John Henry

by Julius Lester

illustrated by Jerry Pinkney

A. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Lester, Julius. 1994. JOHN HENRY. Ill. by Jerry Pinkney. New York.

Dial Books. ISBN 0803716060

B: PLOT SUMMARY

There are several versions of this famous African American tale about the hammer-wielding John Henry, including this Caldecott Honor version by Julius Lester. John Henry was born with amazing strength and quickly outgrew everything, including his home. He sets out for the world and is soon pitted against a steam drill. John Henry decides to race the drill to see who could dig through the mountain first. Although John Henry wins the contest,"he had hammered so hard and so fast and so long that his big heart had burst", he dies. However, this story does not end on a sad note, for the bystanders learn that "dying ain't important.... What matters is how well you do your living."

C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

John Henry, written by Julius Lester and water-color illustrated by Jerry Pinkney, was given the distinction of being a Caldecott Honor Award designee in 1990. This is a retelling of an African American tale and begins with the birth of John Henry. He soon discovers his amazing strength and sets out to face the world and fulfill his destiny. Thanks to the illustrations and some of the narration, it's easy to know that the story takes place in West Virginia. Although there is no direction mention of time period, it is easily recognizable because the railroad builders were using dynamite to blast through the mountain with, creating a tunnel for the trains to go through.

Lester does a fine job of using personification to paint a picture that readers will enjoy such as when John Henry laughed "...the sun got scared." Some of the cultural markers present are the various skin tones of the people who know or watch John Henry as well as the dialect that is spoken.

The theme is one of living a good, moral life no matter what befalls you. It is very apparent, with a funeral at the White House, that John Henry, whether he be real or fictitious, was a good man.

D. REVIEW EXCERPTS

Caldecott Honor Book, 1990

Booklist: "...this picture-book version is a tall tale and a heroic myth, a celebration of the human spirit."

Publishers Weekly: "A great American hero comes fully to life in this epic retelling filled with glorious, detailed watercolors."

School Library Journal: "It will appeal to an older audience than Ezra Jack Keats's John Henry (Knopf, 1987) and is a fine addition to any folklore collection."

E. CONNECTIONS

Teachers could us a "bubble" thinking map to find adjectives describing John Henry. Next create the same for a character below and creat a venn diagram comparing and contrasting each.

Other tall tale characters to check out:

Kellog, Steven. PAUL BUNYAN. ISBN 9780688058005

Gleeson, Brian. PECOS BILL. ISBN 9780887080814