If you are looking for a basic book for young children about John Chapman (aka Johnny Appleseed) look no further. My children and I have read plenty of different versions and I have to say that despite being a Practice Reader, David Harrison's "Johnny Appleseed: My Story" does as fine a job as any book we've read thus far in teaching about the man's life.
The book begins with Johnny's (grantedly fictional) arrival on a farm. Everyone is excited to see John again and they invite him to dinner. The two children, Will and Beth, want John to tell them one of his stories, and he says 'sure', but not before he helps dad with the wood splitting.
When they do all settle down after dinner, Johnny tells of his own boisterous childhood. How he found relief from the noise of ten siblings! in the woods, and how the woods became a second home to him.
John then goes on to describe how he set off from Massachusetts to go west, and how he fell into apple planting by accident when a cider mill gave him free apple seeds.
The book covers the harsh winters in Pennsylvania and how John planted seeds there and in Indiana and Ohio too. (It does not talk about his death.)
Talking Points:::
Five Stars. Very Good read-aloud.
"Johnny Appleseed: My Story" provides a basic history and explanation of how-and-why Johnny ended up traveling the wilderness. In addition to covering the facts in a kid-friendly manner, the book points out -- in a fun non-condemning way-- that many of the stories told about John are more myth than truth.
Here's some sample text. If you want to see more, including drawings, click on the See-a-Sample link below.
"I sold sprouts to folks
heading west in their wagons.
I sold sprouts to settlers living in log cabins.
One sprout cost
six and a half cents.
"Sometimes I traded sprouts
for clothes or food.
Some folks were too poor
to trade.
I game them sprouts for free.
I knew how it felt
To be poor.
Pam T
Somewhere in the X-burbs
Johnny Appleseed: My Story
- Accelerated Reading level : 2.4
- Paperback: 48 pages
- Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers (2001)
- ISBN-10: 0375812474
- See-a-Sample
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