Elijah of Buxton

Elijah of Buxton

Bibliography

Curtis, Christopher Paul. Elijah of Buxton. New York: Scholastic Press, 2007. ISBN: 9780439023443.

Plot Summary

Elijah is the first child born free in Buxton, a Canadian settlement founded by formerly enslaved people. He is known for being sensitive and a bit fearful. When a man steals money that was to be used to free an enslaved family, Elijah sets out on dangerous journey into the United States. What he sees there forces him to see what his parents escaped and changes his idea of freedom.

Critical Analysis

Christopher Paul Curtis tells this historical truth in a way that feels incredibly human. The first part builds on Elijah’s everyday life, then transforms to darker events by the time the readers feel connected to him. As a historical fiction, this novel helps students understand the emotional impact of slavery and freedom without constant trauma seen in most retellings. 

Review Excerpts

Starred Review from Children’s Literature: “Elijah’s heroism is believable, growing from almost accidental, to faltering, to determined, albeit limited, saving one tiny soul rather than a whole group, which is all that can be expected of a child. Indeed, giving a child the opportunity to learn the horrors of the past but understand the hope of the future is the most we can ask of a character--and of an author.”

Connections

This book would pair well with discussion on the meaning of freedom, and how communities can support one another. Students can also compare Elijah’s experience as someone born free with some people who escaped slavery. 

ISBN: 9780439023443


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