GENRE 5 - HISTORICAL FICTION

ELIJAH OF BUXTON
by Christopher Paul Curtis

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Curtis, Christopher Paul. 2007. ELIJUAH OF BUXTON. New York, NY: Scholastic Press. ISBN 0-439-02344-0.

PLOT SUMMARY

Christopher Curtis’s, ELIJAH OF BUXTON, tells about a boy named Elijah, the first child born in freedom in his family. Living in a slave free, black community in Canada, Elijah’s family had escaped the oppression of the pre-Emancipation Proclamation and pre-Civil War frayed United States. Going about his daily routines, Elijah was faced with a dilemma when the preacher steals money that was supposed to be used to help others buy their freedom in the United States. Elijah shows his bravery when he is goes to the U.S. to get the money back. He soon discovered what his ancestors had endured.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The characters are very believable, donning personalities that are familiar and heartwarming.  The characters use language that is appropriate for it's time and for their culture.  The descriptions of their actions are colorful and enjoyable.  Having a conversation with the boys about hoop snakes, the preacher declares that after being bit, one's body explodes and they die of starvation.  Cooter questions this and the preachers replies, "Because, Cooter, no matter how much food you swallow, it simply falls through the hole where your internal organs used to be and drops to the ground right in front of you!" 

The plot allows the reader to learn about this time in history in a very accurate and meaningful way.  Young readers can easily relate to the feeling of Elijuh, making it easy for the readers to put themselves in his "shoes."  The plot is not overloaded with details, but rather brings them into the story in the events.  The setting is a very integral part of the story, from Canada to America.  The descriptions are vivid throughout the story, but the author's notes tell about Buxton and its importance.

The theme reflects the morals of the times, but is more reflective of history than of modern times.  However, the characters help to make the story timeless.  Treating men equal, living the good life, taking care of loved ones are all universal themes.

The author's voice captures the flavor of the times along with the speech pattern of that culture.  Many of the words are written with a slang.  An example of this is when Ma shook her head and said, "'Lijah, 'Lijah, 'Lijah. What'm I gunn do 'bout you?..."  The information is accurate and authentic.  The facts are intermingled throughout the novel to make it fun to read.

REVIEWS
Booklist starred (September 1, 2007 (Vol. 104, No. 1)
Grades 6-8.  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.  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.

Horn Book (November/December, 2007)
The story of the Underground Railroad, which led escaping slaves to Canada, has been richly celebrated in fiction.  There is no easy happy ending here, but, in a heart-rending scene, Elijah reacts with courtesy, courage, and respect, according the wretched their dignity and giving them the one gift of freedom in his power. This arresting, surprising novel of reluctant heroism is about nothing less than nobility.

Kirkus Review starred (August 15, 2007)
This is Curtis's best novel yet, and no doubt many readers, young and old, will finish and say, "This is one of the best books I have ever read." (author's note) (Fiction. 9+)

Library Media Connection (January 2008)
Award winner Christopher Paul Curtis doesn't fail to deliver with his latest novel. Curtis deals with the difficult topic of slavery from a youthful perspective, allowing Elijah to learn of its sadness and pain first hand. This is done without overwhelming the reader, by infusing the novel with humor. Character development and voice are great strengths of this terrific novel. Highly Recommended. Spencer Korson, Media Specialist, Bullock Creek High School & Middle School, Midland, Michigan

Publishers Weekly (September 10, 2007)
 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 (October 1, 2007)
Gr 4-8  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.

AWARDS
Coretta Scott King Award 2008
Newbery Honor Book for 2008

CONNECTIONS
Days of Jubilee: The End of Slavery in the United States by Fredrick McKissack and Patricia McKissack
The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg by Rodman Philbrick
An Acceptable Time by Madeleine L'Engle
First in the Field: Baseball Hero Jackie Robinson by Derek T. Dingle
Sitting Bull Remembers by Wendell Minor and Ann Warren Turner

ACTIVITIES
Research about the underground railroad
Compare and Contrast the lives of the slaves to the freed slaves of Buxton

THE EARTH DRAGON AWAITS: THE SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE OF 1906
by Laurence Yep

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Yep, Laurence. 2006.
THE EARTH DRAGON AWAITS: THE SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE OF 1906. New York, NY: HarperCollins Children's Books. ISBN 0-060-27524-3.

PLOT SUMMARY

THE EARTH DRAGON AWAITS: THE SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE OF 1906  is a historical fiction book based on a true story about the earthquake and fire that destroyed San Francisco in 1906.  Yep tells the story through the fictional characters of a family, their houseboy and his son, and others they meet through their struggle to survive.  Even though the characters are made up, the facts that surround the incident are true, including the night before the quake and some events that followed.  The story begins with in the Travis family home, with Ah Sing and his son, Chin, there too.  The Travis couple goes out for the evening, leaving Henry at home with Ah Sing.  When they return, Ah Sing and Chin return to China Town.  San Francisco and the surrounding area is awoken the following morning to an earth shaking event that will change their lives and the history of San Francisco forever.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Readers can identify with the characters in this story because Yep paints the picture of a normal family living in the city.  One important character in the story is the family dog.  Evidently, animals can feel the earth moving long before people can.  All the characters are very believable.  Little things like the fact that Mrs. Travis had an umbrella collection point to the fact that it rains often in San Fransisco.  The umbrellas play an important role in the plot as well.  The fact is that a wild horse really was stopped by people flapping umbrellas at him.  In this story, it was the Travis's.  Having a "houseboy" was also a very common occurrence in the early 1900's. 

Throughout the novel, Yep kept the details authentic to the time period, however the plot is not overwhelmed by details.  Rather, Yep worked the details into the plot in less assuming ways.  Also, the book is designed so that the chapters rotate between what Chin and his dad are experiencing, the Travis's, and facts about the event.
The setting is not only an integral part of the story, but what the story is about.  Yep is very clear about the various parts of San Francisco, which makes it interesting to visit today.  People still talk about the events of the earthquake and the Great Fire of San Francisco.  Moreover, quakes of today are often compared to the one of 1906.  The story is timeless and enjoyable to read no matter when you were born.  The statement that really captured just how profound the devastation was was a little sentence in the chapter where the library burned.  He says, "the wisdom of the ages turns to ashes."

This historical book is a "must read," easily accomplished in a short time due to it's simple terminology.

REVIEWS
School Library JournalGr 3-7-Yep covers all the most significant repercussions of the event, its aftershocks, and days of devastating fires, and peppers the story with interesting true-to-life anecdotes.  But the story as a whole should appeal to reluctant readers. Its "natural disaster" subject is both timely and topical, and Yep weaves snippets of information on plate tectonics and more very neatly around his prose. A solid supplemental choice.-Catherine Threadgill, Charleston County Public Library, SC Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews This is a timely reminder of a historical disaster that turned over 2000 acres of city into a wasteland. Each chapter is headed with a time and place to help less than proficient readers keep track of the narrative strands. Simple sentence structure and the use of present tense throughout make this a very accessible introduction. With little character development, the focus is on the what rather than the who. Still, this is solid historical fiction full of details about the times and backed up with an afterword explaining the author's connection and suggesting sources for further reading. It is notable especially for the attention paid to the experience of San Francisco's Chinese immigrants, and a good choice for reluctant readers. (Historical fiction. 3-6)

AWARDS
Georgia Book Award Nominees for 2007-2008

CONNECTIONS
Related Titles About San Fransisco:
ABCDrive! by Howland, N
Barrio: José’s neighborhood by Ancona, George
The cable car and the dragon by Caen, Herb; illustrated by Byfield, Barbara Nind
The City by the Bay: a magical journey around San Francisco by Brown, Tricia and the Junior League of San Francisco; illustrated by Kleven, Elisa
Celebrating Hanukkah by Hoyt-Goldsmith, Diane
Dancers in the garden by Ryder, Joanne; illustrated by Lopez, Judith
Earthquake by Lee, Milly; illustrated by Choi, Yangsook
Goodnight San Francisco by Gamble, Adam; illustrated by Cohen, Santiago
Hannah is my name by Yang, Belle
He's got the whole world in his hands by Nelson, Kadir

ACTIVITIES

Make travel brochure about San Fransisco
Research earthquakes
Research trolleys
Research the Chinese culture
Contact a classroom from China through the internet for penpals - http://www.studentsoftheworld.info/penpals/penpal_ads.php?Pays_Choisi=CHN

Contact a classroom from San Francisco for penpals


MOON OVER MAIFEST
by Clare Vanderpool

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Vanderpool, Sy. 2010. MOON OVER MANIFEST. New York, NY: Delacourt Press. ISBN 0-385-73883-8 .

PLOT SUMMARY

In this historical novel by Clare Vanderpool, twelve-year old Abilene Tucker was sent by her father to the somewhat deserted, lackluster town of Manifest, Kansas, to live with Pastor Shady Howard while her father worked in Iowa during the 1930s. When Abilene arrived she was bewildered about why her dad would send her there and was even more confused about why no one in town wanted to speak of her dad. Then Abilene found a hidden box of mystifying objects which led to her investigation of her dad’s past. While exploring, Abilene visits an elderly diviner who enlightens her with gripping stories from years past about two boys. This book offers enjoyable reading, urging readers to put the puzzles together in pursue of solving the mystery.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Vanderpool created characters who make the story believable and somewhat lovable.  Abilene is easy to identify with, whether one is thinking back to that age or living through it now.  The time period, early to mid1900's is represented in many ways, such as the way that the children were expected to entertain themselves and the modes of  transportation. "The movement of the train rocked me like a lullaby."

Sadie, the diviner, helped to bring the novel to live as well.  The novel almost seems to be as much her story as it is Abilene's.  The setting is very important to the plot, giving Abilene a reason to solve the mystery of her dad and his place in the town.  "Thinking of spies and people going insane made everyone seem a little frightening." The scenery is vividly described and contributes to the realness of the story.
Wanting to know one's heritage and family secrets is a universal theme in life.  This story is relevant at anytime.

REVIEWS
Booklist starred (October 15, 2010 (Vol. 107, No. 4))
Grades 5-8.  Vanderpool weaves humor and sorrow into a complex tale involving murders, orphans, bootlegging, and a mother in hiding. With believable dialogue, vocabulary and imagery appropriate to time and place, and well-developed characters, this rich and rewarding first novel is “like sucking on a butterscotch. Smooth and sweet.”

Kirkus Review starred (September 15, 2010)
Abilene and readers get so caught up in the past in this richly detailed, splendidly written novel that they easily make the transition between the Depression and WWI eras and long to learn more about the town that once was. Readers will love guessing how Abilene's dad fits into all the stories and townspeople's memories. The absolute necessity of story as a way to redemption and healing past wounds is at the heart of this beautiful debut, and readers will cherish every word up to the heartbreaking yet hopeful and deeply gratifying ending. (author's note) (Historical fiction. 10-14)

Library Media Connection (May/June 2011)
Anyone interested in historical fiction would be mesmerized by this story, even students who enjoy stories about adventurous kids will be satisfied. Recommended. Annette M. Mills, School Librarian, Triad High School, Troy, Illinois

Publishers Weekly (September 27, 2010)
Replete with historical details and surprises, Vanderpool's debut delights, while giving insight into family and community. Ages 9-12. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

School Library Journal (November 1, 2010)
Gr 5-8-  This thoroughly enjoyable, unique page-turner is a definite winner.-Renee Steinberg, formerly at Fieldstone Middle School, Montvale, NJ (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

AWARDS
Children's Books of the Year 2011 - 12 to 14
Newbery Medal Winner - 2011
Notable Children's Books 2011 - Older Readers
Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People 2011

CONNECTIONS

Firehorse by Diane L. Wilson
Heart of a Shepherd by Rosanne Parry
Night Fires by George Edward Stanley
Tales from the Homeplace: Adventures of a Texas by Harriet Burandt and Shelley Dale
Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse
Standing in the Light: The Captive Diary of  Catharine Carey Logan by Mary Pope Osborne

ACTIVITIES

Give students a lunch sack and have them bring 5 things in the unmarked sack that will give clues about them, then have them guess who brought the items.
Research spies and how they interact
Research the depression