Elijah of Buxton

Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Curtis, Christopher Paul. 2007. Elijah of Buxton. Toronto: Scholastic Canada. ISBN 0439023440

PLOT/SUMMARY

Elijah, being the first free-born child in the Buxton settlement of Canada, has no concept of the wounds and scars left by slavery. In his first person story-telling, we are treated to a glimpse of life in Buxton for freed slaves, their families, and the escaped slaves that they welcome into their community. Elijah’s mistrust of the local preacher proves to be well founded when the preacher skips town with the money Mr. Leroy had been saving to buy his family’s freedom. Chasing after the preacher with Mr. Leroy will have him crossing the border into Michigan, and risking his own freedom by doing so. Meeting a captured slave family changes his outlook permanently, but also gives him a chance to be the hero he longs to be.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The author writes in the style which the characters spoke, thus adding to the realistic mood of the book. “I ain’t meaning to be unhumble, but you know they tastes better’n they smells, ‘Lijah. Come on in the kitchen and pick you one” says one of the characters passing a pie to Elijah to take home to his family. Telling the story from the perspective of a 12 year old we view slavery through someone not truly old enough to understand some of the harsh realities of the world around him, and we watch as he navigates around and interacts with the various adults in his life. There are several descriptions of the brutality of slavery and, while not sugar coated by any stretch, they are not going to turn away readers with its rendering. The setting of Buxton is beautifully described as a safe haven for those lucky enough to have escaped the ugliness of slavery. Here everyone lifts the other families up, welcoming in every new family that has made the journey to freedom and ushering them into their new, free life. It is this theme that is most present…family and supporting those around you. The author’s notes at the end of the story give more personal information on the settlement of Buxton, how it functioned, and its current state today. Acknowledging that some aspects are fictionalized, the author points out the many parts of the story that are based in reality. This includes the Liberty Bell, Frederick Douglass visiting Buxton, and one member of the community escaping to freedom on her second trip to Detroit with her mistress (as Elijah’s mother did). Curtis has successfully woven an important, accurate account of what life was like for those escaping slavery along the Underground Railroad and those who were there to welcome them.

REVIEW EXCERPTS/AWARDS

John Newbery Medal, 2008 Honor Book United States

Best Books for Kids and Teens, 2008 ; Canadian Children's Book Centre; Starred Selection; Canada
Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People, 2008 ; National Council for Social Studies; United States

Book of the Year Award for Children, 2008 Winner Canada
Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction for Young People, 2008 Winner Canada
Governor General's Literary Awards, 2007 Finalist Children's Literature (Text) Canada
IODE (National Chapter of Canada) Violet Downey Book Award, 2008 Short-List Canada
Prix TD De Litterature Canadienne Pour L'Enfance et la Jeunesse, 2008 Winner English Language Canada
Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book Award, 2008 Shortlist Young Adult/Middle Reader Canada
TD Canadian Children's Literature Award, 2008 Finalist Canada
TD Canadian Children's Literature Award, 2008 Winner Canada

Resource Links Starred Review…”Elijah of Buxton is an excellent story, funny, suspenseful, and horrifying. The historical background is brought to life with great attention to detail and accuracy, while Elijah's role as a narrator examining himself and his world allows the unfamiliar to be explained in a natural and unobtrusive way. Elijah is a very realistic eleven-year-old who goes from being an ordinary boy dealing with everyday problems to a person facing a situation in which even an adult would have found himself helpless to do more. Though he calls himself fragile for his overwhelming emotional reactions to events, Elijah's courage, resilience and determination make him a hero.”

CM Magazine Starred Review…” Elijah is a boy's boy, an adept, mischievous, yet respectful child whose story will be welcomed by both boys and girls as they watch him learn to see through into the adult world and emerge a hero. Curtis's worthy goal of highlighting the time in Canadian life when some Canadians rose up to help Black slaves shines through his brilliant writing.”

Canadian Children’s Book News Starred Review…” In his latest novel, the Newbury Award-winning author Christopher Paul Curtis paints a memorable picture of life in 1849 in the black settlement of Buxton, Ontario. The reader follows the humorous yet suspenseful adventures of the gullible 11-year-old narrator, Elijah, in the newly formed community that was a sanctuary for southern American slaves. Related in a vivid, comical dialect, Elijah’s everyday routine exposes the relationships, personalities and values of the people of Buxton whose commonality is surviving slavery.”

CONNECTIONS

*Study any of these websites for information regarding the Underground Railroad, perhaps study certain routes on the Underground Railroad, and see which stops are close to Buxton.

www.blackhistoricalmuseum.com/history.htm The official site of the North American Black Historical Museum which makes a connection between Canadian Black History and Black History of the United States.

http://www.undergroundrailroadconductor.com/ Shows various routes on the Underground Railroad.

www.nps.gov/archive/frdo/freddoug.html The official site for the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site.
http://www.buxtonmuseum.com/ Website for the Buxton Museum, which celebrates the Underground Railroad and black settlements in Canada

*Have the students write a letter to Frederick Douglass as if they were Elijah describing his journey into Michigan, what he did, and how this changed his life.

*Allow the students, either as an entire class or in smaller groups, to plan and perform the Liberty Bell ceremony that might take place when Elijah returns to Buxton with Hope.

*The link from Scholastic Books, http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plan/elijah-buxton-discussion-guide, provides excellent reinforcement for teachers looking to teach this book to their class. There are pre-reading activities and discussion questions that can be utilized.