John Henry vs. the Mighty Steam Drill - (American Folk Legends) by Cari Meister (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Ever hear of a feller named John Henry? They say he was born with a 10 pound hammer in his hand! As a man, John was the fastest steel drivin' man helpin' to build the railroad. So when a stranger challenged mighty John to take on a steam drill, what do you think that John Henry did? Kick off yer' boots and listen to this fascinatin' tale of John Henry and the steam drill.

Review Quotes

Sandwiched between historical notes that provide both general context and biographical details, these retold legends give...folktale heroes a chance to strut their stuff. . . .Each volume concludes with boilerplate notes on tropes common to American folktales, a pair of Common Core-specific study questions, and a brief bibliography. Though other versions of these stories aren't hard to find, the background material will give both general readers and folklore enthusiasts a broader perspective on the genre.-- "School Library Journal"

About the Author

Cari Meister has written more than 130 books for children, including the Tiny series (Penguin) and the Fast Forward Fairy Tales series (Scholastic). Cari is a school librarian. She loves to visit other schools and libraries and talk about the joy of reading and writing. Cari lives in the mountains of Colorado, with her husband, four boys, one horse, and one dog. You can find out more about her at www.carimeister.com.