Elijah of Buxton"Master storyteller Christopher Paul Curtis lends his trademark humor and vibrant narrative style to the gripping tale of eleven-year-old Elijah Freeman. The first child born into freedom in Buxton, Canada, a settlement of runaway slaves just over the border from Detroit, Elijah is best known in his hometown as the boy who threw up on Frederick Douglass. (Not on purpose, of course -- he was just a baby then!) But things change when a former slave calling himself the Right Reverend Zephariah W. Connerly the Third steals money from Elijah's friend Mr. Leroy, who has been saving to buy his family out of captivity in the south. Elijah joins Mr. Leroy on a dangerous journey to America in pursuit of the disreputable preacher, and he discovers firsthand the unimaginable horrors of the life his parents fled -- a life from which he'll always be free, if he can find the courage to go back home. Exciting, yet evocative, heart-wrenching, yet hilarious, Elijah of Buxton is Christopher Paul Curtis at his very best -- and it's an unforgettable testament to the power of hope."--Publisher's description. |
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abolitionist afeared afore ahold ain't gunn ain't never atall baby Bixby blanged breathing bust Buxton caint Canada Canada West cause Chatham chile Chloe chunking stones conjurer Cooter di-rect doggone-it-all door Elijah Emma Collins eyes fish fra-gile Frederick Douglass front getting girl gotta growned folks hand happened hard head hear Highgate hisself Holton hoop snake horse horseflies Jingle Boy jumped laughed Leroy Leroy's Liberty Bell looked ma'am Ma's Madame Sabbar MaWee mesmerist mind Miss Duncan-the-first must've n'em new-free nother Old Flapjack once outta Preacher pulled round Sammy screaming Segee Settlement shoot slave slingshot smiled so's someone soon's sound stable started stead sure tell thing thinking bout throwed toady-frog told took tote sack Travis trying twixt waiting walked waren't gonna what's whilst whole lot woman woods words y'all you's Zephariah