Ain’t Nothing But a Man by Scott Reynolds Nelson

This visually rich National Geographic nonfiction book works on two levels. It tells the story of John Henry, who turns out to have been a real person and not the tall tale many children and adults know. It frames this story in the words, songs, pictures and illustrations found by a working historian chasing down a mystery. Nelson wrote a book for adults on this topic and has ably adapted it for younger readers. He includes a bibliography and sources for budding historians, and an afterward by editor Marc Aronson breaks down the process further making this especially useful in the classroom. This is a gripping stand alone nonfiction mystery for children in the fourth grade and older.