John Henry, an illustrated book by Jerry Pinkney

John Henry by Julius Lester and pictures by Jerry Pinkney

I think Pinkney's illustrations in the book John Henry are wonderful examples of art in a child's hands. The illustrations are colorful and rendered with pencil, colored pencils and watercolor. Each picture is rich in detail. These are the types of illustrations you look at again and again to find more within the picture. Pinkney does a wonderful job of showing the reader the action in the text. You can see how John Henry is larger than life by the perspective used in some of the illustrations. Texture and movement are quite evident as John Henry swings his mighty hammers.

Pinkney received a Caldecott Honor in 1995 for this book. He has received the Honor for this award before: Mirandy and Brother Wind (1989), The Talking Eggs: A Folktale from the American South (1990), The Ugly Duckling (2000) and Noah's Ark (2003). I surely hope Pinkney is not the "Susan Luci" for the Caldecott Medal. Hopefully, he will receive the medal soon. He has won The Coretta Scott Kind Award for Goin Someplace Special (2002), Minty: A Story of Young Harriet Tubman (1997), Mirandy and Brother Wind (1989), Half a Moon and One Whole Star (1987) and The Patchwork Quilt (1986). He has won Honors for this award three times as well. Pinkney is quite the prolific illustrator. I am familiar with some of these illustrated stories of Pinkney's and have enjoyed his art. The use of Pinkney's illustrations would make art concepts come alive for students.