LSSL 5360 Module 5- Book Review #1 ELIJAH OF BUXTON by Christopher Paul Curtis

Module 5- Book Review #1 Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis

1.  BIBLIOGRAPHY

Curtis, Christopher Paul. (2007). Elijah of Buxton. Abbotsford, BC: Braillebooks.com. ISBN-13: 97804390233443

2.  PLOT SUMMARY

Elijah of Buxton takes place in Buxton, Canada, a free settlement of runaway slaves, where Elijah is the first child born knowing nothing but freedom. That all changes when a former slave steals money from his friend, and Elijah feels compelled to embark on a journey to find him. In America, Elijah sees for himself the devastation, pain, and unimaginable environment that his parents fled. Will his journey bring him back home, to the freedom he has been blessed to know? This is a story of courage, hope, and heart-wrenching truths.

3.  CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Elijah of Buxton has a very compelling storyline, a humorous narrative voice, and candid imagery during times of slavery. This colorful portrayal of life in Buxton ended up as a great, moving story, but for me, it started quite slow. The slang, southern sort of dialect throughout the story gave a real voice to the character portrayal- I found myself reading it in an accent, and I wish I could’ve listened to it as an audiobook. I think it really brings the story to life. That being said, the language may be hard for a young child to grasp, so I would personally save this for an 11+ year old child to read.

Despite the humor that this book often provides, there is a constant gloomy undertone represented through the misery and struggles of these former slaves. It’s an uplifting tale about freedom, but we can’t ignore the despair and utter horror that slavery brought during this time period. It’s represented in many ways through those around Elijah, like Mr. Leroy, and through Elijah’s narration itself, as he is moved and changed by the events unfolding around him.

In the end, we find Elijah to be less “fra-gile” than before, and a hero as he frees baby Hope. The beginning was slow, and the end seemed to wrap up quickly to me, but the meat of the story is a great tale of hope and courage in a time period that was anything but.

4.  REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

“It occurred to me while writing this, that, simply, Elijah’s story is the story of the community of Buxton and vice versa. As alluded to earlier, Elijah’s story is our story, the story of individuals making sense of the world around them, of learning and becoming “growned up,” which I think that Curtis conveys wonderfully through Elijah’s comically confused, sometimes naïve observations of the world around him.” –Goodreads, starred review by Jennifer Iffer

*Newbery Honor (2008)
*Scott O'Dell Award (2008)
*Jane Addams Children's Book Award Nominee for Older Children (2008)
*CLA Book of the Year for Children Award (2008)
*Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award Nominee (2009)
*Coretta Scott King Award for Author (2008)
*Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction for Young People (2008)
*Canadian Children's Literature Award for English Language (2008)
*Odyssey Honor (2009)

5. CONNECTIONS

*Take note that the dialect may confuse a younger reader who has had proper grammar drilled into their heads. This is best as a middle school read, in my opinion.

*Also by Christopher Paul Curtis, The Watsons Go to Birmingham – 1963, Newbery Honor-winning American classic