Elijah. Then, as you grow to know them, you better understand the final thrust of the novel. From page 181 or so onward, the book's plot becomes less flexible and more straightforward. I would argue that you need the fun early chapters, in part because they contain small details and incidents that grow in importance as you continue to read the story. They also happen to make the book fun and interesting right from the start. Jump into the seriousness that marks the latter half early on and you end up playing your hand too soon, scaring off potential readers.

Elijah of Buxton introduces a mystery on the first page book, it thrust Elijah and the reader into the story. Not only that, we get to know the characters- their strength and fears. More than that, I threw rocks as a young boy, but Elijah showed me that there is a science to the sport. Curtis has not only written a wonderful book, but he has captured the voice of the people during slavery. Christopher Curtis teaches Elijah throughout the book and the reader. For example, no matter who uses the "n"word, it originates from hate, ignorance or both. Finally, Elijah of Buxton allows you experience how slaves felt when the first came to Buxton, joy and happiness beyond imagination.

*Elijah of Buxton* is an exciting historical fiction book about a boy named
Elijah who is the first child born free in Buxton. It is about the Preacher
who doesn't care for anyone in Buxton and who lies about everything. He
tells Elijah that one type of snake is outrageously dangerous and when his
mom plays a trick on him he finds that they are harmless. He still trusts
the Preacher so he goes to a carnival in a neighboring white town. The
preacher takes a boy in slavery from the white town and brings him to
Buxton. Then a single wife in Buxton finds out that her husband has died so
she gives her wood cutter Mr Leroy the money she was saving to buy her
husband out of slavery so he can buy his family out of slavery. Mr Leroy
gives the preacher his money because everybody still trusts him and because
he has contacts to buy people out of slavery. Elijah goes away from Buxton
and comes back with a slaves baby he found. The book ends with many
questions and is open to lots of predictions and questions.

Elijah of Buxton captured my interest on the first page. It is emotional,
dramatic and leaves you wondering at the end of each chapter. If you are
going to read a historical fiction book start with this one. I would
definitely recommend this book to 4th grade and up.

This book is great for young readers because it involves adventures that make it very interesting for a child to get enthralled in. This book also adds humor into the story to make and keep it appealing to the reader. It has a lot of historical information that can be good for a child to start learning about. Even though it is told through a child's point of view, it has such great knowledge behind the words. It was told with a different dialect that I wasn't used to reading and at first it was a little confusing but eventually I got used to it; even though it might be hard for some readers to understand, it would be good for them read text they're not used to in order to open their mind to different things. I would not only recommend this book to young readers but to adults as well.

This book ends with a almost unsolve problem. So, it isn't as satisfying as you would like it to be. One thing that suprised me throughout the book is the author's speech choice. one of the words in this book is "I'd've." The the setting is around the time of the underground railroad. And the main character, Elijah is the first freeborn African. He also is scared of snakes and his ma calls him fragile at lot. He has a best friend named Cooter. I think this is a good example for a fun way to learn about our history. This book is a realistic-ficton and is very fun to read!!!

Elijah of Buxton, by Christopher Paul Curtis, is a wonderful coming of age story about a young boy who fights for his right to manhood. This historical fiction book takes place in the Canadian town of Buxton. Buxton is the final destination for escaped American slaves. Elijah, the first freeborn child of Buxton, is a fun, lovable character who has been labeled by the people of Buxton as "fragile." The fist half of Elijah of Buxton explores a series of short anecdotes of Elijah's life. This part gave the book a light feel and although the plot does not begin until the second half of the book, the stories were necessary in developing Elijah's character and motivation for his actions. About halfway through the book, the town preacher steals Elijah's friend Mr. Leroy's money that he had planned on using to buy his wife and children's freedom. Mr. Leroy seeks Elijah's help in tracking down the preacher and getting his money back. This allows Elijah to achieve his manhood and prove himself to his friends and neighbors. Elijah of Buxton gives powerful insight into the dangerous lives of escaped slaves through the life of a young man. Readers should not give up after the fist few chapters of stories because the end result is heartwarming and fulfilling.

Talk about humor! Elijah is lovable and funny, with great perspectives on human foibles (his own and others'). It is a joy to read this book to my family -- the characters are excellent.

Told in vernacular, I think this book works better for reading out loud -- it's difficult for a child to read it independently. Plus, when you read it to them, you can talk about some of the controversial things that happen in the story -- talk about whipping and branding, humiliation and pain, sexual assault and families separated, betrayal and trickery, the stench of human fear, the planned murder-suicide of the barn captives.

This is a great book, with one of the most enjoyable boy heroes I have ever read. Be amazed at the educational expectations of children in the 1800's.

Elijah is a very fragile eleven year old boy. Who lives in a little settlement full of runaway slaves in the 1800's. He doesn't like being fragile at all. He tries to be tough, but it rarely works. He has a talent of throwing rocks though. But still he wants to change his appearance. He's about to.......... His parents' friend (who is also Elijah's friend) gets his money stolen. Elijah goes on a quest to track down the thief. His quest is scary and dangerous,but he tries to keep going and not let down his friend........... Do you think he'll make it?

One of my favorite parts is when Elijah plays a trick on his mom with a huge toad (his mom is deathly afraid of toads). One reason I gave this book five stars is because it is an exiting, nail-biting book that has you on the edge of your seat wanting to read more. This book really is five star worthy.

Elijah is introduced to the reader as a typical eleven year-old boy who plays tricks on his mother and tries to get away with whatever he can. However, he is not completely typical, as he is the first child to be born free in the Canadian community of Buxton, a community settled by runaway slaves. Elijah's life changes when he travels with a friend to Michigan in pursuit of a man who has stolen his friend's money. While in Michigan he suddenly finds himself exposed to horrific aspects of slavery that he has only just heard about previously from his former slave parents.
While I thought this book got off to a slow start, I think middle school readers would be able to relate to Elijah's antics. The background also contributed to my initial view of Elijah. As the story progressed, however, I became caught up not only in the immediate story but also in the events of that time period. This was a very informative book about how runaway slaves lived once they were free, yet it was interwoven into an exciting story told through an eleven year- old's eyes. When I got toward the end of the book, I couldn't put it down. I would highly recommend reading it.

As a middle school literature teacher, I've ALWAYS been a fan of Curtis. Elijah is some of his best work,although reminiscent of Watsons in language usage~~~not a bad thing, it helped my students make connections. Curtis has a gift for taking serious subject matter and making it palitable and even humorous for adolescents. Once he grabs your attention with his character development, he takes you places you'd never go otherwise. Good job!

Elijah of Buxton
By: Christopher Paul Curtis
Coretta Scott King Award Winner - Chapter Book
This is a great coming of age story about a young boy named Elijah, who lives in Buxton, Canada. Buxton is a safe haven for ex-slaves and refugees. This story is great for young boy or girl readers and is full of humor and adventure. Young children will be able to relate to Elijah and learn a little history along the way about slaves and the circumstances they went through. This book is full of hope and is a must read! Very easy to read and full of entertainment!

It is a powerfully written, moving story that had me captivated by a fun voice like no other. It moved me to tears twice! Once it was tears from laughing so blasted hard and the other it was tears of pure joy at the way they greeted the freed slaves.Beautiful! Well done! The way this kid captures the moment... magic!

The book Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis demonstrates his skill of story writing. The story of Elijah is brought to life by the dialogue and slang used in the novel. Curtis combines the elements of adventure, humor, and heartbreak to create an exciting page turner.

The author tells this coming of age story in a way that many children could relate with. The story explains Elijah's hobbies such as pulling pranks as well as the hardships about freedom that many children could learn from.

As a student studying to become an educator, this charming novel has a lot of potential to be used in various cross curriculum lessons such as lessons about the Civil War in social studies.

There are tears and laughter in this book. It doesn't pull punches on the heartbreaking evils of slavery, but at the same time, there are moments of joy and hilarity as the title character misbehaves, learns, and grows. It starts out slowly, apparently an episodic novel, but when the linear plot gets going, it is compelling, and themes and elements from all the prior episodes inform the main story: nothing that came before was superfluous.

Christopher Paul Curtis is one of my favorite adolescent authors. I read Bub, Not Buddy to my 8th graders every year (Great Depression) and The Watson's Go To Birmingham: 1963 (during a Civil Rights Movement unit). This school year I discovered Elijah of Buxton and read it to my students during my unit on American Slavery. None of my students had read the book and we were all on the edge of our seats together. This book has great voice and I especially enjoyed the dialect. My students and I throughly enjoyed this book. I would highly recommend it to students to read, parents to read to their kids and teachers to read to their students! I cannot say enough good things about this book.

Elijah of Buxton is the story of the young Elijah who happens to be the first child who was born free in his town. The story follows Elijah's adventures, mischief, and life lessons that are learned along the way. In one of my favorite chapters, Elijah and his best friend play a prank on his toad-fearing mother. While Elijah expected to be whipped for this, his mother plays a prank right back that causes Elijah to run for miles scared out of his mind.

Christopher Paul Curtis does a great job mixing history, humor, and life lessons in this novel. I enjoyed reading about the many adventures of Elijah. My only complaint would be that the book didn't seem to follow like a story. Each chapter was a different part of Elijah's childhood, which made each chapter difficult to begin. I would recommend this book for children older than ten due to some violence and language.

I came upon this book in my daughter's scholastic flyer and wound up buying it for myself. I am not a big reader, however, this book kept my interest from cover to cover. It is extremely well written and the storyline is one that creates compassion and understanding. I recommend it to young adults and older. Come on adults! You can get in the act and read a well written "young adult" book too!

We used this book for our Mother/Daughter book club made up of girls ranging in age from 10 to 13. It was an excellent text for Black History Month. The book centers around the first free child born in Buxton, named Elijah. He is a fictional character, but the setting, Buxton, is an actual town that was settled for the sole purpose of providing a safe haven for ex-slaves where they could own property and participate in community government. Although there are some serious themes regarding slavery, the author handles them in a fashion appropriate for children.
He also interjects humor into the story as well as page turning adventure. I would highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to give their child a better understanding of slavery.

I wanted to make this high level book available to my fifth graders who are studying the Civil War, but was concerned about the dialect being difficult for some of them to read. I purchased books for each student and then purchased the CD so they could follow along as the professionally recorded CD played enabling them to understand the "foreign" words. They love being able to see the printed word as well as hear the intent of the author. They are able to flag parts of the book as they "read" along. It is making this book club a much richer experience for them.

Like Christopher Paul Curtis' other books, Elijah of Buxton is full of emotions from laughter to tears. It is a touch of history with a surprise ending. I loved the adventure, the suspense, the humor, and the characters. As an educator I highly recommend this book for adults and older children to enjoy.

Christopher Paul Curtis has created another masterpiece in the realm of children's literature with his new novel, Elijah of Buxton. Like his previous books, Bud, Not Buddy and The Watson's go to Birmingham - 1963, Elijah of Buxton depicts the struggle of a young boy to understand and overcome the atrocities of racial injustice. Eleven-year-old Elijah Freeman takes readers on a journey to the final destination of the Underground Railroad, the Canadian settlement of Buxton. Like many contemporary children, Elijah enjoys a life of freedom characterized by normal childhood activities. As the first child born free to parents who were former slaves, Elijah is sheltered from the harsh realities of slavery. His only knowledge of slavery is obtained through secondhand accounts painfully recounted by residents of Buxton.

Young readers will laugh out loud as they accompany Elijah on hilarious adventures with Hoopsnakes, Moth Lions, and Chunking Stones. Students will feel empathy for Elijah as he realizes that he isn't the brightest bulb in Mr. Travis's class. Children struggling to grow into young adults will identify with the shame Elijah feels when he is teased and rebuked for being a "fragile boy". A vivid cast of characters peppers the book with spicy personality and captures the reader's interest more effectively Elijah's chunking stones capture fish. As Elijah interacts with former slaves, he realizes that the scars of slavery go deeper than the flesh. Elijah stumbles upon a hornet's nest of human nature when he utters a racial slur which causes a former slave to attack him. Throughout the book, glimpses of racism periodically appear, but Curtis skillfully encourages the reader to befriend Elijah so neither the reader or Elijah will face the atrocity of slavery alone. When at last Elijah crosses the Detroit River into America and encounters slaves, the reader feels as if he or she is alongside Elijah, facing danger, feeling nauseous, and desperately searching for methods to free the trapped victims of slavery. As tears of empathy begin to roll down reader's cheeks, they almost expect to find Elijah there beside them, identifying with their deep sorrow.

As a child who has faced bigotry firsthand, I felt inspired to become actively engaged in changing the world after reading Elijah of Buxton. Elijah Freeman's courage reminds us that it's not enough to merely be a survivor of hatred. As children we share a moral obligation to become "conductors" of social change. 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. I was deeply honored to be one of the first readers of this monumental book which chronicles the story of one boy's journey into adulthood set against the backdrop of a peoples' journey into freedom. Librarians, teachers, parents and students, make room on your bookshelves for what is sure to become an award-winning classic!

Once again, Curtis has written a lively, funny story with important and interesting history underneath. Many schoolkids study slavery and the Underground RR--this book provides a glimpse of "what happens next?"

This title would be a great follow-up/companion book to Shelley Pearsall's Trouble Don't Last--a first person narrative like this one--which follows a young boy (not unlike Elijah) who is trying to escape to Canada on the Underground RR. Many kids who read that book want to know what happens to Samuel in Canada? What kind of a life do the former slaves create? Do their hopes and dreams become reality? Curtis' book takes readers there.

The book was okay. The book starts out really slow and at about the middle of the book it gets going. The only thing that made it a bit hard to read was the language. What I enjoyed about the book was it just kept on going it felt like it did not end.

Christopher Paul Curtis has once again written a superb book for young readers! Not only did the book make me laugh, it gave me much insight on conditions for freed slaves who escaped and found a new life in Canada! I highly recommend this for any upper elementary or junior high student!

This book did everything it promised. Elijah went to America to get his friend's (Mr. Leroy)money back. Unfortunantly, there was too long of an intro. The only time the author ever even thinks of the stealing of Mr. Leroy's money is in the last few chapters, and all the rest of the chapters are into. The book has AT LEAST five pages of Elijah explaining how much he "loves mules" and "old flapjack." I found this very much of a disappointment. I highly disliked this author, and I was only forced to read this book. I don't understand how people like this book.