Johnny Appleseed
, by Reeve Lindbergh, illustrated by Kathy Jakobsen. This folktale is one of America's oldest and it's based on a true story! John Chapman spent his adult life planting apple trees and maintaining orchards between his home in Massachusetts and the western frontier of Indiana. My kids loved this book (maybe partly because we have a "Jonny"!) The illustrations are done in a beautiful folk style, reminiscent of early American samplers.
From Library School 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.
Did you know -- author
Reeve Lindberg is daughter of world-renowned aviator Charles Lindbergh and his wife, the talented writer Anne Morrow Lindbergh. About the illustrator:
click here to see other books by
Kathy Jakobsen.
You can get an idea of the poetic text and beautiful illustrations of this book from this Scholastic video:
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