Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz (Children's Literature)
Inspired by Henry David Thoreau's Walden, Johnson has written Henry Hikes to Fitchburg and Henry Builds a Cabin, to great acclaim. Here, his Henry, an anthropomorphic bear, starts out to climb a mountain. On his way to find his lost shoe, he is stopped by the tax collector. When he refuses to pay to "a state that lets farmers own slaves" he is put in jail. There, with crayons, he creates for himself on the wall a path to the mountain, waterfalls, clouds, even another traveler with whom he has further adventures. The next morning someone has paid his taxes and he is free, but he has been free all along in his mind. With colored pencils and paint Johnson creates pictures in a cubist style. The full-page scenes combine Henry's adventures with very decorative settings quite appropriate for his imaginary travels. The concept of creating one's own world, like that in Harold and the Purple Crayon, reinforces the notion of the liberating power of art. Informative notes about Thoreau are included. 2003, Houghton Mifflin Company, $15.00. Ages 4 to 8.

Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, September 1, 2003 (Vol. 71, No. 17))
In his third book about Henry David Thoreau, Johnson describes a more complex concept: how people can change bad laws without fighting. Henry is given the choice of paying his taxes or going to jail. Henry refuses: "Pay a state that lets farmers own slaves? Never!" Henry is incarcerated, and after spending the night in jail, he's freed, his taxes paid, presumably by someone Henry has befriended. Freedom to Henry "feels like being on top of a very tall mountain!" Johnson's familiar style of faceted forms, built of angular shapes and warm, natural colors, including multiple perspectives create a visually dynamic story. The bird's-eye views of Henry in his cell are particularly effective. Johnson in his endnote, writes that Thoreau assisted slaves in fleeing to Canada, and that both Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. were inspired by Thoreau's writings. Young readers may not understand concepts of tax protest and slavery, but would welcome reading another story about a familiar and unique character whose deep moral convictions are expressed in simple, daily deeds. 2003, Houghton Mifflin, $15.00. Category: Picture book. Ages 6 to 9. © 2003 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

Beth Bruton (The Lorgnette - Heart of Texas Reviews (Vol. 16, No. 4))
Henry the bear wants to climb a mountain, and nothing is going to stop him--except for Sam, the tax collector, who puts Henry in jail for not paying his taxes. He has refused to pay his taxes because his state allows farmers to own slaves. The bear is allowed to go free and roam the mountainsides after someone pays his taxes. This book mixes themes of nature with politics. This book is one of a series about Henry, based on the life of Henry David Thoreau. Fiction. Grades 2-4. 2003, Houghton Mifflin, Unpaged., $15.00. Ages 7 to 10.