Curtis, Christopher Paul. 2008. Elijah of Buxton. Narr. Mirron Willis. Listening Library. ISBN: 978-0739367193
Plot Summary
Elijah is the freeborn son of runaway slaves who live in the free community of Buxton. Canada. Growing up free, he doesn't completely understand what it was like to live in slavery, but the adults in his community can never forget. Elijah, who is very trusting and friendly, finds out that a shady member of the community seems to have run off with the life savings of another slave who was intending to purchase the freedom of his family. Elijah determines to help his friend by recovering the funds, taking him across the border into Detroit, where the realities of the slave trade break into his consciousness like no second-hand stories ever could. Elijah is left with the struggle of wanting to do the right thing, but not knowing what that might be.
Critical Analysis
Curtis' Elijah of Buxton is an authentically written tale of a free-born black in North America. Curtis is a master storyteller who can deftly weave smaller, seemingly insignificant stories into to the creation of an artistic tapestry for a character. From the "rope cookies" in the jar to the antics of the conjurer, the reader/listener can't help laughing along with good ol' 'Lijah. But these stories also build his character, show how respectful, thoughtful, and sweetly naive he is, which is how the climax of the story (his traveling to America) remains so believable and powerful.
The style of the writing only aides in transporting the reader or listener to that time and place. Curtis handles the dialect perfectly, both in phrases, such as Elijah watching the "flimflam" of the conjurer, to the grammar ( "I's sorry, ma'am, I's just 'bout to bust from not seeing my mama!"). While the style may take some getting used to, especially for those only reading the book, the audio component can help to bridge that gap for inexperienced readers. The way Mirron Willis reads it, it flows seamlessly and authentically. Willis is also able to handle the various voices on the CD with no problem.His pacing, accents, pitch, and tone all help to distinguish between characters.
One of the major themes that I enjoyed about this book was Elijah's coming-of-age. It seems that with each chapter, he grows in his understanding of what a grown-man is supposed to be. Whether it's helping Mrs. Holton memorialize her husband with just the right words, or stepping up to help slaves in need when even the grown-ups around him won't help, Elijah learns how to follow his own heart in what he knows is right. In the end, he finds out that being grown and doing the right thing can sometimes break your heart, but is always satisfying.
Professional Praise
2008 John Newbery Medal
2008 Coretta Scott King Award for Authors
2008 Scott O'Dell Award
2008 Scott O'Dell Award
From Booklist: "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."
From AudioFile: "Mirron Willis delivers depth of emotion as he shapes the story's rhythms and pacing. He successfully shifts from a light comedic tone of much of the story to a tone of chilling determination when Elijah becomes involved in a dangerous mission to free a group of slaves."
Connections
Christopher Paul Curtis has so many other great books to check out!
The Watsons Go to Birmingham--1963 (2000) ISBN 978-0440228004
Bud, Not Buddy (2004) ISBN 978-0553494105
The Mighty Miss Malone (2013) ISBN 978-0440422143
You could also check out some of these books to help your reader with background information on slavery and the Underground Railroad
What Was the Underground Railroad? (2013) Yona Zeldis McDonough. ISBN 978-0448467122
If You Lived When There Was Slavery in America (2004) Anne Kamma. ISBN 978-0439567060
Henry's Freedom Box (2007) Ellen Levine. ISBN 978-0439777339
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