Johnny Appleseed [Hardcover]

Stephen Benet (Author), Rosemary Benet (Author), S.D. Schindler (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 12, 2001

Rosemary and Stephen Vincent Benét wrote the poem Johnny Appleseed in 1933 as a tribute to the American pioneer, John Chapman. Born in the 1770s in Massachusetts, Chapman drifted down the Ohio River with two canoes lashed together and loaded with apple seeds. For more than forty years, he wandered the Ohio River valley preaching from the Bible and distributing apple seeds, saplings, and medicines to the settlers in the valley as well as to the local native Indian tribes. It is said that Chapman's ragged clothes, religious fervor, and tireless enthusiasm are what contributed to making him the legendary folk hero known as Johnny Appleseed.

S. D. Schindler's magnificent interpretation of the Benéts' poem, filled with humor and beautiful details, brings to life the story of the man we know as Johnny Appleseed, an independent spirit who followed his dreams.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Armed with a deerskin bag full of apple seeds and wearing a tin pan for a hat, John Chapman better known as Johnny Appleseed is one of the more colorful characters in American history. His saga is succinctly and stylishly recounted in the Ben‚ts' classic poem, first published in 1933, and here burnished with Schindler's detail-rich colored pencil illustrations. Crafted from quatrains as sturdy as the branches of the trees Chapman tends ("For fifty years over/ Of harvest and dew,/ He planted his apples/ Where no apples grew"), the verses trace how the hero traveled the Ohio River Valley sowing seeds for posterity. The poem's simple structure, pulsing cadence and clever thematic imagery ("At seventy-odd/ He was gnarled as could be,/ But ruddy and sound/ As a good apple tree") boost its impact as a read-aloud. Schindler (Don't Fidget a Feather) enhances a succession of realistic pastoral vistas with vivid characters and critters, from the jaunty Johnny himself, with his long white beard and weathered clothes, to the curious possum family dangling above the branch where he sleeps. The artist adheres to an earthy palette and sets his drawings against a parchment-like background, which adds a timeless air. An afterword from the Ben‚ts' son puts the poem and its references in context. Ages 4-8.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

reS-Gr 2-Schindler's whimsical, colored-pencil details and scrawny, homely caricatures provide a welcome counterpoint to a somewhat singsongy rhyme scheme. An apple-juggling Johnny's bent knee (poking out of his tattered gray pants) echoes the curve of the nearby, similarly colored tree branches. This scene accompanies the verse: "At seventy odd/He was gnarled as could be,/But ruddy and sound/As a good apple tree." While the book celebrates John Chapman's gentle nature and his horticultural accomplishments, it also offers clear and appealing spreads of two important growing cycles. The first features an underground cross section of a sequence of tree stages from the seed to harvest. A complementary scene appears on the endpapers as a luscious apple becomes a shriveled core. An endnote from the authors' son describes his parents' purpose and places the poem in historical context, explaining, in particular, the single reference to the "stalking Indian." This slice of Americana deserves a spot in most collections.

Wendy Lukehart, Harrisburg School District, PA

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry (June 12, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689829752
• ISBN-13: 978-0689829758
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,105,095 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Classic with Lovely Illustrations, July 16, 2001

By 

Eric - See all my reviews

This review is from: Johnny Appleseed (Hardcover)

The story of Johnny Appleseed is classic Americana, and this poem by Stephen Vincent and Rosemary Benet is both heart-warming and fun. Steven Schindler's art work is truly wonderful, lending a contemporary, playful feel to the book. My daughter is 4, and she asks for it every night at bedtime. I'm sure your little someone special will enjoy it, too.