Read-alikes and related books

Books like John Henry

If you loved John Henry by Julius Lester, this shelf of 24 books shares the same pull — rooted in 19th Century, Fairy Tales & Folklore, African American & Black, and People & Places.

19th Century Fairy Tales & Folklore African American & Black People & Places United States Historical Juvenile Fiction

Top related books to John Henry

Curated picks selected for thematic resonance, narrative overlap, and author diversity.

John Henry An American Legend

Ezra Jack Keats

Themes: 19th Century • Fairy Tales & Folklore • African American & Black

Barracoon Adapted for Young Readers

Zora Neale Hurston

Themes: 19th Century • Fairy Tales & Folklore • African American & Black

The Long Journey Home Stories from Black History

Julius Lester

Themes: 19th Century • African American & Black • People & Places

The Broken Lands

Kate Milford

Themes: 19th Century • Fairy Tales & Folklore • People & Places

Strands of Bronze and Gold

Jane Nickerson

Themes: 19th Century • Fairy Tales & Folklore • People & Places

Johnny Appleseed

Reeve Lindbergh

Themes: 19th Century • Fairy Tales & Folklore • People & Places

The People Could Fly: The Picture Book

Virginia Hamilton

Themes: 19th Century • African American & Black • People & Places

A Day for Rememberin’ Inspired by the True Events of the First Memorial Day

Leah Henderson

Themes: 19th Century • African American & Black • People & Places

Great Escapes #2: Journey to Freedom 1838

Sherri Winston

Themes: 19th Century • African American & Black • People & Places

#10

Crossing Bok Chitto A Choctaw Tale of Friendship & Freedom

Tim Tingle

Themes: 19th Century • African American & Black • People & Places

#11

Abraham’s Battle A Novel of Gettysburg

Sara H. Banks

Themes: 19th Century • African American & Black • People & Places

#12

Root Magic

Eden Royce

Themes: Fairy Tales & Folklore • African American & Black • People & Places

#13

Caleb’s Choice

G. Clifton Wisler

Themes: 19th Century • African American & Black • People & Places

#14

The Wagon

Tony Johnston

Themes: 19th Century • African American & Black • People & Places

#15

A Picture of Freedom The Diary of Clotee, a Slave Girl

Pat McKissack

Themes: 19th Century • African American & Black • People & Places

#16

Up the Learning Tree

Marcia K. Vaughan

Themes: 19th Century • African American & Black • People & Places

#17

The Hero Two Doors Down Based on the True Story of Friendship Between a Boy and a Baseball Legend

Sharon Robinson

Themes: 19th Century • African American & Black • People & Places

#18

Solomon

Marilyn Bishop Shaw

Themes: 19th Century • African American & Black • People & Places

#19

Barefoot Escape on the Underground Railroad

Pamela Duncan Edwards

Themes: 19th Century • African American & Black • People & Places

#20

The Slave Dancer

Paula Fox

Themes: 19th Century • African American & Black • People & Places

#21

My Name is Oney Judge

Diane D. Turner

Themes: 19th Century • African American & Black • People & Places

#22

Walking Home to Rosie Lee

A. LaFaye

Themes: 19th Century • African American & Black • People & Places

#23

From Slave to Soldier Based on a True Civil War Story

Deborah Hopkinson

Themes: 19th Century • African American & Black • People & Places

#24

Juneteenth

Van G. Garrett

Themes: 19th Century • African American & Black • People & Places

Fans of John Henry by Julius Lester will find 24 titles here, all united by 19th Century, Fairy Tales & Folklore, African American & Black. Authors represented include Ezra Jack Keats, Zora Neale Hurston, Julius Lester, Kate Milford, and others.