book review: Elijah of Buxton

My 2009 Book List gets a BIG thumbs down. Not that the books aren't good... it's just that I haven't read them!

I got half way through The Reason for God and skimmed Total Money Makeover. Does that count? I'm thinking not.

Recently though, a friend (who teaches Early Childhood Ed/Reading) lent me Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis which has won both the Newberry Medal and the Coretta Scott King Award. It's technically considered young adult fiction... a favorite genre of mine, and this book did not disappoint!

Elijah is the twelve year old, born-free, son of former slaves. His family lives in the very real community of Buxton in Southern Ontario, Canada, a town specifically for escaped and freed slaves. The book follows Elijah in his day to day life, the mishaps he gets into with his friend Cooter, time at school, and interactions with others in Buxton. Though Elijah is labeled a "fra-gile" boy, at the end of the story he realizes that love and hope and determination can overcome his fear as he helps a family of slaves who had escaped but were recaptured.

The more I think on this book the more I like it.

I really enjoyed it while I was reading, as I was laughing one minute and in tears the next. But the overarching lessons and history that this book imparts are much further reaching.

- The community of Buxton is built around the townspeople helping one another. Elijah truly is depicted with a spirit of generosity and helpfulness.

- Historically the book is very real. Curtis does not shy away from harshness or horror of slavery, but at the same time, as this is a young adult book, he handles to topic in a manner suitable for young readers

- Self-sacrifice is a theme I see throughout. Mr. Leroy's sacrifice for his family, Elijah's sacrifice to try to help the recaptured slave family, the town's sacrifice of personal wealth for the good and betterment of everyone else, etc.

I highly recommend this book to young readers and older readers alike. This would be a great book for a parent and child to read together and discuss.

My 2009 Book List

I have been inspired by Passionate Homemaking to plan out what books I hope to read this year in an effort to hold myself accountable to getting this done! (I've also stolen a few books from her list which sounded excellent.) In no particular order, here is my list:

Non-fiction

The Hidden Art of Homemaking- Edith Schaeffer

Homeschooling: The Early Years- Linda Dobson (yes I know my daughter is only 6 months old, this is something we're considering and I'm curious!)

Teach them Diligently- Louis Priolo

The Prodigal God- Tim Keller

The Reason for God- Tim Keller

Serve God, Save the Planet- Matthew Sleeth

Total Money Makeover- Dave Ramsey (I've been meaning to read this for months, now that it's on the list I guess I have to do it!)

Fiction

Eragon- Christopher Paolini

The Octavian Nothing Books I and II- M.T. Anderson

The Jane Austen Book Club- Karen Fowler

Possibly a few Laura Ingalls Wilder or L.M. Montgomery books

(If you can't tell I love kids/young adult fiction... I realized that other day that a lot of the fiction books I have gotten recently are things I either read for the first time in middle school or should have read around that age: The Hatchet books, Narnia series, Dark is Rising series, Holes, etc....)

I'll try to post a review as I finish each book.

First up.... The Reason for God.