Johnny Appleseed [Paperback]

Reeve Lindbergh (Author), Kathy Jakobsen (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1993 | Grade Level: P and up

Rhymed text and illustrations relate the life of John Chapman, whose distribution of apple seeds and trees across the Midwest made him a legend and left a legacy still enjoyed today.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

There is no lack of books about Jon Chapman, better known as Johnny Appleseed, but this is an outstanding addition to the collection. Lindbergh's ( The Midnight Farm ; Benjamin's Barn ) poem tells the story of one man's crusade to spread apple seeds from Massachusetts to the Midwest. Jakobsen's captivating illustrations, rendered in deep tones of rustic blues, browns and golds, are reminiscent of detailed folk art paintings as they depict Johnny on the road, planting and harvesting, talking with settlers. On facing pages borders fashioned like patchwork quilt squares enrich the tale with their minute details. Too many versions of the Johnny Appleseed legend make him into a superhero; this work shows him as a gentle, religious man on a mission, a lover of the land with a consuming interest in the environment. Ages 4-9.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

This homespun book provides the perfect vehicle for the story of the legendary Johnny Appleseed. Lindbergh's poetic narrative, related by an elderly woman to her grandchildren, tells the story of John Chapman's life and travels, including tidbits referring to his kindness and piety, his nonviolence and bravery, and his respect for all living things. Grandmother Hannah's tale, simply told, holds the power to mist readers' eyes. Finely crafted folk art illustrations, painted on canvas and overflowing with tiny details, complement quilt pattern borders on the facing pages of text. Small panels within these borders show vignettes of Chapman's life and legacy. The full-page illustrations embellish Hannah's story and provide a clear glimpse of life on the frontier during the early 1800s. The book includes a short introduction and a page of factual information at the end. A map on the endpapers shows the states through which Chapman travelled. Steven Kellogg's Johnny Appleseed (Morrow, 1988) is more of a compilation of lore about Chapman's bravery and great feats of strength, while Lindbergh's quiet tale emphasizes the man's true religious nature. It's a treasure. --Susan Scheps, Shaker Heights Public Library, OH
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (September 1, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316526347
• ISBN-13: 978-0316526340
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 0.1 x 10 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #166,865 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #88 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Literature > Fairy Tales, Folk Tales & Myths > Multicultural

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Cherished Legend told with Beautiful Simplicity, June 1, 2005

By 

Theo Logos (Pittsburgh, PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Johnny Appleseed (School & Library Binding)

The story of Johnny Appleseed has long been a favorite, cherished legend of the American frontier for generations of young children, and this magical collaboration between poet Lindbergh and illustrator Jakobsen is a sweet and simple way to introduce it. Both poem and illustrations are beautifully simple, lacking all artiface, and are thus wonderfully appropriate for descibing a legend famous for those same qualities.
Lindbergh's poem tells Johnny Appleseed's story through the perspective of one woman who observed his odd career over the course of her lifetime. "She saw him first", so the poem goes, when she was just a little girl and he visited her familie's frontier cabin in the woods. All her life, as she grew and with her the country, turning from rough frontier into settled lands, she heard the tales of Johnny's journeys as civilization's ambassador as he spread his gift of apple trees. "She saw him last" as well, when as an old woman she welcomed the aged Johnny at her neat little farm house surounded by apple trees. And she kept alive his legend when he was gone, by telling his stories to her grandchildren every year at apple harvest time.
Kathy Jakobsen's wonderful folk art illustrations are the perfect fit for this tale. Her pictures are simple, almost child-like; bursting with vivid color and full of creative energy. There is a full page illustration across from each page of text, which in turn is boardered with illustrations of scenes from Johnny's story. In addition, there are two double paged illustrations; one showing settlers moving into the wild frontier, and the other showing that same land as tamed and settled country, full of apple trees. Jakobsen's brilliant folk art illustrations are what sets this book appart as something truly special, and are the reason that I bought the book.
The final page of the book gives a brief history of John Chapman - the man behind the legend of Johnny Appleseed, nicely ballancing history and legend.
If you have cherished this gentle legend and wish to introduce it to your children, this book perfectly fills the bill.

Theo Logos

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lindberg's book contains rich verse and beautiful paintings., June 29, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Johnny Appleseed (Paperback)

This book represents Chapman's life with respect and honesty. The brief bio at the end of the book and his poem accurately depicts Chapman's life as missionary and nurseryman. Chapman is shown as a frontiersman who loved the people and not as a tall tale character or eccentric missionary wondering around Ohio. The illustrations by Kathy Jakobsen are well researched and add a greaat deal of information about the pioneer life at the time of Chapman. This book makes an excellent addition to your Johnny Appleseed collection.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great poem; American heritage at its best, July 28, 2002

By 

Katrina R. Bristol (Fort Eustis, Virginia United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Johnny Appleseed (Paperback)

My kids and I loved this poem, which we checked out of the library, with an accompanying tape. It so eloquently preserved not only the historical contribution that John Chapman made to our country but also his devotion to God--a part of our country's heritage that is too often forgotten today. The art in this book is simple but rich in detail. We loved it so much that we decided to buy a copy for ourselves!