{"product_id":"aint-nothing-but-a-man-my-quest-to-find-the-real-john-henry-9781426300004","title":"Ain't Nothing But a Man: My Quest to Find the Real John Henry","description":"Who was the real John Henry? The story of this legendary African-American figure has come down to us in so many songs, stories, and plays, that the facts are often lost. Historian Scott Nelson brings John Henry alive for young readers in his personal quest for the \u003ci\u003etrue story\u003c\/i\u003e of the man behind the myth. Nelson presents the famous folk song as a mystery to be unraveled, identifying the embedded clues within the lyrics, which he examines to uncover many surprising truths. He investigates the legend and reveals the real John Henry in this beautifully illustrated book. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eNelson's narrative is multilayered, interweaving the story of the building of the railroads, the period of Reconstruction, folk tales, American mythology, and an exploration of the tradition of work songs and their evolution into blues and rock and roll. This is also the story of the author's search for the flesh-and-blood man who became an American folk hero; Nelson gives a first-person account of how the historian works, showing history as a process of discovery. Readers rediscover an African-American folk hero. We meet John Henry, the man who worked for the railroad, driving steel spikes. When the railroad threatens to replace workers with a steam-powered hammer, John Henry bets that he can drive the beams into the ground faster than the machine. He wins the contest, but dies in the effort. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eNelson's vibrant text, combined with archival images, brings a new perspective and focus to the life and times of this American legend.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e National Geographic Kids\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 12\/26\/2007\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781426300004\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 64\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 1.21lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 11.00h x 9.38w x 0.42d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAward:\u003c\/b\u003e Cybils - Finalist\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReview Citations: \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003ci\u003eKirkus Review - Children\u003c\/i\u003e 10\/15\/2007 pg. 1108\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eSchool Library Journal\u003c\/i\u003e 12\/01\/2007 pg. 156\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e 12\/24\/2007 pg. 58\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eHorn Book Magazine\u003c\/i\u003e 01\/01\/2008 pg. 117\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eBulletin of Ctr for Child Bks\u003c\/i\u003e 02\/01\/2008 pg. 256 - Recommended\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e 02\/01\/2008 pg. 49\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eNew York Times Book Review\u003c\/i\u003e 04\/13\/2008 pg. 18\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eHornbook Guide to Children\u003c\/i\u003e 07\/01\/2008 - Superior,Well Above Average\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eHornbook Guide to Children\u003c\/i\u003e 10\/01\/2008 pg. 467 - Superior,Well Above Average\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eBooklist Ed Choice Youth\u003c\/i\u003e 01\/01\/2009 pg. 13\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eALA Best Books Young Adults\u003c\/i\u003e 03\/15\/2009 pg. 7\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eALA Notable Children's Books\u003c\/i\u003e 03\/15\/2009 pg. 24\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAccelerated Reader Quiz #\/Name: \u003c\/b\u003e119451 \/ Ain't Nothing But a Man: My Quest to Find the Real John Henry\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eReading Level:\u003c\/b\u003e 6.6 \/ \u003cb\u003eInterest Level:\u003c\/b\u003e Middle Grade \/ \u003cb\u003ePoint Value:\u003c\/b\u003e 2\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Scott Reynolds Nelson","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44683518869685,"sku":"9781426300004","price":16.11,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0473\/0804\/6492\/files\/img_224b17ff-f1fa-4973-a1c8-6657cc8f3fa6.jpg?v=1727796187","url":"https:\/\/pastforward.org\/products\/aint-nothing-but-a-man-my-quest-to-find-the-real-john-henry-9781426300004","provider":"Past Forward","version":"1.0","type":"link"}