Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis

Elijah of Buxton is the tale of a young African American boy who is growing up in Buxton, Canada. Throughout the book, Elijah describes his life in the Settlement, which is located across the border from Michigan and was established by freed slaves during the 1850s. The reader becomes acquainted with all of the various individuals that are a part of Elijah's life and follows his many exploits. Elijah’s narration is very fun to read and allows the reader to see his loving personality and his innocence. The young boy’s commentary excellently integrates humor and a sense of hope into the sadness and heartache that accompany many of the events in the novel.

Elijah’s distinctive dialect is a wonderful story element that immediately draws the reader into the story and adds emotion to the characters’ voices. For example, Elijah’s habit of being “fra-gile” is humorous at particular points in the story and very touching in other sections. The phrases and words that the characters use accurately reflect the language of the time period and help the reader in better understanding each individual character.

This piece of historical fiction is a great reflection of the attitudes, feelings, and occurrences of this particular time in history. The author’s description of the lifestyle that freed slaves lived is both informative and interesting. The heartbreaking circumstances that were faced by freed African Americans and the sense of both despair and optimism that was present in their lives are effectively communicated throughout this work. The reader truly sees the value of freedom and comes to better understand some of the sacrifices that had to be made in order for some individuals to attain their independence.

I found Elijah’s meeting with the slaves in Michigan to be very poignant. His increased appreciation for his freedom and better understanding of the treatment of slaves were very moving moments in the book. In addition, Elijah saving the slave baby and taking to her freedom in Canada was very touching. His returning with Hope was an excellent ending to the book.

As I read the book, I could clearly imagine the struggles and circumstances that these individuals had to face. The story establishes strong characters that are remarkable and inspiring. In addition, the book is a great way to learn about the effects of slavery, the struggles that African Americans had to face, and to see the strength that so many individuals demonstrated during this trying time. The integration of this novel into the social studies curriculum would be a great way of teaching students about the important events, ideas, and beliefs of this period in the past. I would highly recommend reading this book.

Curtis, C.P. (2007). Elijah of Buxton. New York: Scholastic.

Coretta Scott King Award Winner