Henry Hikes to Fitchburg

A New York Times Bestselling picture book inspired by the life of Henry David Thoreau! 

"A masterpiece."—Daniel Pinkwater, NPR Weekend Edition? 

Inspired by a passage from Walden, this story follows two friends who have very different approaches to life. When the two agree to meet one evening in Fitchburg, which is thirty miles away, each decides to get there in his own way. The two have drastically different journeys...with surprisingly similar results. 

The Boston Globe-Horn Book Award and Ezra Jack Keats Writer Award winning Henry Hikes to Fitchburg is the first book in the Henry series. |

"A masterpiece . . .The finest illustrations I've seen in years and years and years." —Daniel Pinkwater, NPR Weekend Edition

"An auspicious picture book debut." —Horn Book Horn Book

"This splendid book works on several levels. Johnson’s adaptation of a paragraph taken from Thoreau’s Walden illuminates the contrast between materialistic and naturalistic view of life without ranting or preaching. . . . [The illustrations] demonstrate Johnson’s virtuosic control of his craft" —Booklist, starred review Booklist, ALA, Starred Review

STAR "A nicely realized retelling of a short passage from Henry Thoreau’s Walden." —School Library Journal, starred review School Library Journal, Starred

A Publishers Weekly Flying Start Publishers Weekly