This tale is appropriate for 1st - 3rd grade. The Legend of John Henry is a tale about a workingman, John Henry, in West Virginia during a time when machinery was taking the jobs of men who needed the income to support their family. John Henry is remember as one of the strongest men who work on building the rails through the mountains and beating the steam machine that threaten John's job. When John bets his boss that he could beat the steam machine John, hits the track to swing his sledge to nail down the track and race the machine. John beats the machine to prove his boss wrong and win his freedom but the force that he used caused him to collapse on the tracks and die.
Teacher could use this book to
-talking about the creation of railroads in the late 1800s.
-showing students the difference between black and white during this time period.

There are several picture book versions of the John Henry legend written for young audiences, but Terry Small's contribution stands out among them. It sticks to the core of the legend, focusing on the impact of the steam drill on manual railroad laborers and builds up to the competition between man and machine very well. In this retelling, John Henry was born a slave in West Virginia and became a steel rod driver after emancipation, working alongside other laborers under a wealthy boss. He takes pride in his work and is certain that no machine can replace a man.

Small tells this story in rhythmic, rhyming verse, using southern Black American dialect reminiscent of the trackliner songs sung about John Henry. John Henry's spirituality and passion make the narrative emotionally moving and his death heartbreaking. The folk art-inspired illustrations, done in oil paint, are often rough and flat at the same time because of poor use of perspective and solid outlines. This is not outstanding artwork, but it suits the nature of this folk tale very well, grounding it in Appalachian folk culture. Some illustrations cover entire spreads with text laid over background areas, but most illustrations cover one full page facing a full page of text on a white background.

The Legend of John Henry, with its rhythm and dialect, is wonderful when read aloud, although repeated use of the word "Lawd" (Lord) and other references to God could make it problematic for reading this aloud in public schools and libraries. Nevertheless, it is an outstanding book that is recommended for elementary school and public libraries. ( )