Reviews: (by author)

(Both books available through On My Own Folklore series, Millbrook Press via Lerner Books www.lernerbooks.com, 48 pp. hardbacks, six so far, outstanding classroom free-reading material.)

John Henry, adapted by Stephen Krensky, illus. Mark Oldroyd. Minneapolis: Millbrook Press, 2006. ISBN 1-57505-887-1

The exhilarating and sobering Great American Tragedy of John Henry's rage against the machine is here very well told by Stephen Krensky, who also wrote the series' Paul Bunyan. The prose is spare, strong, and focused, like the character himself. In addition, the art work is stupendous. It's oil or acrylic, textured and multi-dimensional. Check out pp. 34-35.

Paul Bunyan , adapted by Stephen Krensky, illus. Craig Orback. Minneapolis: Millbrook, 2006. ISBN 1-57505-888-X.

Here again, as in John Henry, Krensky hits it right matching his language to the character and action. Paul Bunyan is a big guy-so how big is big? Krensky's fresh turns of phrase and new characters (Elmers? Sourdough?) exemplify the fun of the tall tale. This is the kind of book that should be on kids' shelves, for it's as much about the love of language as it is about the story. As well, Craig Orback's beautiful paintings play well on the various dimensions, perspectives, and settings of this literally tall tale.

A. Allison, June 2006