Book Review: ELIJAH OF BUXTON
1. Bibliography
Curtis, Christopher Paul. 2007. ELIJAH OF BUXTON. New York. Scholastic Press. ISBN 9780439023443
2. Plot Summary
Elijah is a young boy growing up in Buxton, Canada, in a settlement of runaway slaves. He was the first child born into freedom in Buxton and he is able to attend school and live a free and trouble-free life. As an 11 year old, he is thought of as a young and fragile child but he yearns to be respected and treated like an adult. Throughout his many adventures he matures and begins to understand the unimaginable trials and hardships his parents and those before him endured in order to be free. In his last and most frightening adventure, Elijah travels to America and shows bravery and courage that will guide him into young adulthood.
3. Critical Analysis
In ELIJAH OF BUXTON Christopher Paul Curtis portrays what life in the 1850s was like for former slaves that were lucky enough to have escaped and found the settlement in Buxton. Through the eyes of Elijah, the main character, readers will begin to understand the times he was living in and see how different his life would be had he not been lucky enough to be born into freedom in Buxton, Canada. Those who have previously studied the historical figures and references noted in the book, such as Frederick Douglass and the Underground Railroad, should have an even deeper understanding of the historical connections to the book. Young readers will relate to Elijah because of his childlike thoughts and point of view. They may empathize with him when he feels like he is treated like a baby, and share his frustrations when he doesn’t always understanding adult behavior. They will begin to understand that Elijah’s ultimate goal is to become a respected young adult in the eyes of his family and his community, similar to the feelings of readers who are close to Elijah’s age. Another element Curtis uses to help the characters come alive is the authentic dialect that is heard throughout the book. At first this distinct sounding language may be challenging for readers to understand, but it brings an authenticity and richness to the story that is well worth the extra time and effort it may take to figure out some of the meaning. Finally, readers will not want to miss out on reading the final author’s note where Curtis describes many of the historical settings and references mentioned in the story and suggests visiting the Buxton National Historic site and Museum to get a feel for what life was really like.
4. Awards won:
2008 Newbery Award honoree
2008 Coretta Scott King Award
Scott Odell Award for Historical Fiction
Nominee for William Allen White award.
Review Excerpt(s)
Publishers Weekly Review- Curtis brings the story full-circle, demonstrating how Elijah the "fra-gile" child has become sturdy, capable of stealing across the border in pursuit of the crooked preacher, and strong enough to withstand a confrontation with the horrors of slavery. The powerful ending is violent and unsettling, yet also manages to be uplifting. Ages 9-12. (Oct.) Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information.
School Library Journal Review- His guileless recounting of the people he meets and the horrors he sees will allow readers to understand the dangers of the Underground Railroad without being overwhelmed by them. Elijah's decisions along the way are not easy ones, but ultimately lead to a satisfying conclusion. Curtis's talent for dealing with painful periods of history with grace and sensitivity is as strong as ever.-Kim Dare, Fairfax County Public Schools, VA Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information.
5. Connections:
If children enjoyed this book they might enjoy reading other books written by Christopher Paul Curtis like:
BUD, NOT BUDDY. ISBN 9780385323062
In addition, as a follow up activity kids can do a group research project and explore some of the historical references made in the book such as the Underground Railroad, Fredrick Douglas, and the settlement of Buxton. They can then write a newspaper article set in present day, discussing their given topic and give their thoughts on the book for those who have not read it. They could then share their articles with their classmates and publish a class newspaper for everyone to see.
Citations for Reviews:
Dallas Public Library. http://www.dallaslibrary2.org/. Accessed July 26, 2010
Book Review: A MILLION SHADES OF GRAY
1. Bibliography
Kadohata, Cynthia. 2010. A MILLION SHAES OF GRAY. New York. Atheneum books for young readers. ISBN 9781416918837.
2. Plot Summary
Y’Tin is a young boy growing up in South Vietnam during the Vietnam War. His family is a part of the Dega Tribe. Y’Tin loves elephants and he becomes one of the youngest elephant trainers in his village. His dream is to open his own elephant training school someday that is the first of its kind in Vietnam. In the beginning of the story, Y’Tin’s father and many other men from the village assist the American Special Forces to fight North Vietnam under the understanding that the troops would always protect them. However, when the U.S troops decide to leave, they forgot their agreement and left the Dega tribe to fend for themselves. When the Dega Village is raided by the North Vietnamese, many villagers are captured and then killed but some manage to escape and hide in the jungle including Y’Tin’s family and his beloved elephants from his tribe. Y’Tin was not so lucky and is captured, but he manages to get out and finally reconnect with his family. Throughout his treacherous journey through the jungle Y’Tin faces many challenges while trying to understand the meaning of war and still hanging on to his future hopes and dreams.
3. Critical Analysis
In A MILLION SHADES OF GRAY, Cynthia Kadohata tells a story during a time in history that many may not be familiar with. Through her vivid descriptions the story is easy to follow and the times and place in which the characters live become very real. In the first few chapters a date and time is given, so the reader can immediately get a sense of when these events occurred in history. Readers are introduced and learn many words in the Vietnamese language as well as the character’s unique Vietnamese names. Some may agree that this makes the book more realistic, but others could argue that it may be slightly confusing to follow at first because some of the words are hard to pronounce or the character’s names are very similar sounding and different than names in the English language. The story is told from the author’s point of view, so it is reflective of her personal voice and manner, but she is also able to help readers connect and understand what the characters, and especially Y’Tin, are having to go through. She vividly describes Y’Tin’s thoughts and experiences so readers will most likely start to feel like they are there with him throughout his journey. The theme of the story is familiar to other stories in that Y’Tin is a young boy becoming a man. He has to grow up quickly and face the hardships and misunderstandings of war. I would not choose this book for young children because of the vivid depictions of war, but would rather pick it for advanced middle school to high school students due to the mature themes it addresses. In the end the author describes her research she did to write this story and she discusses other information she was not able to include because it didn’t fit into the story plot. She does not leave the reader with other reading suggestions but after reading this story readers will most likely be intrigued to find more books about this time period.
4. Review Excerpt(s)
Publishers Weekly Review-
Illustrating the wisdom of Y'Tin's father's words-"The jungle changes a man"-Kadohata delves deep into the soul of her protagonist while making a faraway place and the stark consequences of war seem very near. Y'Tin's inner conflicts and changing perception of the world will haunt readers. Ages 10-up. (Jan.) Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information.
School Library Journal Review-
Kadohata depicts the questions, fears, confusion, and apprehension skillfully. Y'Tin is a thoughtful young man searching for clear answers where there are none.-Terrie Dorio, Santa Monica Public Library, CA Copyright 2010 Reed Business Information.
5. Connections
This is a topic that may not be familiar to children and tricky for teachers to teach. A book that can help guide teachers could be:
Ouzts, Susan B. GLOBAL VOICES: USING HISTORICAL FICTION TO TEACH SOCIAL STUDIES. ISBN 0673363953
It discusses topics such as Central America through The Forty-third war. It explores Vietnam's history through Goodbye, Vietnam. Explores Korean Culture.
Another book (a picture book) that could be shared with young children that discusses Vietnam History from 1945 to 1975 could be:
Vander Zee, Ruth. ALWAYS WITH YOU. ISBN 9780802852953
School Library Journal Review-This is a good book to use in classroom discussions of war, of what happens to the children, or, more specifically, of the Vietnam War and how it was that so many Vietnamese came to the United States.—Marian Drabkin, formerly at Richmond Public Library, CA
Citations for Reviews:
Dallas Public Library. http://www.dallaslibrary2.org/. Accessed July 25, 2010.
Dallas Independent School District Online Public Access Catalog. http://www2.youseemore.com/dallasisd/Default.asp? Accessed July 25, 2010
1. Bibliography
Lowery, Lois. 1998. NUMBER THE STARS. New York. Laurel Leaf.
ISBN 9780440227533
2. Plot Summary
Annemarie Johansen and Ellen Rosen are best friends growing up in Copenhagen, Denmark in 1943. The Nazis have slowly taken over Denmark, making life more difficult for the citizens of Copenhagen. On the day of Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, the Jews are warned that the Nazi’s are coming to relocate them. Ellen Rosen’s family is Jewish and they must flea before they are discovered. However, in order to keep their daughter safe they decide to have Ellen move into the Johansen’s while pretending to be a part of their family until they can come back to get her. In the meantime, the Johansen’s and their daughter Annemarie, risk their lives trying to protect the Rosen’s as well as other Jews while they hide and protect them and help them travel to Sweden where they will be safe.
3. Critical Analysis
Lois Lowery’s book, NUMBER THE STARS, will most likely be a book that young readers will not be able to put down. Being that it is fairly short readers may be surprised at how fulfilling the story is and how easy the plot is to follow even without much background knowledge of the time period. Lois Lowery does a great job of incorporating the history of the times and describes the setting beautifully with just the right amount of details. Young adults will also most likely connect immediately with the main character, Annemarie, because they will understand that she is growing up and trying to make sense of war, but they will also empathize with her when her best friend must leave in order to be safe, as well as when she finally learns how her older sister really died so many years ago. She learns how to cope with losing those close to her and readers will most likely be able to relate. The author tells the story from her point of view but it is written as if a child was telling it because of the vivid childlike descriptions that can be found. In the author’s note, Lois Lowery explains why she decided to write this story. She tells us that the characters she used are all fictional but they are based off of her friend’s personal stories of growing up in Copenhagen. Other events and places that were described, even some that might seem to be made-up were all researched and actually happened, which I think will be the most fascinating aspect for young readers to discover.
Awards:
1991 - Arkansas Charlie May Simon Master List
1989 - Sydney Taylor Book Award, Association of Jewish Libraries
1991 - Kansas William White Master List
1991 - Kentucky Bluegrass Master List
1990 - Maine Student Book Award
1993 – Finalist- Children's Book Award
Newbery Medal Winner
ALA Notable Children's Book Winner
School Library Journal Best Book of the Year Winner
Review Excerpt(s)
School Library Journal Review-
Gr 4-8-The horrors of the Holocaust and the bravery of the Danish people during World War II are thoughtfully presented in Lois Lowry's novel (HM, 1989), a story that children will cherish. This timeless story of courage, friendship, and family, based on the actual events of the Danish Resistance to World War II, should be part of every child's introduction to the Holocaust. -Casey Rondini, Hartford Public Library, CT Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
5. Connections
If after you read this book and you want to further study the Holocaust here would be a non-fiction book to suggest.
Adler, David A. 1989. WE REMEMBER THE HOLOCAUST. ISBN 0805037152. Survivors tell their tales of this tragic period of time in this book.
If you wanted another historical fiction novel to suggest where the events occur during the same time period as NUMBER THE STARS this one could be a good suggestion.
Bishop, Claire Hutchet. 1952. TWENTY AND TEN. ISBN 0140310762
A tale of twenty French children who allow Jewish children to hide with them to escape the fate Hitler has in mind for them.
Citations for Reviews:
Dallas Public Library. http://www.dallaslibrary2.org/. Accessed July 25, 2010.
Barnes and Noble. www.bn.com. Accessed July 25, 2010.
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