Genre and Type: Traditional Literature, Folktale
Awards: California Book Award Silver Medal
The Hired Hand tells of a father and son, Old Sam and Young Sam. Old Sam owns a sawmill and is a hard worker while Young Sam is not. Young Sam wanted to find a new young hand to do all his work. The New Hand and Young Sam deal with farmers and the court system. Young Sam comes to a realization and has a change of heart.
This book would be appropriate for grade levels 1st - 4th. Although it is a simple read, it provides insight on African American Folklore. This book is not appropriate for Kindergartners, therefore I would not use this book in my classroom. However, a teacher could use this book if teaching a lesson on culture or history.