First published 1998
John Henry grips his twin sledgehammers and faces down a steam-powered drilling machine. The mountain looms before them both. The contest will determine whether human strength and will can triumph over mechanical power. John Henry swings his hammers with devastating force, smashing through stone and boulder. The steam drill churns forward with relentless mechanical precision. Each competitor drives deeper into the mountain's heart. Rock flies and dust clouds the air as man and machine push their limits. John Henry's muscles strain against the unyielding stone. The steam drill's engine roars with industrial fury. This is more than a simple race. The outcome will decide the value of human effort in an age of machines. John Henry fights not just for victory but for the dignity of all workers facing replacement by technology. His hammers rise and fall with the rhythm of a beating heart. The mountain shudders under the assault from both directions.
Genres: american-fiction, historical-fiction, 20th-century, adventure, action, 19th-century
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: man-vs-nature, man-vs-technology
Setting: Mountain
Period: 19th-century
40 pages · Paperback · Scholastic Inc.