Johnny Appleseed is a legend. This picturebook biography attempts to shed light on John Chapman, the man who became Johnny Appleseed. The author shows the reader a man who loved and wanted to preserve nature, a man who cherished peace, and a man who used his resources.

Early elementary teachers may want to share this book with their students on or around September 26 (John Chapman's birthday). ( )

The beginning of this story starts in modern times and slowly as the word tell what once was,
the pictures also change. Anything that we know today changes into something different. The
illustrations communicate clearly who “Johnny Appleseed” was and what his mission was during
his life. He cared about the environment, people, and animals. Throughout the illustrations you
also saw how he suffered doing what he thought was right, he looked like he lived a rather
simple life if you did not know his story ( )

A very inspirational book for young readers with explanations about the difference between fact and legend. Explains some of the historical facts about the life of Johnny Appleseed and the legends. Includes a number of interesting facts about nature and identifying plants. One of the best parts of this book is the recommended project at the end to create something that might encourage you to think about ways to make the world a better place in small ways every single day. Definitely a good addition to an elementary classroom and very useful as a teaching aid in lessons about nature.

An illustrated tale of Johnny Appleseed presented in a narrative that compares the modern world of today with the world of johnny appleseed.

I loved this book for many reasons, including the illustrations, the descriptive writing, and the overall message. This book is about John Chapman, aka Johnny Appleseed, who plants apple trees. Just by planting seeds, he changed the landscape of the nation. The overall message is that by doing a simple deed, such as planting an apple seed, you can make a difference in the world. Throughout the story, he spreads the messages from "spirits and angels" stating: "Use what you have, share what you have, respect nature, try to make peace where there is war, and you can reach your destination by taking small steps." For each message, the author describes how John Chapman followed through with his own advice. An example is on the page of the message "use what you have." The text describes that John Chapman used seeds from owners of cider presses because they would be thrown out either way. He also dressed in coffee and potato sacks or used clothing. I loved this aspect of the book because it's showing children to be respectful of each other and the resources they have. It starts off in a modern day room, with children staring out into traffic. Then, the children are back in the past when the roads were forests and trees. The book teaches children to respect nature and the world around them.
The pictures on each page were detailed and creative. I liked how when they were transformed into the past, the author made it very realistic. The kids were in overalls and long dresses. The house was old and wooden, with cracks in the walls and ceilings. In a scene where they are walking through the snow, the trees have snow laid on the branches, the children are bundled up, holding a lantern with a candle inside it. Each picture is carefully detailed to describe the text. The words along with the illustrations complement the pictures and really add to the description. On the page where the children were walking through the snow, the author stated "The moon shone on the snow until the land glowed like a pearl. The stars glinted in the sky, and the candles flickered from their lamps." The picture behind the text perfectly projects the author's tone. The moon is bright in a sky of black, the snow on the ground is glowing a yellow tint from the moon, and the candle has red and orange rings around it, making it look like it's flickering.
Overall, this book had a great message, accompanied by a great writing style and unique illustrations. I would recommend my students in the future to read this book. ( )