Elijah of Buxton

Eleven-year-old Elijah Freeman is the first child born free in Buxton, a settlement in Canada founded by and for people who escaped slavery in the United States. It is 1859, and Elijah is known around town as a jumpy, tender-hearted boy, but he is also clever, curious and braver than anyone expects. Life in Buxton is full of chores, school and colorful neighbors, along with the constant reminder of what the adults have survived. When a smooth-talking preacher steals money that was meant to buy a family's freedom, Elijah sets out across the border to help set things right. The novel blends humor and courage with an honest picture of slavery's cruelty, and it suits readers about 9 to 12.