[.ca] Henry Hikes to Fitchburg (ISBN 0618737499)

From Amazon.com:
When Henry and his friend agree to go to Fitchburg to see the country, they each choose very different methods of travel, based on their very different approaches to life. This charming little story illustrates through minimal text and fantastically stylized paintings the concepts Henry David Thoreau spent his life trying out. While Henry (the storybook Henry is a bear) collects flowers to press, strolls on stone walls, finds bird nests, and gathers blackberries, his friend toils and sweats to earn enough money for the train fare to Fitchburg. With subtle nods at Thoreau and his real-life pals Ralph Waldo Emerson and Nathaniel Hawthorne (Henry's friend cleans out Mrs. Thoreau's chicken house, moves the bookcases in Mr. Emerson's study, and pulls weeds in Mr. Hawthorne's garden), D.B. Johnson cleverly introduces young readers to these important historical figures. No moralizing here, just a gentle, humorous look at the different paths each person may choose in life. Johnson chose a passage in Thoreau's Walden (the passage is included in the informative author's note) as inspiration for this delightful picture book, which Thoreau himself would probably be proud to read. (Ages 5 to 8) --Emilie Coulter

Terrific!:
Henry and his friend (two nice looking bears) are going to Fitchburg, thirty miles away, to see the country. Henry decides to walk, while his friend decides to work and earn money for a train ticket. "Let's see who gets there first", his friend challenges. Off Henry goes on his adventure. He picks flowers to save and press into books, his friend cleans out Mrs Thoreau's chicken house. He walks along a stone wall and climbs trees, his friend moves Mr Emerson's bookcases. Henry makes a raft and paddles up a river, finds a bird nest and a honey tree, his friend pulls Mr Hawthorne's weeds. At the end of the day, Henry's friend buys his ticket and travels on a crowded train to Fitchburg where they meet up. "The train was faster", he says. "I know, I stopped for blackberries", says Henry..... Inspired by a passage from Walden, Donald Johnson has written and illustrated a clever, charming and very visual story about two different approaches to life. As your youngsters turn pages and watch how these two friends spend their day, they can decide who's trip to Fitchburg is more fun, interesting and worthwhile...Henry who savors the journey or his friend who just wants to get there as quickly as possible. The author includes a note at the end about Henry David Thoreau and his friends (Emerson and Hawthorne) and the passage from Walden that was the basis for this wonderful book. This is a special story, perfect for kids 4-8, that your kids will want to read again and again and should lead to many interesting family discussions.

Great place to start:
This book is an introduction for young children to the philosophy of simplicity. Johnson has adapted the true story of Henry Thoreau's hike to Fitchburg into a children's tale that kids can understand and cherish. As the book begins, Henry is talking to a friend, and they decide to go to Fitchburg. The friend thinks it would be faster to take the train, but contrary old Henry says it would be faster to walk. Rather than argue their points, the two friends each set off to Fitchburg in their own by their own method. Of course, the friend has to earn money to pay the train fare, so he spends all day doing various odd jobs before taking the night train. Henry, on the other hand, sets off walking, and enjoys the beautiful scenery along the way. They both eventually get to Fitchburg, but they had very different experiences in meeting their goal. The format of the book, with one side of each page devoted to Henry and the other to his friend, gets children to focus on a constant comparison between the experiences of the two characters. By the end of the book, the children see that there are many ways to reach a goal, and contrary to common practice, sometimes those methods that don't cost money may be preferable- -it all depends on what you value in life. This book would be a great starting point for conversations with children about the choices that they or their families are making. And the pictures are wonderful, too!

Fabulous bk.-great for kids of all ages & a great baby gift!:
Aside from the local historical references (towns en route to Fitchburg & famous local historical figures incuding the Emersons & Alcotts), this bk. is a charmer. Lovely illustrations, sweet life lessons about taking time to enjoy the journey rather than trying to hurry it along just to 'get there faster', & the understated moral of the story as stated by Henry at the end. I'd recommend this to anyone-baby through adult-so pleasing to the eyes and to the soul!

A must read, must have book for all ages!!:
I checked this book out from the library for my 18 month old. As any parent of a toddler knows, a trip to the library can be both wonderful and harrowing all at the same time. I borrowed this solely based on the eye-catching illustration on the cover as I was too busy chasing my little one to give it a good preview while there. This is now a favorite of the whole family and I will give it as a gift to all expectant moms/friends. It's a beautiful story with an elegantly simple rhythm that is appealing to all. My toddler loved it as much as I did and I'm sure that she will appreciate the finer points of the story, including some simple math, as she matures. The illustrations are stunning too! What a wonderful surprise find!!

A little lesson in taking time to smell the roses!:
I read this book based on Javagirl 23's reveiew, and I must give her kudos. Great pick! Henry (a bear) and his friend decide to visit Fitchburg. Henry plans to walk, but his friend decides to work enough to afford train fare, since walking will take forever. While Henry's friend slaves away at different jobs (pick up on the last names of the employers!), Henry leisurely strolls towards Fitchburg, collecting flowers to press, berries, and enjoying himself thouroughly. Henry's friend finally gets his train fare, and they both end up in Fitchburg at the same time. "The train was a lot faster!", says his friend. Henry merely replies, "Yes...but I got us some berries to eat". What's the lesson? Sometimes the fastest way isn't necessarily the best way...take time to stop and smell the roses...or any other cliche you prefer. This is a great lesson for adults- stop rushing around so much and take the slower way of doing something; there may be more enjoyment along the way if you do.