Common Sense Media Review
Funny, powerful tale of free Black community in 1859 Canada.
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Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 8 parent reviews
Based on 25 kid reviews
Kids say this book offers a mix of humor and serious themes, particularly around the subject of slavery, making it a good read for older children who have a mature understanding of the topic. While some found the beginning slow and the dialect challenging, others appreciated its educational value and character development, particularly the protagonist's journey, ultimately making it a recommended read for its moral lessons despite mixed feelings about its pacing.
- humor and education
- character development
- mixed reviews
- mature themes
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
In ELIJAH OF BUXTON, Elijah is the first child born in freedom in the Buxton, Ontario, settlement for formerly enslaved Black people. Elijah has a pleasant life. He attends a good school, does his chores and goes fishing after, and lives with his loving parents in their own home. However, he has heard lots of stories about the brutality and hardships others have endured while enslaved and on the run. Some of his neighbors devote all of their efforts to earning and saving money to try to purchase the freedom of loved ones still trapped in slavery, and occasionally, news arrives for a Buxton resident about one of those loved ones. Elijah is sometimes called upon to read a neighbor's letter, because not everyone in the settlement can read, but he dreads doing this, because the news is usually sad. When Elijah lets a woman know that a family member has passed away, the woman gives all the money she has saved to a Buxton man, Mr. Leroy, who still has a chance to free his family. Elijah and his father try to help Mr. Leroy figure out whom he can trust to deliver the money to someone who can facilitate the transaction. When things don't go according to plan, Elijah desperately wants to make things right.
Is It Any Good?
This exciting and moving historical novel is told in the voice of a winningly naive child brimming with compassion and curiosity. In his award-winning debut The Watsons Go to Birmingham--1963, author Christopher Paul Curtis established the style that also serves well in Elijah of Buxton: Both books start out with a charming and amusing tone (some of the humor a bit off-color, perhaps, but true to the narrator's age and personality) before giving way to a worrisome situation. The affection and familiarity the reader feels for the characters by the time things get heavy add to the impact of the events. As with The Watsons, Elijah's story is informed by history -- in this case, the horrific history of slavery and the inspiring free Black settlement that Buxton is patterned on.
Elijah of Buxton makes a wonderful teaching tool that can be great for classroom and home discussions, and can help children imagine life in 1859 by seeing the world of the novel through a child's eyes.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the settlement described in Elijah of Buxton. Had you heard about any place like Buxton before you read this book? What did you learn about slavery in the United States that you didn't know before?
Pa talks about Elijah being "fragile," and Elijah worries about this. Do you think Elijah is fragile? How would you describe his character?
How does the Liberty Bell in this novel compare with the United States' famed Liberty Bell in Philadelphia? What does each bell signify, and how are they different?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Historical Fiction
- Topics : History
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Scholastic Inc.
- Publication date : August 1, 2007
- Number of pages : 341
- Available on : Paperback, Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Awards : Coretta Scott King Medal and Honors , Newbery Medal and Honors
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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