John Henry

Part folktale, part legend, and maybe even partly true, JOHN HENRY is the classic story of the African American hero who was as big and strong as he was wise and gentle. On the day John Henry was born, all the creatures of the forest, and even the sun and the moon, took note of his birth. The next day, John Henry grew--from a large, strong baby, into a huge, extremely strong man. After building his parents a fine new house (complete with an indoor swimming pool), John Henry goes out into the world, where he impresses everyone he meets with his amazing strength and kind heart. Although he is able to break through a rock that even dynamite couldn't destroy, John Henry faces his biggest challenge when he bets that, with the help of only two sledgehammers, he can tunnel through a mountain faster than a steam drill. Inspired by the American folk ballad, this picture book is illustrated with watercolor paintings and is a 1995 Caldecott Honor Book.