Elijah of Buxton (Scholastic Gold)
Ebook
About this book
Master storyteller Christopher Paul Curtis lends his trademark humour and vibrant narrative style to the gripping tale of eleven-year-old Elijah Freeman. The first child born into freedom in Buxton, Ontario, a settlement of runaway slaves just over the border from Detroit, Elijah is best known in his hometown as the boy who threw up on Frederick Douglass. Not on purpose, of course, he was just a baby then! But things change when a former slave calling himself the Right Reverend Zephariah W. Connerly the Third steals money from Elijah's friend Mr. Leroy, who has been saving to buy his family out of captivity in the South. Elijah joins Mr. Leroy on a dangerous journey to America in pursuit of the disreputable preacher, and he discovers firsthand the unimaginable horrors of the life his parents have fled; a life from which he'll always be free, if he can find the courage to get back home. Exciting yet evocative, heart-wrenching yet hilarious, Elijah of Buxton is Christopher Paul Curtis at his very best and it's an unforgettable testament to the power of hope.Reviews
"As in his previous novels, Curtis is a master at balancing the serious and the lighthearted... His latest book is another natural award candidate and makes an excellent case, in a story positively brimming with both truth and sense, for the ability of historical fiction to bring history to life." -- New York Times Book Review"Here's a pre-Civil War history lesson wrapped in an adventure story." -- USA Today
"Curtis has created a vivid setting that is easy to imagine. When the action begins, you'll want to race through the pages." -- The Washington Post
* "This is Curtis's best novel yet, and no doubt many readers, young and old, will finish and say, 'This is one of the best books I have ever read.'" -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review
* "Many readers drawn to the book by humor will find themselves, at times, on the edges of their seats in suspense and, at others, moved to tears. A fine, original novel from a gifted storyteller." -- Booklist, starred review
* "This arresting, surprising novel of reluctant heroism is about nothing less than nobility." -- The Horn Book, starred review
* "Curtis's talent for dealing with painful periods of history with grace and sensitivity is as strong as ever." -- School Library Journal, starred review
"Elijah of Buxton is sure to become a classic -- for readers of all ages." -- BookPage
"The Newbery Medal judges should just go ahead and put Christopher Paul Curtis on speed dial." -- The Christian Science Monitor
"Curtis is a genius storyteller..." -- Detroit Free Press
Awards
Award Winner, Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction 2008
Award Winner, Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction for Young People 2008
Award Winner, Canadian Library Association Book of the Year For Children 2008
Award Winner, TD Canadian Children's Literature Award 2008
Award Winner, Coretta Scott King Award (Author) 2008
Shortlisted, Manitoba Young Readers' Choice Award, Sundogs 2009
Shortlisted, Governor General's Award for Young People's Literature - Text 2007
Shortlisted, IODE Canada Violet Downey Award 2007
Shortlisted, OLA Red Maple Award, Fiction 2009
Shortlisted, Rocky Mountain Book Award (Alberta Children's Choice) 2009
Shortlisted, Red Cedar Award (BC Young Readers' Choice) 2010
Shortlisted, Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Award 2008
Shortlisted, Manitoba Young Readers' Choice Award 2007
Commended, Newbery Honor Book 2008
Commended, Kirkus Best Books 2007
Commended, Chicago Public Library - Children's Books for Year-Round Gift Giving 2007
Commended, Book Links Lasting Connections 2007
Commended, New York Public Library 100 Best Books for Reading and Sharing 2007
Commended, Today's Parent, 100 BEST Canadian kids' books of all time 2015
Commended, Notable Books for a Global Society, International Reading Association (IRA) 2008
Commended, Today's Parent 100 best Canadian kids' books of all time 2015
Commended, White Ravens Selection (International Youth Library) 2008
Commended, Booklist Editors' Choices 2007
Commended, Resource Links, Best of the Year 2007
Commended, Best Books for Kids and Teens, Canadian Children's Book Centre 2008
More books by Christopher Paul Curtis
Award Winner
Shortlisted
Award Winner
Shortlisted
Award Winner