Elijah of Buxton.

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Curtis’ 2008 Newbery Honor and 2008 Coretta Scott King Award winner translates to a masterful audio perfectly illustrating a fine balance between high literary quality and expert performance. Buxton, a historic Canadian settlement of former slaves, is the setting of the tale, told from the viewpoint of Elijah Freeman, the first child born in Buxton. Willis immediately captivates listeners, turning Curtis’ meticulously crafted and authentic dialect and syntax into the effortless speech patterns of an 11-year-old black boy in the mid–nineteenth century. Listeners hear every shade of emotion in Willis’ recounting of daily events, ranging from humorous pranks to touching familial warmth, relayed with a childlike innocence. His richly reflective reading matches the leisurely anecdotal style of the narrative. Willis personalizes the characters’ foibles and cordialities through vividly evocative portrayals. The true strength of the reading comes through when Elijah is drawn into a desperate quest to avenge the theft of funds earmarked to buy the freedom of slaves in America. And as Elijah crosses the border into danger, Willis’ voice reveals the youngster’s growing realization of the inhumanity of slavery. His restrained yet enthralling narration pulls us closer into Elijah’s dawning horror and instinctive heroism. Listeners lose all awareness of the audio medium as they experience the uplifting power of Curtis’ story—and audio narration at its finest. This exemplary production concludes with the author’s notes, read by Curtis.