Henry Climbs a Mountain (A Henry Book)

This book is a recurring purchase, shared with each of the children in my life. I'm a fan of all the "Henry" stories, but this one really consummates the collaboration of the artist and the author, as Henry's drawing on the walk of his jail cell becomes his gateway to freedom and an acknowledgment, thanks to the very real privation of the people he encounters in his "escape", of the luxury he enjoys, even in his cell, to exercise his imagination. That humble privilege is exalted by the illustrator's work, which one could gaze at all day, regardless of one's age. The images are at once two-dimensional and faceted, easily recognizable to a child, yet fittingly conveying an impression of planes intersecting--which might also describe the convergence of imagination and morality as complimentary themes. This series deserves to be back in print.

At first I was going to give this book four stars because I felt the concepts introduced were difficult to reach. But then I read the book again. And again. And each time I read it, I felt how strong it was, and how much D.B. Johnson understands Thoreau. It seems to me that what he's showing in this book is the same thing that Lovelace wrote about in "To Althea, from Prison" -- "Stone walls do not a prison make, / Nor iron bars a cage." It is this freedom of the mind/soul/spirit that Johnson is writing about, even though on the surface the book appears to be about slavery and taxes.I do agree that the book isn't for four-year-olds, but it is suitable for ages seven and up. It's not the author's fault that marketing departments categorize all picture books as suitable for ages 4-8.

The Henry series is a fabulous collection of books that chronicles Henry David Thoreau's work. The illustrations are breath taking and the writing is superb. The stories open up discussions about history that most children's books do not. Outstanding biographical information at the end as well.

D.B. Johnson's Henry series always delights! This one is now delighting a GREAT granddaughter. Her mom, my granddaughter is loving it all over again.

Delghtful and engaging!

Bought as a gift, but checked it out before giving. Beautiful illustrations. Good story inspired by Henry David Thoreau

Wonderful story!

We've also read Henry Hikes to Fitchburg and Henry Builds a Cabin, so I wanted to check out this volume, too, when I saw it at the library. I like the Henry books and think they're a great way to teach the message of Thoreau to young children.In this installment, Henry is planning to go climb a mountain. But on his way to pick up a shoe from the cobbler, he is apprehended for failure to pay taxes and thrown in jail. It turns out he's not paying his taxes, because he opposes a federal government that supports slavery. And then, while he's in jail, he imagines climbing a mountain instead.Unlike the previous books I'd read, this one involves a lot more abstract thinking--which is part of why it gets the lower rating. It's still got a lovely message, but I think it's less accessible to children.As always, there's also a great afterward explaining the history that inspired the book. It's an excellent resource for engaging older children in discussions of history.

ヘンリーは山へ行く途中で、税金をはらっていないので牢屋に入れられる。でもそんなことは何の問題でもない。ヘンリーは牢屋の白い壁に絵を描き出し、空想の山登りを始める。いや、空想ではないかもしれない。そしてとうとう・・。子供の読み聞かせのために本をめくり始めたが、大人の方が夢中になって読み、今も感動が冷めない。こんなメッセージのこもったすばらしい絵本があったとは驚きだし、世界中の人に読んで欲しい本だ。昨日来た友達にも、今日来た友達にも勧めた。絵も美しい！うちの４歳の子供には難しい内容だが、そんなことはたいした問題じゃない。何度も何度も読んで、この本に込められた意味をきちんと考えられる人になって欲しいし、早くこの本に出会えた我が息子は幸せだ。何度も読みたい、読ませたい本！