Elijah of Buxton
Author: Christopher Paul Curtis
Translator: Yul-hee Kim
Publisher: Kids Chosun
350 pages | 220*165mm
| Important! Please read before you order! |
| >>>This book is written in Korean. |
About This Book
After his mother rebukes him for screaming that hoop snakes have invaded
Buxton, gullible 11-year-old Elijah confesses to readers that "there
ain't nothing in the world she wants more than for me to quit being so
doggone fra-gile." Inexperienced and prone to mistakes, yet kind,
courageous, and understanding, Elijah has the distinction of being the
first child born in the Buxton Settlement, which was founded in Ontario
in 1849 as a haven for former slaves. Narrator Elijah tells an episodic
story that builds a broad picture of Buxton's residents before plunging
into the dramatic events that take him out of Buxton and, quite
possibly, out of his depth. In the author's note, Curtis relates the
difficulty of tackling the subject of slavery realistically through a
child's first-person perspective. Here, readers learn about conditions
in slavery at a distance, though the horrors become increasingly
apparent. Among the more memorable scenes are those in which Elijah
meets escaped slaves -- first, those who have made it to Canada and,
later, those who have been retaken by slave catchers. Central to the
story, these scenes show an emotional range and a subtlety unusual in
children's fiction. Many readers drawn to the book by humor will find
themselves at times on the edges of their seats in suspense and, at
other moments, moved to tears. A fine, original novel from a gifted
storyteller. Phelan, Carolyn
Availability: Usually ships in 5~10 business days.
