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John Henry

Author Julius Lester

Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney

Paperback

$8.99 US

Penguin Young Readers | Puffin Books

9.5"W x 11.5"H x 0.15"D | 7 oz | 72 per carton

On sale Dec 01, 1999 | 40 Pages | 9780140566222

Age 4-8 years

Reading Level: Lexile AD620L

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Julius Lester and Jerry Pinkney's warm, humorous retelling of a popular African-American folk ballad.

When John Henry was born the birds, bears, rabbits, and even a unicorn came to see him. He grew so fast, he burst right through the porch roof, and laughed so loud, he scared the sun! Soon John Henry is swinging two huge sledgehammers to build roads, pulverizing boulders, and smashing rocks to smithereens. He's stronger than ten men and can dig through a mountain faster than a steam drill. Nothing can stop John Henry, and his courage stays with us forever.

A Caldecott Honor Book

* "This is a tall tale and heroic myth, a celebration of the human spirit . . . The story is told with rhythm and wit, humor and exageration, and with a heart-catching immediacy that connects the human and the natural world. " --Booklist, starred review

"Another winning collaboration from the master storyteller and gifted artist of Tales of Uncle Remus fame." --School Library Journal

"A great American hero comes fully to life in this epic retelling filled with glorious, detailed watercolors . . . This carefully crafted updating begs to be read aloud for its rich, rhythmic storytelling flow, and the suitably oversize illustrations amplify the text." --Publishers Weekly

Julius Lester is a celebrated author whose accolades include a Newbery Honor and a Coretta Scott King Award. He is also a National Book Award finalist, a National Book Critics Circle nominee, and a recipient of the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award. In addition to his critically acclaimed writing career, Mr. Lester has distinguished himself as a civil rights activist, musician, photographer, radio talk-show host, and professor. For 32 years he taught at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He lives in western Massachusetts. View titles by Julius Lester

Jerry Pinkney was one of America’s most acclaimed illustrators. He won the Caldecott Medal and five Caldecott Honors, five Coretta Scott King Awards, five New York Times Ten Best Illustrated Awards, the Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement, the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award, the Society of Illustrators’ Original Art Show Lifetime Achievement Award, and many other prizes and honors. His long list of celebrated titles includes Mirandy and Brother Wind, The-All-I'll-Ever-Want Christmas Doll, The Little Mermaid, and The Lion & The Mouse. Jerry's work has been exhibited at the Art Institute of Chicago, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Schomburg Center, the Norman Rockwell Museum, and many more. View titles by Jerry Pinkney

WINNER
ALA Notable Book
WINNER
Caldecott Honor Book

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About

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Awards

WINNER
ALA Notable Book
WINNER
Caldecott Honor Book