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"Elijah of Buxton" by Christopher Paul Curtis

Author:

Christopher Paul Curtis

Publisher:

Scholastic., 2007

Reviewed by:

Lisa Langsdorf, Kenosha Public Library

Gr. 5-9 Elijah Freeman was born in Buxton, Canada. Buxton was a settlement of freed slaves established by Reverend William King in 1849. Elijah’s claim to fame was that he was the first free child born in Buxton. The colloquial language will be difficult for struggling readers, but if they preserver, they will find an enjoyable, realistic story here. Elijah is based on the true community of Buxton, and the attitude of the community that everyone must become a good and productive citizen of Buxton. Elijah attends school and laments his Latin lessons and the fact that their Sunday school teacher is also their classroom teacher, and on Sundays, he might tell your parents what you failed to do that week. Elijah is a typical trusting boy, and when his trust causes Mr. Leroy to lose the money he saved to buy his family’s freedom, Elijah takes it on himself to try to get the money back. Elijah travels from Canada to Detroit Michigan to help Mr. Leroy. They find the thief, who was killed by slavers. For the first time Elijah witnesses the cruelty of slavers towards captured runaway slaves. He begins to understand the behavior and actions of the former slaves who make up Buxton. For the first time Elijah must make choices that put his own freedom at risk. Elijah becomes aware for the first time the true meaning of freedom. Elijah will never take the arrival of a runaway slave to Buxton for granted again. Freedom for his people has come at a high cost and Elijah will do what he can to keep their dream of freedom alive. This story, written about one of the darkest times in America’s history, comes to a satisfying conclusion through the actions of Elijah and the community who make up Buxton.