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66th out of 404 books
—
403 voters
Elijah of Buxton
Newbery Medalist and CSK Award winner Christopher Paul Curtis's debut middle-grade/young-YA novel for Scholastic features his trademark humor, compelling storytelling, and unique narrative voice.
Eleven-year-old Elijah is the first child born into freedom in Buxton, Canada, a settlement of runaway slaves just over the border from Detroit. He's best known for having made a m...more
Eleven-year-old Elijah is the first child born into freedom in Buxton, Canada, a settlement of runaway slaves just over the border from Detroit. He's best known for having made a m...more
Hardcover, 341 pages
Published
September 1st 2007
by Scholastic Press
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Jan 31, 2008
Julie
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
4th grade and up
Recommended to Julie by:
Newbery Honor and CSK
I laughed and cried. Elijah became flesh and blood to me, and of course, I learned a little more about slavery and what it means to be free. It took a page or two for me to get accustomed to the dialect. I kept waiting for the library copy to come in, but went ahead and bought it. It's one worth owning.
It's going to be hard for me to write about this book without resorting to blatant gushing, but I'll do my best. Elijah of Buxton is one of those books that kept popping up on all the lists this year. When it won both the Newbery Honor and the Coretta Scott King Award, I thought I'd better pick it up and give it a shot.
Now I had read Christopher Paul Curtis' Bud, Not Buddy when it won the Newbery Medal in 2000, and I liked it quite a bit, but I have to admit I wasn't completely blown away. I did...more
Now I had read Christopher Paul Curtis' Bud, Not Buddy when it won the Newbery Medal in 2000, and I liked it quite a bit, but I have to admit I wasn't completely blown away. I did...more
3 likes · like · see review
view all 8 comments
Despite that I liked Curtis’s lively, colorful, convincing portrayal of everyday life in Buxton, I felt that Elijah of Buxton had a slow start. However, towards the middle of the novel, when Curtis began weaving individual Buxton residents escape and slave stories into Elijah’s daily experiences, I slowly came to love the book. As I was reading the novel on a CTA (Chicago Transit Authority) bus, I found myself tearing up, suddenly struck by what Elijah and his mother would call being “fra-gile-n...more
The boys picked to read Elijah of Buxton for this month’s discussion. The librarian asked me how I tricked them into reading an historical novel. I told her it was my wit and good looks. I think it has more to do with the cover. Anyhow, some have loved it, and some have struggled. Third graders are so used to being told to make sure words are spelled correctly that when they read a novel with dialect that is different it takes them out of their comfort zone.
On Friday during Independent Reading I...more
4 likes · like · see review
This story takes place in the early 1860's just before the Civil War. Elijah is the main character and the narrator of the story. He was the first person born in the Buxton, Ontario settlement where runaway slaves would hide; therefore, he was not considered a slave/runaway slave. He is a very gullible 11 year old and consistently tries to prove that he is becoming a man despite his silliness and frequent mistakes. He is constantly called "fragile" by his mother and other people in the town of B...more
Mar 10, 2010
Dena
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
historical-fiction,
audio
Reading Level: Middle school and older
Elijah is an eleven year old boy - the first child born into freedom in Buxton Canada. Buxton is a settlement of former escaped slaves situated just over the border from Detroit. It is 1860 and Elijah finds himself helping a man . . . a former slave who gives all his money to the dishonest preacher who promises to take the money to get the man's slave family safely back to Buxton. When the preacher steals the money, Elijah goes after him into slave country a...more
Elijah is an eleven year old boy - the first child born into freedom in Buxton Canada. Buxton is a settlement of former escaped slaves situated just over the border from Detroit. It is 1860 and Elijah finds himself helping a man . . . a former slave who gives all his money to the dishonest preacher who promises to take the money to get the man's slave family safely back to Buxton. When the preacher steals the money, Elijah goes after him into slave country a...more
Elijah of Buxton is recommended for children in grades 6-8. I read this book in the audio book format, which was an Odyssey Award Honor book in 2009. This book is focused around Elijah Buxton, the first child born into freedom in Buxton, a settlement in Canada of runaway slaves. He is best known for his ability to throw rocks. He is also known to be “fragile”, but that changes when he goes on journey to America to find a thief who steels money from a friend who is trying to save money to buy his...more
Curtis, in Newberry-Award winning style, tells the story of a young boy growing up in the (historically real) all-black community of Buxton, Ontario, Canada, in 1859. The book is completely absorbing, and one forgets immediately that this is a book for young adults or grade schoolers. Curtis writes with such a clarity of purpose and faithfulness to his story that there's no question of whether the book is merely edifying.
Elijah, the first boy born in the community, is 11 when this story begins....more
Elijah, the first boy born in the community, is 11 when this story begins....more
I wish I had a book club to discuss this book with. Spencer, I think, has opted not to read this one. Darn. 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. I could've put it down and forgotten all about it - except that I kept thinking, "This won the NEWBERRY AWARD! Come on! This has to get good at some point!" Finally, towards the end it does get really good. But i th...more
The whole first part of the book wasn't very interesting. I really had no desire to keep reading it. I could've put it down and forgotten all about it - except that I kept thinking, "This won the NEWBERRY AWARD! Come on! This has to get good at some point!" Finally, towards the end it does get really good. But i th...more
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...more
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...more
Booklist review: *Starred Review* After his mother rebukes him for screaming that hoop snakes have invaded Buxton, gullible 11-year-old Elijah confesses to readers that "there ain't nothing in the world she wants more than for me to quit being so doggone fra-gile." Inexperienced and prone to mistakes, yet kind, courageous, and understanding, Elijah has the distinction of being the first child born in the Buxton Settlement, which was founded in Ontario in 1849 as a haven for former slaves. Narrat...more
May 12, 2010
Camille
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
historical-fiction,
young-adult
Loved it! The setting of this sweet, hope-filled story is the three-mile by six-mile plot of land purchased in southern Ontario to be the home of freed and escaped African-American slaves. It was a refuge where they could truly experience freedom. The story is told in the point of view of an almost 12-year-old boy who was the first free child born in Buxton. He has always lived in this beautiful, peaceful settlement and has never known the horrors his parents and elders experienced as slaves. Be...more
1 like · like · see review
Apr 07, 2008
Jodysegal
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Grades 4 and Up
Shelves:
historical-fiction
Elijah is the first freeborn child in Buxton, Canada, a small community just across the border from Michigan which was settled by escaped and freed slaves from the United States. To eleven year old Elijah, whose story this is, that means bragging rights over Emma, the second freeborn child. But over the course of this powerful and very moving story, freedom comes to mean something entirely different to Elijah.
Kirkus: "Readers, young and old, will finish and say, 'This is one of the best books I...more
Kirkus: "Readers, young and old, will finish and say, 'This is one of the best books I...more
Mar 15, 2008
Jessica
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
everyone
Shelves:
children-young-adult
***children's book--This is a fantastic book and a surprise sobbing end. I cried my eyes out.
It is a historical fictional novel taking place in about 1860 during slaving times. It's about a Canadian settlement of slaves that made it to freedom. It really opened my eyes to the tragedy of the cause. It is graphic at the end of the book, and has a startling, but uplifting ending. It leaves you with the message there can always be something better--if not for you, then your children.
The main charact...more
It is a historical fictional novel taking place in about 1860 during slaving times. It's about a Canadian settlement of slaves that made it to freedom. It really opened my eyes to the tragedy of the cause. It is graphic at the end of the book, and has a startling, but uplifting ending. It leaves you with the message there can always be something better--if not for you, then your children.
The main charact...more
Nov 19, 2009
(NS) Maria
rated it
1 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
historical-fiction
This story is about a boy name Elijah who is eleven years old who lives in Buxton, Canada. He is the first child to be born free and be famous for it. Many people think he is "afraid" of snakes and talks a lot. Things begin to change for Elijah when a former slave steals money from his friend. He begins to take a journey to catch the person and things begin to happen!
I didn't enjoy hearing this story. After listening to this story in the car, I got very tired. Lot's of slang and hard to underst...more
I don't know how much mainstream buzz this book has gotten outside of Canada, but I certainly hope people have heard of it, given that it's the winner of the Scott O'Dell Historical Fiction Award, the Coretta Scott King Award, a Newbery Honor Medal, and has been recognised by the CLA and ALA. It tells the story of a fictional first free-born boy in Buxton (a real community of escaped slaves in Canada West) named Elijah, his life in the community, and what happens when a con artist steals money a...more
This is a wonderful book. I really enjoyed reading it. The author does a fabulous job capturing an 11 yr. old boy's worldview, language and thinking process. Elijah's story made me laugh and cry, and it kept me turning the pages as the plot speeds up near the book's end. I also like the fact that we see Elijah learning and growing as the book proceeds, but this isn't dealt with in a preachy, heavy-handed way. Adult readers will see things more quickly than the narrator, but children and young ad...more
I'm so glad I read this. and so glad that Christopher Paul Curtis wrote another novel I enjoyed reading, as I did his "the Watsons go to Birmingham" and "Bud, Not Buddy," I firmly did not like his "Bucking the Sarge." Curtis at his best writes stories to make you laugh, make you cry, make you want to read them again. First what I didn't care for in "Elijah of Buxton:" I find it harder to read and sometimes distracting when a book is written in a dialect or vernacular, although I have read some b...more
This is a multi-award-winning book. It is a Newberry Honor Book, winner of the Coretta Scott King Award, winner of the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction, an ALA Notable Book, among other prestigious awards. It is perfect for 6th graders, but can be read from 5-8 grade. Even older students may enjoy it, but they might find it boring.
The book is told from Elijah's point of view, and the reader gets to know him immediately. Elijah has a distinct voice and dialect. I also think students will...more
The book is told from Elijah's point of view, and the reader gets to know him immediately. Elijah has a distinct voice and dialect. I also think students will...more
Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis. I didnt like this book,I didnt like the dialect, it was hard to read, and I all most stopped reading it. I found that it was slow, I couldnt find the problem, at the end of the book it didnt see the soulution to the problem,and it was hard to get into it for me, so overall I didnt like reading it at all. Elijah is the main character and he was the first free born African American in the settlement of Buxton whcih is in Canada. Elijah has a freind, his...more
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 comm...more
This book was a great book because I thought that the start of the book really got people connected because the preacher had told Elijah and his friend that the tracks they discovered were from a ``hoop snake`` and that the hoop snake could kill you if it bit you. I think that it was a good book also because at the beginning I did not want to stop reading because the book pulled me into the story and I had a great movie in my head because the author was very descriptive. These books chapters wer...more
Elijah of Buxton was incredibly written and well planned out, but the did not get the more adventure and action until the end of the book and even then I was still not amused. The adventure does continue when he is still in his home town of Buxton and when he is leaving the town of Buxton there is still an adventure, it is just that they are tiny collaborative adventures. That is why I think that at the end of the book was the best because the adventure keeps on going and that is what I think is...more
Until I got to the middle of this book, I was not enjoying the book. In terms of reading, it was an easy read, but for me, the language in which the characters spoke really slowed me down and tripped me up. But, once I began to appreciate and see Elijah's growth I really started to enjoy it. In all, though, this book was great. Elijah of Buxton is a book about a young boy who lives in a slave free settlement. He was actually the first child born a free slave in this community. A major part of th...more
Historical fiction
Summary: 11 year old Elijah lives in buxton, Canada, a refuge for freed slaves . After being raised in a relatively peaceful atmosphere, a thief comes and steals money from the family. Elijah ventures to America in pursuit of the thief, and discovers eye-opening details that will forever be embedded in him.
1) writing style- diction
2)this book is most notable in the fact that the author uses language that is only authentic to a particular group of people.
3) specifically, word...more
Summary: 11 year old Elijah lives in buxton, Canada, a refuge for freed slaves . After being raised in a relatively peaceful atmosphere, a thief comes and steals money from the family. Elijah ventures to America in pursuit of the thief, and discovers eye-opening details that will forever be embedded in him.
1) writing style- diction
2)this book is most notable in the fact that the author uses language that is only authentic to a particular group of people.
3) specifically, word...more
Genre: Historical Fiction; Junior Book
Summary: In the 1860's Elijah is born in Buxton, Canada, where there is a free black settlement. Throughout the tale, Elijah experiences life as a free black in a community that has not always known his freedoms.
A. The author, Christopher Paul Curtis, chooses to write his book with a distinct dialect that sets his books apart from the rest. With this dialect, the reader feels involved in the book and one with the main character, Elijah.
B. This book is well s...more
Summary: In the 1860's Elijah is born in Buxton, Canada, where there is a free black settlement. Throughout the tale, Elijah experiences life as a free black in a community that has not always known his freedoms.
A. The author, Christopher Paul Curtis, chooses to write his book with a distinct dialect that sets his books apart from the rest. With this dialect, the reader feels involved in the book and one with the main character, Elijah.
B. This book is well s...more
Summary:
This book is about an eleven year old boy named Elijah. He was the first born child born free to escaped slaves that had escaped to Buxton, Canada. He had very loving parents and this book tells of different adventures for this very smart, educated young man. The book tells of the friendships he had and of how much he cares about people. During the book a man who would have the community believe was a preacher (although people did question the validity of his word) convince (Elijah’s fr...more
This book is about an eleven year old boy named Elijah. He was the first born child born free to escaped slaves that had escaped to Buxton, Canada. He had very loving parents and this book tells of different adventures for this very smart, educated young man. The book tells of the friendships he had and of how much he cares about people. During the book a man who would have the community believe was a preacher (although people did question the validity of his word) convince (Elijah’s fr...more
Elijah of Buxton
Tags: AfricanAmerican, historical, print form
Summary
Elijah is a twelve year old boy, who lives in a freed colony in Canada. He is the first boy to be born free there. The colony is filled with African Americans who have escaped to freedom. Elijah and his best friend, Cooter, help his mentor find his money, which has been stolen. Elijah uses what he has been taught in school by Mr. Travis. Elijah must use his knowledge to find the money to help free his mentor’s family. This is ul...more
Tags: AfricanAmerican, historical, print form
Summary
Elijah is a twelve year old boy, who lives in a freed colony in Canada. He is the first boy to be born free there. The colony is filled with African Americans who have escaped to freedom. Elijah and his best friend, Cooter, help his mentor find his money, which has been stolen. Elijah uses what he has been taught in school by Mr. Travis. Elijah must use his knowledge to find the money to help free his mentor’s family. This is ul...more
Elijah lives in Buxton, Canada, where he was the first black child to be born into freedom. 12-year-old Elijah is struggling to show his mother that he is not the "fragile," boy she thinks.
Elijah soon learns that not all adults can be trusted when a former slave steals money from his friend, Mr. Leroy. Mr. Leroy has been working hard to save money to buy his family freedom. The preacher offers to help Mr. Leroy, but ends up stealing his money. Elijah is put to the test and ventures to America t...more
Elijah soon learns that not all adults can be trusted when a former slave steals money from his friend, Mr. Leroy. Mr. Leroy has been working hard to save money to buy his family freedom. The preacher offers to help Mr. Leroy, but ends up stealing his money. Elijah is put to the test and ventures to America t...more
This is a book that I feel honored and excited to share with my fourth grade class. They laugh at the hilarity (think Cooter's expectantly awaiting "the breeding talk"), and we cry at some of the touching moments (as when Emma tenderly beckons the newcomers to their freedom). There are history lessons, literary lessons, and life lessons packed within. The kids do struggle with the dialect at first, so I play a CD of the first two or so chapters to read along with, and the students quickly get th...more
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| huh??? | 10 | 67 | Feb 13, 2012 01:44pm | |
| 108A TE Fall 2011: Doggone-it-all | 1 | 7 | Sep 25, 2011 10:19pm |
Curtis was born in Flint, Michigan on May 10, 1953 to Dr. Herman Elmer Curtis, a chiropodist, and Leslie Jane Curtis, an educator. The city of Flint plays an important role in many of Curtis's books. One such example is Bucking the Sarge, which is about a fifteen year old boy named Luther T. Ferrel, who is in a running battle with his slum-lord mother. Curtis is an alumnus of the University of Mic...more
More about Christopher Paul Curtis...
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