Devari's Bookshare Project- #3

ELIJAH OF BUXTON

Elijah of Buxton By Christopher Paul Curtis

Bookshare Date December 10, 2009

by Devari Ford

Elijah of Buxton is about an eleven year old boy who is the first child born into Freedom in Baxton, Canada West. This is a settlement of runaway slaves over the border from Detroit. Elijah is best known in his home town as the boy who made a memorable impression on Frederick Douglas, he threw up on him when he was a baby. He and his best friend Cooter, goes to school, Church, do chores, and play jokes on people. Elijah once put a huge toady- frog in his mother's knitting bag.

Oneday Elijah's mother decided to play a joke on him. A town visitor known as the Right Reverend Deacon Doctor Zephariah Connerly the Third also known as the Preacher knew that Elijah was scared of snakes with wild tales about vicious rolling hoop snakes, so he was also helping play a joke on Elijah. Elijah is confused about the Preacher, he knows there is something strange about him but cannot understand what it is. Elijah is very sensitive and his mother calls him fragile. He is scared to ride horses, and it is easy for him to cry.

When Elijah practices his special skills, killing fish by throwing rocks at them, the Preacher talks him out of catching the fish. Elijah is put to a test when he has to tell his neighbor sad news. He was told to be stong and don't break down and cry.

Oneday things started to change when a former slave steals money from Elijah's friend Mr. Leroy, who has been saving to buy his family out of captivity in the South. The slaves sends a man to buy his family's freedom. The Preacher disappears with the money somewhere in Michigan. The situation turned really bad, so Elijah decides to leave and go to America with his friend Mr. Leroy to find the thief to make everything right again. Elijah has to go through a lot and make decisions that means life or death. He had to forget about being sensitive and fragile because this was a hard job to do.

Throughout Elijah's journey, he discovered all the horrors of the life his parents ran away from. This was a life that he will always be free, if he is brave enough to make it back home. This story is powerful, sad, humerous, and full of adventure. It also teaches us some of our history. I'm just thankful that I didn't have to grow up during the days of slavery.

The story was interesting because Elijah was my age, 11 years old. He taught me that it doesn't matter if you are a young child, you can do anything if you put your mind to it. I also liked the ending because Elijah was scared of a lot of things , but he became brave to help his family.