Buxton, Ontario was founded by Rev. William King who bought land to provide homes for escaped and newly freed slaves. Elijah of Buxton is a fictionalized account of the first child born free in Buxton. Elijah himself is a kindred spirit to Tom Sawyer. He gets involved in all sorts of escapades involving family, friends, and community members - practical jokes, fishing, money-making schemes, even kidnapping and daring rescues.
Author Christopher Paul Curtis, has received multiple awards through his writing career including Newbery Honor and Medal, Coretta Scott King Honor and Medal, the Golden Kite award, and, most recently, the TD Canadian Children's Literature Award for Elijah of Buxton. It was the TD announcement that prompted me to read this book and I'm very glad I did.
Eleven-year-old Elijah does a fair bit of growing and learning through the course of this story but this is not a heavy coming-of-age story. There are a lot of laughs but it isn't just a comedy either. Neither is is a history book although I learned some history by reading it. Elijah of Buxton is a brilliantly-told view of the world through the eyes of a boy - sometimes brave, sometimes "fra-gile," sometimes wise, sometimes dangerously naive, but always interesting. It's written and published for children but I would recommend it to any adult as well.
Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis. Published in 2007 by Scholastic. ISBN: 987-0-439-93647-7.
About Me
- Carol
- What would you call this room? According to the floor plan, it's a living room and the first thing you see when you open our front door. It's not exactly a traditional living room set-up. Some would call it a studio. Others would call it a mess. It's where I build houses...and my family's OK with that.