African-American Literature Review

 John Henry

1. Bibliography 

Lester, J. (1994).JOHN HENRY. Ill. by Jerry Pinkney. New York, NY: Dial Books. ISBN 0803716060

2. Plot Summary

As soon as John Henry was born he was already an extraordinary person. He seemed to have super strength and grew very fast. He was very well liked by all the people in his town. John Henry enjoyed challenging himself and other people into different tasks. He was able to carve though rock very easily with his sledgehammers. It was this that allowed him to challenge the strength of the steam drill to make the road through the toughest mountain. He exhausted himself and ultimately died. 

3. Critical Analysis (Including Cultural Markers)

JOHN HENRY is an extraordinarily tall tale that exhibits the characteristics of folklore. The exaggeration of him growing at an extremely fast pace and all the animals gathering to witness his extraordinary growth. Also the sun and the moon’s reactions are another example of the story’s exaggeration. The ability of John Henry to carve through mountains with only a sledgehammer is another exaggeration in the story. As well as the rainbow on his shoulders. The story also follows the regular literary elements of plot. Which include setting, character development, conflict and resolution. The setting in the beginning depicts the woods and his wooden home. The setting also shows the town, which shows the buildings that depict an early time in history. The reader can conclude that this story is set in the 1880s when the roads and railroads were being built. The reader also concludes the character traits of the main character as being caring, helpful, strong, determined and loving. 

The watercolor illustrations provided by Jerry Pinkney provide some cultural markers. For example, the illustrations depict John Henry as an African-American. The illustrations also show John Henry’s family as African-American. Other characters in the story are also African-American. Including the female and male children. The clothing used in the illustrations by the characters depict an earlier time period. The women are wearing hats, dresses that fit the late 1880s. The watercolor illustrations also show the hair style and texture of John Henry and other African-American and fit with African-American culture. 

Overall this tall tale is a great story with authentic connections to the African-American culture. John Pinkney does a great job in illustrating the characters and the time period. 

4. Reviews Excerpts

Caldecott Honor Book 1995

Boston Globe-Horn Book Award

Kirkus Review: Onto the page bounds the colossus John Henry, man of legend, man of myth (though the preface keeps things off balance on that point).

The Best Children’s Book Review: This book is highly recommended as a discussion starter about the personal traits that really made John great.  Was it his tremendous feats of strength or was it how John Henry treated and cared for the people around him?  This is definitely a book that kids can learn character traits from!

5. Connections

Paul Bunyan by Steven Kellogg

Doña Flor: A Tall Tale About a Giant Woman with a Great Big Heart by Pat Mora

Teachers and librarians can use this story to teach character traits, character development and theme. They can utilize a character wheel to depict John Henry’s character traits.