Elijah of Buxton - Christopher Paul Curtis

This is a story of determination and appreciation of freedom. I enjoyed reading the story because Elijah is such as strong character of courage. He is an Afro-american boy that lives in the Buxton Settlement. Elijah encounters everyday challenges and spends time with people in the settlement that have good and bad influences on his life. The Buxton Settlement was founded in 1849 by a white Presbyterian minister. The minister purchased a 3-mile by 6 mile plot of land in southern Ontario where he and the freed slaves could live. They left the southern American slavery to move to the land of the free, Canada. Some parts of the story have been fictionalized while other parts are based on facts. Other books that I have read such as, A Year Down Under and Bud, Not Buddy influenced my reaction to this book because the characters all have such strength and determination in dealing with the challenges they faced during the depression and slavery. Children's literature provides a window for the reader to see inside the lives of characters and see how they deal with the struggles and experiences they face. It allows the reader to identify with certain events or tragedies that he or she may be experiencing in their life.