Elijah of Buxton

Elijah of Buxton

• Genre: Fiction; middle grade historical
• Originally Published: 2007
• Reading Level/Interest: Lexile 980L; grades 5-8
• Structure/Length: 24 chapters; approximately 341 pages; approximately 8 hours, 58 minutes on audio
• Protagonist/Central Conflict: In this middle grade historical novel, the central conflict revolves around Elijah Freeman, a young boy born into freedom in the town of Buxton, Canada, which was settled by escaped enslaved people from America. The story reveals Elijah’s upbringing in a community of free Black families and neighbors; Elijah also ventures to America, where he encounters the harsh realities of slavery. The novel explores freedom, identity, and the power of hope and resilience.
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: Slavery; historical injustice; racially-motivated violence; racism and discrimination; death; allusion to suicide

Christopher Paul Curtis, Author

• Bio: Born 1953; American author known for his contributions to children's literature and his focus on African American history and culture
• Other Works: Bud, Not Buddy (1999); The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963 (1995); Bucking the Sarge (2004); The Mighty Miss Malone (2012); The Madman of Piney Woods (2014)
• Awards: Newbery Honor (2008), Coretta Scott King Award (2008), Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction (2008), Canadian Library Association Book of the Year for Children Award (2008)