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lnocita's review against another edition
4.0
Christopher Paul Curtis has great voice in his books and Elijah of Buxton is no exception. Eli is the first freeborn child of former slaves in the free settlement of Buxton in Canada. Slavery is still very much an issue in the states. Curtis crafts a well told story by giving us glimpses of Eli's everyday life. You can't help but be charmed. Good historical fiction.
keegan_rellim_taylor's review against another edition
3.0
What a fun book! It has dialect throughout since it's in the first person (which I know annoys some people, but I almost always enjoy it). The main character is a WONDERFUL character. He says really funny things and has great insights into life (especially adults). He also provides a good contrast to the really hard subjects that are behind this book, like slavery. The book didn't end the way I expected because the main issue wasn't resolved-- and that jarred me a little bit--but it made sense that the main issue wasn't resolved and at least it does end with hope (no pun intended). The one thing about the resolution being switched was that I felt like there should be some commentary on it from the main character, but there wasn't. This book introduced me to the Buxton settlement in Canada and made me want to visit and learn more about its history.
librarinurse23's review against another edition
4.0
As always, Christopher Paul Curtis managed to make me laugh and cry in the span of a few pages.
sport862's review against another edition
5.0
We are listening to the tapes which are beautifully read. It is a moving story.
aradne's review against another edition
4.0
Elijah is a 'fragile' boy- or at least that's what his mother calls him. He hasn't been exposed to the hardness as life the way that she has because he was born free.
I was most struck in this book by the liberty bell and the description given of a family entering Buxton for the first time.
I was most struck in this book by the liberty bell and the description given of a family entering Buxton for the first time.
lace_m_3's review against another edition
4.0
Read this aloud to the kids. We really enjoyed it! Challenged me because of the dialect and because Ems was listening I edited a few intense scenes towards the end.
cdel1313's review against another edition
5.0
What a great book - I loved the main character, Elijah, the first free boy born in the settlement of Buxton, Canada. And yes, I cried at the end. Almost completely satisfying, yet real portrait of the struggle slaves went through to get to freedom.
greenlivingaudioworm's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gun violence, Racism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Trafficking, and Alcohol