I knew better. Ma and Pa didn't tolerate anyone saying that word 'round 'em. They say it's a sign of hatred when a white person says it and a sign of bad upbringing and ignorance when one of our own calls it out, so there ain't no good excuses. (PG 96) Newbery Honor Book--2007 Christopher Paul Curtis is a true children's writer, and I wish there were more authors like him out there. He writes about children and Black history without making outsiders feel guilty about their background. It's a s...

A thrilling historical fiction experience. Even if you're long past being a kid, if you've never picked up "Elijah of Buxton," it's absolutely worth checking out. Don't let the "children's book" tag scare you off!

Elijah of Buxton, by Christopher Paul Curtis, copyright 2007, for ages 9-12. This middle-grade story centers on a young Black boy, the first freeborn Black child in Buxton, Canada, a Canadian colony populated by freed and escaped slaves. The book draws from real historical events, and the author includes a fascinating summary about the Buxton settlement at the end; it's as captivating as the story itself. Curtis also provides a list of his sources and additional information about the settlement...

I mistakenly thought this was Christopher Paul Curtis's Newbery Medal winner. Did I "waste" time reading *Elijah of Buxton* when I meant to use it for my project of reading all the Newbery Medal books? Not at all! I enjoyed every single page. If you're looking for a great historical fiction book review, definitely check out *Elijah of Buxton*.

Oh, Christopher Paul Curtis, you had me hooked with this description of hoopsnake poisoning in "Elijah of Buxton":You swell so much that after exactly seven and a half days the pressure in your body becomes too great and you explode like an overheated steam boiler! In seconds your stomach and your lungs and your other entrails are flung around you for milesThen Curtis seals the deal with a two-page-long section combining my two favorite things: Frederick Douglass and vomit jokes. Seriously, who ...

This story unfolds in a Canadian settlement populated by formerly enslaved people who escaped to freedom. Elijah, the protagonist of Christopher Paul Curtis's "Elijah of Buxton," holds the distinction of being the first child born in this haven, making him the first freeborn member of the community. At 340 pages, "Elijah of Buxton" feels a tad lengthy for its genre, and despite a series of smaller events, the central conflict doesn't truly ignite until the final quarter of the narrative. I found...

The boys chose to read *Elijah of Buxton* by Christopher Paul Curtis for this month’s discussion. The librarian asked me how I tricked them into reading a historical novel. I told her it was my wit and good looks. I think it has more to do with the cover, though. Anyhow, some have absolutely loved it, and some have struggled a bit. Third graders are so used to being told to make sure words are spelled correctly that when they read a novel with dialect that's different, it really takes them out o...

While I appreciated Christopher Paul Curtis's vibrant and authentic depiction of daily life in Buxton, I felt that *Elijah of Buxton* started a bit slowly. However, as the novel progressed and Curtis began weaving the escape and slave narratives of individual Buxton residents into Elijah's everyday experiences, I grew to truly love the book. I even found myself tearing up on the bus while reading the scene where the newly escaped family arrives in Buxton, suddenly struck by what Elijah and his m...

I had a tough time deciding what to rate Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis. It's not exactly a thrill-a-minute read. Actually, the events described on the book jacket don't really kick in until the last hundred pages. For the first 240 pages, I felt like I was just waiting for the story to actually start. Plus, the heavy use of dialect makes reading it a bit of a slog. I hope I never have to see "gunn" instead of "going to" or even "gonna" ever again! On the flip side, I was totally ...

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 in *Elijah of Buxton* by Christopher Paul Curtis. I kept waiting for the library copy to come in, but went ahead and bought it. It's one worth owning. If you're looking for honest historical fiction, this is a great pick.