The Incredibly Human Henson Blayze

Newbery Honoree Derrick Barnes delivers a powerful and timely novel about race, identity, and the courage to stand up for justice.

Coretta Scott King Book Award Honoree • National Book Award Longlist Selection • WNDB Walter Award Winner • Kirkus Prize Finalist • Jane Addams Children’s Book Award Honor • ALSC Notable Children’s Book • Southern Book Prize Finalist

★ “Bold, extraordinary storytelling: not to be missed.” — Kirkus Reviews

★ “A powerful tale.” — Publishers Weekly

★ “A modern folktale that leaves a damning indictment.” — BCCB

★ “This is Barnes at his best.” — School Library Journal

In the small town of Great Mountain, Mississippi, thirteen-year-old Henson Blayze is a football phenom whose extraordinary talent has made him the pride of his predominantly white community. The town eagerly celebrates its gifted Black athlete—until Henson speaks out against injustice and begins to question whether he wants to play football at all.

As the town fractures between those who support him and those who demand he return to the field, Henson discovers that admiration can quickly turn into hostility. Even his closest friends and his father find themselves on opposite sides of the debate. Faced with threats and impossible choices, Henson must decide whether his purpose is to entertain people who may never fully see his humanity—or to pursue a different kind of greatness.

Written for readers ages 10 and up, this groundbreaking novel blends the spirit of classic American tall tales with a modern allegory about race, identity, and the value of Black lives beyond labor and entertainment. Spanning the 1800s to the present day, Derrick Barnes crafts a moving and unforgettable story that challenges readers to consider both how far America has come—and how far it still has to go.