Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis

[DaNae]

;DHave you ever felt drained and out of breath after finishing a book? This powerful book took me by surprise. Curtis is so gifted at breaking up strong subject matter with gut-busting humor, sometimes you are not prepared for where you are headed. He is able to transmit the despicable vileness of slavery without being overly graphic. Elijah, his family, and the other people in his community are very genuine. The situations are delightful, horrendous and personal. This book has just moved up to the top of my list. His first book The Watson go to Birmingham is one of my favorite books of all time. I’m so glad he is still getting the goods out.
;D

[dmckey]

I just finished this one a few days ago. I agree that the author did a great job of showing how awful slavery was without being too graphic. I loved the ending, and I loved the name of the little girl. The "revenge" was pretty hilarious. . . . "Hugo" was at the top of my list for a long time. Then "The Mysterious Benedict Society" was right up there. Now, I'd say "Elijah" has to be pretty close in my mind.