The Hired Hand

by Robert D. San Souci, Jerry Pinkney (Illustrator)

Out of greed, Young Sam tries to duplicate the healing powers of the new hired hand at his Virginia saw mill, but when he ends up killing a woman instead of curing her, he learns to repent his old ways. Reprint.

Genres: Picture Books, African American, Childrens, Fiction, Fairy Tales, Folk Tales, Folklore

40 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Robert Daniel San Souci (October 10, 1946 – December 19, 2014) was a multiple award-winning children's book author, who resided in San Francisco, California. He often worked with his brother, Daniel San Souci, a children's book illustrator. He was a consultant to Disney Studios and was instrumental in the production of the film Mulan, for which he wrote the story. He studied folklore in graduate school. He died after suffering a head injury while falling from a high height in San Francisco in December 2014. He was only 68 years old.

Reviews

[Sharon Barrow Wilfong · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another folk tale with a moral and illustrated with wonderful colors and drawings.

A shiftless lazy son learns a hard lesson, but repents in the end and becomes the productive, unselfish man his father can now respect.

[Kali Woods · Rating 3 out of 5]

This old story is about an old man that owed a Sawmill, that he worked in day and night. He had a son that was lazy and did not treat people with respect. One day a man came along and asked the old man to teach him the sawmill busy, and if he did, he would work for him for a year for no pay. During this time the son use the man to do all his chores. One day a farmer came buy for some wood and said his back was hurting. The new man told them he could fix the farmer, but they could not watch, they had to go into the woods and not look back. The Son went in the Wood’s; however, he came back and stood behind a tree and look and listen to how the new man fixed the farmer. When the old man came back, the farmer was young and healed. The new man told all of them, they could tell no one. Everyone left, and the young man told the farmer, he had to pay, and he did. The farmer brought his wife back to be fix, the old man had left for a trip and the new man left because the son was treating him bad. The son tries to fix the wife with what he had heard, and she turned young again, however she was dead. He was on trail for murder, and saw the new man in the court, and stood and said, do not treat people with disrespect, do not act high and mighty, if I had not done this, I would not be here. The new man was in the court with the Farmers’ wife, who he heals, and the son was set free. He began a great son and worker and treated people with respect.

[Lauren Carr · Rating 2 out of 5]

This picturebook follows a character as he learns the value of compassion, kindness, and remorse, and therefore serves as a great lesson on morals and proper behavior. These lessons are delivered through a combination of a fantasy-driven plot and realistic events. Unfortunately, there is heavy text and unfamiliar language which would make it impossible for a younger reader to enjoy on their own. Furthermore, the images are full of dull muted colors and ill-defined, this could prove to be unengaging for a young reader. While there is a great message to be shared in “The Hired Hand” this could be lost through over cumbering text and less than exciting images.

[Laura Perry · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a story of a lazy son who wont do any work, but is willing to boss people around and belittle them. His father has a worker, who knows how to make people young. While the worker helps a farmer the son watches. When the father has to go on a trip, the son causes the worker to quit. The son is so greedy that when the farmer returns with his wife. The son claims to be able to help her, but he is careless and she dies. I like this story, the son is taught a lesson in how to treat people. I like the ending, it would seem a bit morbid if someone where to actually die.

[Helen-Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story that apparently shows up in several cultures, including Korean. Interesting. I liked reading about how the author and illustrator decided where and when to set the story. And I am a little curious about the setting, because so many of the images could have been drawn at Sturbridge Village living history museum in Massachusetts, which recreates life in 1820's - 30's New England. This story is a bit gruesome in places, but all works out in the end.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fabulous adaptation of a folktale found in lots of different cultures... including one like that shown here. The creator's notes are fascinating. Belongs in far more OwnVoices collections than it apparently is found in now - I just happened to spy it at a small rural Wisconsin library and that is the only copy in any of the library systems that I use.

(I don't think it's coincidence that logging is historically one of the main industries of the region around that community.)

[Margaret]

This is a retelling of a story contained in an appendix of Gypsy Folk Tales (Francis Hindes Groome). It uses dialect, but has been softened from the original to be more approachable for a more modern audience.
The artist mixes historical costumes and settings from a few locations/time-periods in an European fairy tale style. I'd say it works. The art style is pretty classic.

[Ardyth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really like the illustrations on this one. The story ... blood magic! Redemption! Super fun.

But -- I have some uncertainty around how authentic this "New World variant" really is. More research needed before I feel comfortable giving a resounding thumbs up.

[wildct2003 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Creepy fairy tale with great pictures

[Gina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Moves along pretty quickly compared to some of San Souci's other folklore tellings.

[Katie]

1. Summary: Remember the sorcerer's apprentice? He had problems with his boss's spells, but at least he never killed anybody. In this African-American folk tale with roots in many cultures, author Robert D. San Souci takes a similar legend and dumps it in the lap of a lazy, selfish boy. Sam won't help out at the mill, and his father handles everything until the day the hired hand arrives. The new employee is a model worker, but he's got other skills, too. Magic ones. Sam tries a few of the newcomer's tricks, and nearly ends up in prison. He ends up wiser instead.

2. Reading Level: Late Fluent. Could be enjoyed by kids ages 5-9

3. Genre: African American Folktale

4. Specific curricular uses: Independent reading. This book could be assigned to children during lessons regarding African-American Folktale. Also, children might find this book useful when discussing issues of race or issues of right & wrong.

5. Specific literary elements the book demonstrates: The use of dialogue allows the narrator to include many characters and move the story along. Dialogus gives the piece depth and insight to many perspectives.

6. Interactions & counteractions of the text & image: The images on each page are significant to the text on that page. The illustrations are beautifully and intricately drawn to add to the importance of them. Jerry Pinkney's illustrations add lyric beauty, emotional heft, and a sense of "once upon a time" to this well-told tale.

[Lila · Rating 5 out of 5]

I chose to read African American folktales opposed to African folktales because it is more tangible. Although these stories originated elsewhere, they were modified by people thrust into an unknown land and forced to publicly abandon their own culture (although retained in private) and adapt to America’s ways. I can’t speak for young black readers, but for me, this is more personal because it isn’t happening in a faraway land, but right here, usually in the southern states. I also read Virginia Hamilton’s The People Could Fly (which was absolutely amazing, with story origins included), but I decided to document this one because it is a little different than the freedom folktales. The story is set in a time of slavery, but the location is a place where slavery was abolished. Blacks were able to own property and businesses. The illustrator explains this at the end of the book, and how he drew inspiration from that area in creating beautifully detailed images that capture the story.
The story is one that was adapted from another tale, and is about a hired hand that is treated poorly by the owner’s young son. The hired hand has a special gift that is misused by the son. In the author’s note, it is explained that the story originated elsewhere, and several versions exist in many parts of the world. The author and illustrator’s notes are informative and shed light on some parts of history that are often overlooked, like the slavery-free town.

[Dianna Adams-skafi · Rating 4 out of 5]

in this folktale novel it revolved around a very miscievious young man that did all in his power to bother their knew help in hand who only wanted to learn about and cut wood. he would verbally abuse and misuse him by making him do all the dirty work. Throughout the days and weeks the helper did good deed unto the people in the community by making a farmer younger and youthful. in the makings he asked the boy and his father to go far away because it was a secret about how he did it. they young boy of course didnt listen and watched with amazement and memory in which he later tried to apply those same remedies on the farmers wife in which ended all wrong but with death. later on he was judged and exiled to prision in which in the process of his sent ence the help in hand appeared with the lady alive but yet just wanted the boy toblearn a lesson in which is never be mean to people because you just mightbone day need them and be kind to all and never misuse people for their work.

[April Gates · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is beautifully illustrated with pictures of the interaction between both young and old Sam and the helper. It has great life pictures of African Americans working on the farm and the depiction between the old and they young is great as well. This is a great story on how important it is to be helpful and kind to your family members and how children should help their parents when it is necessary. The complete that change that young Sam makes is very heartwarming because we get to finally see that the realizes that he has been unkind and unhelpful to his father as well as the helper.
Awards: 1997 California Book Award Silver Medal for Juveniles
Grades: Kinder-3rd Grade
Genre: Folklore

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent telling of the hard working father and the lazy son. Loved the illustrations.

Great author's and artist's notes in the back.

Learned something new: One third of the people living in Waterford, Virginia in the 1700s were free black craftspeople. Read more on this topic. Wonder how many more of those types of communities existed in the South.

[Nancy Wann · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is for people around 8-12 years old, but still a good read for anyone. The story mostly focuses on Younge Sam and how he took advantage of the people around him. He ends up doing something the Hired Hand told him not to do and ends up in trouble. This book can be used to teach about patterns in a folktale story. Like the chants when the Hired Hand helps the old farmer and Young Sam try's to helps the farmers wife.

[The Reading Countess · Rating 4 out of 5]

This African American folk tale has the traditional cautionary story embedded with an unusal twist-sure to amuse the kiddies.