When was elijah of buxton published

The historical references in the story are really strong. The author makes references of the abolitionists, John Brown and Frederick Douglass, and the following issues were skillfully touched on in this historical-fiction story: 1 The beating of a slave to death 2 The Underground Railroad 3 Separation of slave families and the attempts to buy family members out of slavery in America 4 Slavers coming North into Canada 5 The use of the N word by a free born.

One of the most symbolic coming of age elements of the book is how the children played a game called "slavers and abolitionist". Great read! Highly recommended! Jan 04, babyhippoface rated it it was amazing Recommends it for: everyone. Shelves: historical , social-studies , black-history , kids-fiction , audiobook. Okay, I'm sold. It took me months to finally getting around to reading this one, and that's too bad, because I could have been recommending it all this time.

It's fantastic. Elijah Freeman was the first child born free in the Buxton settlement of Canada. His life is made up of family, school, chores, and fishing, and although he has heard stories about life in captivity from the former slaves around him, he leads a very different life. When an unscrupulous, self-proclaimed preacher makes off with Okay, I'm sold. When an unscrupulous, self-proclaimed preacher makes off with the money a man was going to use to buy his wife and children out of slavery, Elijah is taken to America to help find the thief.

Award-winner Curtis has crafted a masterpiece for children. In situations that range from hilarious to heart-breaking, Elijah and his Buxton friends and family are incredibly real. They display strength, integrity, loyalty, humor, and extreme sacrifice. Hearing about slavery and seeing it for himself are two very different things for Elijah. Readers will feel like they are standing along-side him as he sees for himself the horrors of slavery and struggles to reconcile what he witnesses with his sense of justice.

Personally, I wanted to grab the mystery pistol myself and get the job done. I listened to the audiobook, and Mirron Willis has done an absolutely outstanding job. While it's 8 CDs, and certainly takes much longer to listen to it than it does to read it, I think it's worth it just to hear Willis' narration.

He doesn't just read this, he acts it. That's why it's so long--he doesn't rush through; he says every single line like it's coming from a real person feeling every word right from the bottom of his soul.

You know when you're talking out loud to your CD player that this is a powerful piece of literature. I laughed out loud, and I was moved to tears more than once. I cannot recommend it strongly enough. Read it. But I still hate this cover. Elijah looks like one of Willie Tyler's ventriloquist dummies. The new, paperback cover is MUCH better. Narrator Elijah tells an episodic story that builds a broad picture of Buxton's residents before plunging into the dramatic events that take him out of Buxton and, quite possibly, out of his depth.

In the author's note, Curtis relates the difficulty of tackling the subject of slavery realistically through a child's first-person perspective. Here, readers learn about conditions in slavery at a distance, though the horrors become increasingly apparent.

Among the more memorable scenes are those in which Elijah meets escaped slaves—first, those who have made it to Canada and, later, those who have been retaken by slave catchers. Central to the story, these scenes show an emotional range and a subtlety unusual in children's fiction. Many readers drawn to the book by humor will find themselves at times on the edges of their seats in suspense and, at other moments, moved to tears.

A fine, original novel from a gifted storyteller. Phelan, Carolyn Aug 30, Amanda Behrends rated it liked it Shelves: libs Summary - Elijah of Buxton tells the story of Elijah, the first free-born child born in the settlement of former slaves in Buxton Canada. The story details the experiences Elijah has as he comes of age in the settlement and learns about the lives of his parents and the other former slaves in the settlement.

Personal Reaction - Overall I liked this book. I think the author did a great job with character development. I found myself really interested in the lives of the characters and interested in what was happening to them. The drawback for me was that it felt like the plot development was lacking. Most of the book felt like stand alone short stories that helped develop the characters but didn't really get to what the book was all about.

Assessment of Visual Appeal - As this is a juvenile book there are no illustrations at all. However the cover art is bright and attractive. The illustration of Elijah drew me in and made me want to know more about him.

Intended Audience - This book is intended for a juvenile audience. I would place the book between a 4th and 6th grade level and would think it would mainly appeal to boys. Jul 29, Audra rated it it was amazing.

Elijah of Buxton is one of the best young adults novels I have ever read. The author does an excellent job of weaving historical facts into the story, giving readers a raw glimpse into what those that managed to escape the cruel grip of slavery must have felt.

It gives you a new appreciation for the resiliency of Black people who are still standing despite all the terrorism we have endured. This book made me laugh and cry. I felt so many emotions ranging from contemplative to joy to utter despai Elijah of Buxton is one of the best young adults novels I have ever read.

I felt so many emotions ranging from contemplative to joy to utter despair. Elijah of Buxton masterfully told the story of a handful of people who were brave enough to escaped north to Canada, "the land of milk and honey.

They had to deal with the scars of slavery--emotional, physical and mental--as they worked hard to build new lives for themselves as free people, all while wondering and worrying about the family members they left behind in chains in America. Elijah, having never been a slave, heard the stories of slavery from his parents, but never truly understood the horrors of it until he was forced to venture out of Canada and into Michigan, where he met a family of slaves.

He always wanted to be seen as "growned-up. I'm already reading the sequel, The Madman of Piney Woods. Elijah is free born, as are some of the other children around him, but the adults in his community, Buxton, are former slaves. Other than that, except for a few details here and there, such as when some newly escaped slaves arrive, the story is mainly a pleasant character study with an interesting, folksy, historical setting, though that is done so well that the settlement of Buxton feels like a character too.

Elijah fishes, takes care of horses, attends school, visits a traveling vaudeville sho Elijah is free born, as are some of the other children around him, but the adults in his community, Buxton, are former slaves.

I do not know if a ten or eleven year old would keep reading it, especially because of the dialect, but I read it aloud and my son did not protest. The last hundred or so pages is where the action really begins. Most of the tension before that is due to a man who calls himself the Preacher, but the Preacher does something unforgivable.

Elijah is an year-old black boy in He is the first free-born person in the settlement of Buxton, Canada, where many runaway slaves escaped to freedom just across the U. Elijah is sensitive as he empathizes with the struggles of his neighbors and family. He strives to be grown, but it is not easy. The ultimate test of his fragility comes when his friend Mr. Elijah must find out if he is grown enough to help Mr. Leroy retrieve the money and free his family.

Curtis provides many stories within the larger story that give a glimpse into life for slaves and former slaves in the 19th century. Curtis says in his author's note that many of his stories are based on documented accounts, though the characters and some details are embellished, of course.

I would be confident in using this text as part of a study of slavery for middle grades and up. Apr 21, Sunny rated it liked it Recommends it for: Adults. I wish I had a book club to discuss this book with. Spencer, I think, has opted not to read this one. So, if anyone chooses to read this book I'd love to talk about it with you! The whole first part of the book wasn't very interesting.

I really had no desire to keep reading it. Come on! This has to get good at some point! But i th I wish I had a book club to discuss this book with. But i think the author could have revised it and cut the book down significantly. There are many really good points it does bring up through out the book. I like that. However, it does mention suicide. I did not like and think it was appropriate for a Newberry Award winning book - I don't care what people and society say, or even that it is a part what slaves had to deal with, children should not be reading about that.

It leaves an impression on innocent children. Overall, the last part of the book does bring everything together. And I guess you feel like it was worth plowing through. But I wouldn't give it more than 3 stars. Sep 24, Mary L. Elijah is the first free-born baby on the Buxton Settlement in Canada. The story takes place in and tells the story of Elijah at age Buxton represents hope for former slaves and those trying to reach freedom.

As Elijah comes of ages, he tries to overcome the fragility of childhood. He sets out to help his friend, Mr. Leroy, buy his family out of slavery. They journey to America after someone they thought they could trust runs off with Mr.

On this journey, Elijah shows cou Elijah is the first free-born baby on the Buxton Settlement in Canada. On this journey, Elijah shows courage and determination as he finds himself having to make difficult decisions. This book won a Newbery Medal. It is written in the language of the character, Elijah, which,at first,took me some time to get used to, but makes the book culturally distinct.

As I eased in, I became more and more engrossed in the story, and finished it in one day! This novel is perfect for 5th grade students. Although the characters are fictional, the story of Buxton and how it served as a refuge for slaves is real. This book could be used to bridge history and language arts in an integrated unit. Mar 18, Toby Meredith rated it liked it. When i first found the book I found the cover interesting, and bold. I also noticed the awards it had gotten from many world author organisations.

I thought it was a really good book as it showed emotion and a true tale of friendship while being a sad story overall. That with a true heart, comes great courage. I found elijah a kind-hearted character. He was described brave, and a good friend.

He is known for his great impressions and is a funny but silly boy who is always looking for tr 1. He is known for his great impressions and is a funny but silly boy who is always looking for trouble. Jul 04, Anna Zehr rated it it was amazing Recommends it for: seventh graders. Shelves: children-s-books-read-in Elijah of Buxton is set in Buxton, Ontario, a settlement on Erie for formerly enslaved people.

Christopher Paul Curtis weaves a powerful story, using the comic relief of Elijah's Huckleberry Finnesque shenanigans in the first half of the book to give the history of Buxton before Elijah along with the reader experience the full impact of slavery's devastation on human beings.

The heavy topics around slavery are not sugar coated, yet are handled in an age appropriate manner. Jul 07, Tammy rated it really liked it Shelves: audio , children , historical-fiction , challenge , newbery-award. This had a slow start to it, but I was hooked near the end. Popsugar Challenge - A book set in a country beginning with "C" Canada This had a slow start to it, but I was hooked near the end.

Popsugar Challenge - A book set in a country beginning with "C" Canada Jan 07, Valerie rated it it was amazing Shelves: middle-grade , read-inand , recommendations , race-and-or-racism , historical-fiction , audiobooks. I listened to the audiobook read by Mirron Willis and I cried.

What a powerful, funny, charming, poignant book. After playing a practical joke on his elders, his mother repays the effort by having Elijah pull out a snake from a cookie jar. The boy runs screaming through the forest, and we are exposed to why his family has given him this tag. Elijah as the first free born black child in the Canadian settlement of Buxton, Ontario has much to learn about the complexities of adult life.

Elijah will have to make some hard choices and quicker than his young 11 year old mind can emotionally or mentally handle. Elijah and Cooter celebrate the ringing in of five runaway slaves who have found their way to Buxton.

It's a joyful moment for Elijah and his friend Cooter. Their innocence is about to end. When Mrs. Write a review Rate this item: 1 2 3 4 5. Preview this item Preview this item. Series: Newbery honor book , Allow this favorite library to be seen by others Keep this favorite library private.

Save Cancel. Find a copy in the library Finding libraries that hold this item Elijah of Buxton. In , eleven-year-old Elijah Freeman, the first free-born child in Buxton, Canada, which is a haven for slaves fleeing the American south, uses his wits and skills to try to bring to justice the lying preacher who has stolen money that was to be used to buy a family's freedom.

View most popular tags as: tag list tag cloud. You may have already requested this item. All rights reserved. Please sign in to WorldCat Don't have an account? Remember me on this computer. Cancel Forgot your password? Christopher Paul Curtis. Newbery honor book , Print book : Elementary and junior high school : Fiction : English : First edition View all editions and formats.

Liberty -- Juvenile fiction. View all subjects. User tags User lists Similar Items. Online version: Curtis, Christopher Paul. Newbery Honor Book, Snakes and Ma -- Me and Mr. Frederick Douglass -- Fish head chunking -- Kidnappers and slavers! Travis cheats us out of a great lesson -- Mr. Leroy shows how to really make a lesson stick -- The most exciting night of my life so far -- The mesmerist and Sammy -- Meeting the real MaWee!

Leroy -- Terrorfied in America! Frederick Douglass! Table of contents. Home About Help Search. Master storyteller Christopher Paul Curtis lends his trademark humour and vibrant narrative style to the gripping tale of eleven-year-old Elijah Freeman.

The first child born into freedom in Buxton, Ontario, a settlement of runaway slaves just over the border from Detroit, Elijah is best known in his hometown as the boy who threw up on Frederick Douglass.

Not on purpose, of course, he was just a baby then! But things change when a former slave calling himself the Right Reverend Zephariah W.