Scott O'Dell Award winning book - Elijah of Buxton

BibliographyCurtis, Christopher Paul. 2007. ELIJAH OF BUXTON. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN 0439023443

Plot Summary
Eleven-year-old Elijah Freeman was the first child born into freedom in the Canadian settlement of Buxton. His mother is concerned that he is such a "fra-gile" boy since he is quite gullible and sensitive. However, everything changes when a former slave who calls himself the "Right Reverend Deacon Doctor Zephariah Connerly the Third" runs off with money that Elijah's friend Mr. Leroy had saved to buy his family out of slavery. Feeling that he is to blame, Elijah journeys with Mr. Leroy to America to find the thief and bring him to justice. He soon sees the horrors of slavery that he had only heard about from his parents and other ex-slaves. Facing such horrors while finding the courage to save a child that would otherwise be immersed into slavery, he proves that he is not as "fra-gile" as his mother thought him to be.

Critical Analysis
Curtis takes us on an unforgettable journey through the eyes of Elijah Freedman, the first child "born free" to former slaves in Buxton, a settlement for ex-slaves in Canada. Through the eyes of Elijah, the reader is transported to the settlement in Buxton, a place united by the experiences of slavery shared by most of its residents. The setting is vividly described through the eyes of Elijah as are his feelings of being too "fra-gile" for a boy about to become a young man. Readers can find humor in the naivety and gullibility of Elijah such as when he visits a traveling carnival and really thinks that a mesmerist is going to shoot lightning bolts from his eyes and make him levitate: "The first thing I did was look straight up, partly so's I wouldn't have to see the stage, but mostly 'cause if the Preacher was gonna force me to watch and get floated off by lightning coming outta some white man's eyes, I wanted to see if there was something I could latch ahold on to afore I ended up in the clouds." At the same time, readers witness how the boy becomes stronger, capable of risking his neck to cross the border to help Mr. Leroy find the preacher who stole his money. As he does this, he is confronted with the horrors of slavery, which only proves to the reader that he is "fra-gile" no more but a hero for doing what was right and saving a young child that was bound for slavery.

The colloquial language of the characters brings authenticity to the story, making readers feel even more "in the moment" and the author's note at the end lets readers know that the settlement of Buxton is a real place. Knowing that much of the story is based on fact, readers young and old will no doubt feel immensely touched by a story written so true to the history of the time.

Excerpt Review(s)
BookList - "Many readers drawn to the book by humor will find themselves at times on the edge of their seats in suspense and, at other moments, moved to tears."
Kirkus Reviews - "It's 1859, in Buxton, a settlement for slaves making it to freedom in Canada, a setting so thoroughly evoked, with characters so real, that readers will live the story, not just read it."
School Library Journal - "Curtis' talent for dealing with painful periods of history with grace and sensitivity is as strong as ever."

Connections
*Books about the history of slavery:
Hamilton, Virginia. MANY THOUSAND GONE: AFRICAN AMERICANS FROM SLAVERY TO FREEDOM. ISBN 0679879366
Lester, Julius. TO BE A SLAVE. ISBN 0141310014
Lester, Julius. FROM SLAVE SHIP TO FREEDOM ROAD. ISBN 0140566694