Elijah of Buxton

Elijah of Buxton is a children's novel written by Christopher Paul Curtis. His fourth book, it won the 2008 Coretta Scott King Award,^[1] the 2008 Newbery Honor,^[2] the 2008 Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction,^[3] and the 2008 Canadian Library Association Book of the Year for Children Award of the Canadian Library Association^[4]

Summary

Elijah of Buxton is about an eleven-year-old boy, Elijah Freeman, who lives in Buxton, Canada. It was started as the Elgin Settlement, a refugee camp for African-American slaves who escaped via the Underground Railroad to gain freedom in Canada. Elijah is the first free-born child in the settlement, and has never lived under slavery. He has only heard of it. He goes into the United States to help stop his friend from taking money from his other friend, and learns there that it is a privilege to be free.

Reception

Elijah of Buxton was nominated for several awards. It won the 2008 Newbery Honor, the Coretta Scott King Award, the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction, and the Canadian Library Association Book of the Year for Children Award of the Canadian Library Association. Common Sense Media called it a "humorous, powerful, masterful escape-slave tale," awarding it five stars.

References