Curtis, Christopher Paul. 2007. Elijah of Buxton. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN 0439023440
Plot Summary
Eleven-year-old Elijah has two claims to fame. First and foremost, he is the first child to be born free from slavery in the runaway slave settlement of Buxton, Canada. Secondly, as a baby, he threw up on Frederick Douglass “for a whole half a hour.” Elijah enjoys his life of freedom as he attends school, performs chores on the settlement, hangs out with his best friend Cooter, and welcomes escaped slaves to a new life of freedom. Elijah discovers the good and bad within everyone, the horrors of slavery, and the beginnings of adulthood when he steals away to America to help recover money stolen from a friend in need.
Critical Analysis
Christopher Paul Curtis takes a touchy and heart-wrenching subject and makes it easy for a younger mind to digest by telling it as a story through the eyes of eleven-year-old Elijah. Curtis uses humor that can only be brought to life through the eyes of a child in the midst of a hurtful time in U.S. history. For example, Elijah and his best friend Cooter misinterpret the lesson “familiarity breeds contempt” as something dealing with a “family breeding contest!” Elijah’s adventures and views on things make one laugh out loud while reading. Although Elijah is a black child of the mid 1800’s, he is just as naïve and curious as any eleven-year-old today.
Buxton is a haven of freedom in comparison to the glimpses of a life of slavery revealed throughout the story. The end of the story provides a disturbing and graphic depiction of the life the settlers of Buxton have left behind. This is definitely a subject in which adults should encourage discussion with young readers. The world has come a long way from Elijah’s time. However, universal themes such as respect for elders and the difficulties of learning how to be an adult are things that today’s children can identify with. An author’s note at the end explains the factual elements of the story, such as the Buxton settlement (it is still thriving today), the Liberty Bell, and the way the settlers lived their daily lives.
I love this book and plan on sharing it with my children when they are mature enough to understand the subject matter. My oldest is seven, and I feel that she is too young. Some details given about the treatment of slaves may be too violent in nature for her. Perhaps in another two to three years we can enjoy the story together and possibly make a trip to Buxton.
Awards Won & Review Excerpts
- John Newbery Medal, 2008 - Honor Book
- Coretta Scott King Book Award, 2008
- Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction, 2008
- Booklist: "Many readers drawn to the book by humor will find themselves at times on the edges of their seats in suspense and, at other moments, moved to tears. A fine, original novel from a gifted storyteller."
- Kirkus Reviews: "This is Curtis's best novel yet, and no doubt many readers, young and old, will finish and say, 'This is one of the best books I have ever read.'"
- Library Media Connection: "Curtis deals with the difficult topic of slavery from a youthful perspective, allowing Elijah to learn of its sadness and pain first hand. This is done without overwhelming the reader, by infusing the novel with humor."
- Buxton is still in existence. It is a historical site and has a museum. Explore the museum web page at http://www.buxtonmuseum.com/.
- Learn more about Canada's black history by visiting the Canadian Black History Virtual Museum http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/games/museum/index.asp.
- Other books by Christopher Paul Curtis:
Bud, Not Buddy. ISBN 0385323069
Bucking the Sarge. ISBN 0385323077
The Mighty Miss Malone. ISBN 9780385734912
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