Book Review: Elijah of Buxton

Synopsis

In 1859, eleven-year-old Elijah, the first free-born child in Buxton, Canada, a haven for slaves fleeing the American South, uses his wits to try to bring to justice the lying preacher who has stolen money that was to be used to buy a family’s freedom.

Comments

This book is based on a town in Canada where American slaves would escape to. This book provides a good opportunity to talk to your child about this period in history, though some sensitive children may find it difficult to understand the idea of slavery. Not recommended for 9-10 year-olds to read on their own as they will likely have lots of questions. Also, the book is written with a lot of dialect that children may find difficult to read.  A good story that shows the struggle for freedom.  A good book for boys.

Language

Level 1 (spelled out) [?]

Sexual Content

Boys misunderstand teacher’s ‘familiarity breeds contempt’ as ‘family breeding contest’. ‘You don’t need to work in a stable to know what breeding is’. Boys wait for teacher to get to the ‘real interesting, real nasty parts.” Mother asks 12 year-old girl ‘doesn’t she know what the Massa has in store for her?” what he is waiting for her to get old enough for?’

Drugs/Alcohol

None

Violence/Disturbing

Adult asks boys to ‘put a bullet through my brain’ if he is bitten by a hoop snake (mythical). Adults have shotguns, guarding the children at school when it is thought that slave catchers are in the area. A slave’s mother threatens to ‘kill you myself’ if she doesn’t escape the next time she has the chance. Elijah is afraid he will be attacked by a big dog and knocks the dog out with a rock. Elijah holds a gun on a man and thinks ‘Having a gun in your hand when you knowed you were gonna use it to shoot a human person made it feel a whole lot different.’ A slave woman wants Elijah to give her his gun and he realizes that she intends to kill herself and her baby.

Social/Family

Elijah’s parents want him to quit being so ‘doggone fra-gile’. Adult has brand from when he was a slave, talk of treatment as a slave (beatings, being spit on, etc). In the midst of telling a story, Elijah starts to say the word ‘nig*er’, much to the horror of the adult he was speaking to. Kids play a game called ‘abolitionists and slavers.’

Religion/Spiritual

Several references to Bible stories, Satan, demons, wrestling your soul from you, blaspheming. A preacher has questionable character and is a thief.