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Johnny Appleseed
John Chapman, better known as Johnny Appleseed, crossed the Allegheny Mountains during the dead of winter in 1797. Trudging through the snow and braving the cold wind, Chapman was headed for Warren, Pennsylvania. He had a plan to plant apple trees. He believed the settlers on the frontier would need them. Over the next fifty years, Johnny Appleseed planted many apple nurseries and became an iconic figure to American settlers on the frontier.
* Reviews *
Part of the Americans: The Spirit of a Nation series, this is a very informative and useful reference for the middle grades to learn about legendary John Chapman. At times dry with all the facts and figures gathered by the author, it is nonetheless a readable book and does a good job of giving the flavor of Chapmans surroundings. Born at the time of the American Revolution, John Chapman literally grew with the nation and became part of the westward movement. He was not the only nurseryman in this movement, but he was unique in his style and outlook. He preferred old, comfortable clothing and bare feet even in the winter, liked to sleep on the floor in front of the stove, and believed in gentleness with all living things. This gentleness extended to wasps, mosquitoes, and rattlesnakes and meant that he would rather plant seeds than use grafting, a process he considered to be violence against the tree. Add a little self-promotion and preaching and the reader can understand how the Johnny Appleseed legend developed. Included are numerous illustrations and sidebars, a table of contents, facts about apples, a chronology, footnotes, a glossary, book and Internet references, and an index., Children's Literature
RL
Grades
5-6 IL
Grades
5-12+ GRL
Z
