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A Tall Tale
Johnny Appleseed
John Chapman--better known as Johnny Appleseed--had wilderness adventures that became larger-than-life legends. Pioneering west from Massachusetts after the American Revo-lution, John cleared land and planted orchards for the settlers who followed, leaving apple trees and tall tales in his wake. In this glorious picture book retelling, Steven Kellogg brings one of America's favorite heroes--and the stories that surrounded him--to life.
41 pages, Library Binding
First published January 1, 1988
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1127 people want to read
About the author
Steven Kellogg
166 books173 followersSteven Kellogg is an author and illustrator who has contributed over 90 books for children. He is best known for writing books about animals, for which he credits his grandmother .
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 224 reviews
October 3, 2019
I have to admit that I am somewhat conflicted with regard to Steven Kellogg's Johnny Appleseed: A Tall Tale (and yes, in particular with regard to Kellogg's presented text). For while I have certainly enjoyed reading about John Chapman (that he thought hunting was morally wrong, that he not only appreciated the fauna around him but also seemingly often protected and helped injured animals, and of course how he earned his nickname of Johnny Appleseed), there is one part of Johnny Appleseed: A Tall Tale that does kind of make me cringe and growl with major annoyance. For honestly, that whole War of 1812 inclusion for one feels as though Steven Kellogg has just added it out of the blue and for two it is obvious in my opinion that Kellogg is also trying to insinuate and claim to his young readers that ONLY the British seemingly manipulated and incited Native Americans (which is simply NOT the truth, but I guess Steven Kellogg is more interested in trying to blame the British than in being historically accurate, for the truth of the matter is that during the War of 1812, both the British and the Americans used and manipulated Native Americans and often played tribes against each other).
Furthermore, I also do wonder whether Johnny Appleseed: A Tall Tale should really be considered more of a for the most part realistic, non fiction account with a bit of legendary, folkloristic embellishments thrown in than a typical and traditional North American tall tale, because unlike in many traditional tall tales, John Chapman (Johnny Appleseed) does not (at least from my perspective) ever become truly larger than life and have related experiences fighting and besting massive bears, moose and other gigantic animals (and yes, even that bit about the rattlesnake and Johnny Appleseed's calloused feet, this is still in its core based on reality and not so much on fantasy and exaggeration, and it is actually only Steven Kellogg who illustrates the snake as being some huge and massive monster).
Two and a half stars for Steven Kellogg's narrative, but rounded up to three stars, as even with my textual issues regarding Johnny Appleseed: A Tall Tale, I have still quite enjoyed my reading time and have certainly found the accompanying illustrations truly a wonderful visual and aesthetic feast for my eyes (except I do wish that John Chapman/Johnny Appleseed himself were depicted as not so goofy and clown-like in appearance). And yes, I also am glad that Steven Kellogg has included an expansive author's note at the back of Johnny Appleseed: A Tall Tale (although one that unfortunately is also a trifle reader unfriendly, since it certainly would make supplemental research easier if the literary sources Kellogg has used for his text were presented in actual bibliographic form and separated from the text proper of the author's note).
Furthermore, I also do wonder whether Johnny Appleseed: A Tall Tale should really be considered more of a for the most part realistic, non fiction account with a bit of legendary, folkloristic embellishments thrown in than a typical and traditional North American tall tale, because unlike in many traditional tall tales, John Chapman (Johnny Appleseed) does not (at least from my perspective) ever become truly larger than life and have related experiences fighting and besting massive bears, moose and other gigantic animals (and yes, even that bit about the rattlesnake and Johnny Appleseed's calloused feet, this is still in its core based on reality and not so much on fantasy and exaggeration, and it is actually only Steven Kellogg who illustrates the snake as being some huge and massive monster).
Two and a half stars for Steven Kellogg's narrative, but rounded up to three stars, as even with my textual issues regarding Johnny Appleseed: A Tall Tale, I have still quite enjoyed my reading time and have certainly found the accompanying illustrations truly a wonderful visual and aesthetic feast for my eyes (except I do wish that John Chapman/Johnny Appleseed himself were depicted as not so goofy and clown-like in appearance). And yes, I also am glad that Steven Kellogg has included an expansive author's note at the back of Johnny Appleseed: A Tall Tale (although one that unfortunately is also a trifle reader unfriendly, since it certainly would make supplemental research easier if the literary sources Kellogg has used for his text were presented in actual bibliographic form and separated from the text proper of the author's note).
October 5, 2019
I thoroughly enjoyed reading it though I was surprised that it was not more quintessentially "Tall Tale" in nature. From my recollection, Kellogg's "Paul Bunyan, a Tall Tale" begins with the outrageous exaggerations from the very moment of Paul's birth and never really presents him as a real person (I think the reality of his existence is more ambiguous than John Chapman, though). That said, I actually really did appreciate the telling of this story. How it was more historically-based about Chapman's life and then showed how, through his personality and deeds, he grew into something of legend. I think it will appeal to children because, especially with some of the superhero movies out there right now, there is a charge to "be a hero" in your own right. I think showing that Chapman was an ordinary man doing extraordinary things with a kind and generous nature and became something of a "super" hero from that (through the "tall tale" stories that so lovingly evolved about him from those whose lives he touched) might really resonate with children. These "Tall Tale" heroes were kind of the supernatural legends before we had Superman and Spider-Man and X-Men, etc. etc. I agree the Author's Note really adds to the story, too.
August 15, 2017
This is a part of Steven Kellogg's Tall Tale series and one that is more of an introduction read than some of his other books thus as a result the reader isn't introduced to a lot of Johnny Appleseed lore. Instead the reader gets a nice rounded introduction about the character that would become this mythical man and then it goes into his later exploits while suggesting some of the other stories that were given to him, especially in a beautiful detailed collage that gives the reader some idea although not exploring what those stories are.
Since I am more a fan of the lore that was a disappointment to me although I also applaud the author for at least giving more life to the man and returning him to human status even though he is one that is far better than I could ever be. Even though the lack of lore is a sad point for me I do have to give Kellogg props for his great illustrations while he is the best person in my honest opinion to give a warm light-hearted look at Johnny Chapman.
At the same time for many of his reading fans they will find a bunch of familiar characters throughout the book with Pinkerton the Great Dane appearing first while I promise some of the other farm animals appeared from "The Day Jimmy's Boa Ate the Wash". And as usual there are plenty of warm fuzzy kittens with whimsical faces and a cuddly raccoon to add more depth to the illustrations within the pages.
This is one book and series that I would recommend for teachers as well as parents who want to introduce their children to the Americana series. They may just get a new interest and it would be a fun way of introducing children to look for even more lore on these amazing people who have helped to form and contribute to our earlier growing nature.
Since I am more a fan of the lore that was a disappointment to me although I also applaud the author for at least giving more life to the man and returning him to human status even though he is one that is far better than I could ever be. Even though the lack of lore is a sad point for me I do have to give Kellogg props for his great illustrations while he is the best person in my honest opinion to give a warm light-hearted look at Johnny Chapman.
At the same time for many of his reading fans they will find a bunch of familiar characters throughout the book with Pinkerton the Great Dane appearing first while I promise some of the other farm animals appeared from "The Day Jimmy's Boa Ate the Wash". And as usual there are plenty of warm fuzzy kittens with whimsical faces and a cuddly raccoon to add more depth to the illustrations within the pages.
This is one book and series that I would recommend for teachers as well as parents who want to introduce their children to the Americana series. They may just get a new interest and it would be a fun way of introducing children to look for even more lore on these amazing people who have helped to form and contribute to our earlier growing nature.
March 26, 2019
This is a really cute book about an iconic historical (and mythical) figure, and I always enjoyed Kellogg's illustrations.
October 8, 2019
A simple introduction to the man and the myth. When I was a schoolchild in Wisconsinwe were taught of him as a hero for bringing apples west, and that's all I remember five decades on. To learn that he didn't hunt and was intelligent is bonus. Kellogg's signature lively illustrations make this story a joy, and the note makes it a resource.
April 8, 2014
I just read this to my Kindergarteners not too long ago, and they really enjoyed it!
Summary: This story tells about an American hero named John Chapman, or (his more well-known name) Johnny Appleseed. It tells about Johnny’s place in American history and why he is appreciated today. I really love this book because the illustrations are fantastic, it includes many character building traits for students, and can incorporate other disciplines. The story begins with him as a little boy and tells about his a sad past after his mother and baby brother die. His father remarries after the death of his family members and becomes part of a very large family. This story tells about how he spent a lot of time at the apple orchard and includes how he learned about how he could use the apples to make many different things. It also talks about how he observes the trees and the process of growing fruit on the trees – which would be a great connection to science. John eventually ends up moving throughout the country, spends a great deal of time outdoors, travels westward, plants hundreds of apple seeds, and shares his gift with many. He is a beloved character many are sure to identify with in some way.
Characteristics to Support Genre: This book has been told throughout history because of its setting and historical context. It is a tall tale that tells about a larger-than-life character whose specific job was to plant trees. It uses everyday language to tell exaggerated details.
Concepts Integrated: main idea and details, conservation, determination, hard work, social studies, American history,
Other Suggestions that could be useful regarding literary content, reading level, and other ways in which the book might be integrated: K-3 reading level
Writing - This is a great book to talk about main idea and details. Students could write the main idea and include details that tell about it. This could be a great opportunity to get writers to understand about the biography aspect of this book. They could write a biography about someone in the class and present them.
Science - Students could learn about the seasons of an apple tree. They could make apple booklets that tell about what happens to the apple tree before the apple grows on it. My coworker used this at the beginning of the year for beginning elementary students where they made an apple diagram identifying the parts of an apple: stem, leaves, skin, seeds, flesh, and core.
Summary: This story tells about an American hero named John Chapman, or (his more well-known name) Johnny Appleseed. It tells about Johnny’s place in American history and why he is appreciated today. I really love this book because the illustrations are fantastic, it includes many character building traits for students, and can incorporate other disciplines. The story begins with him as a little boy and tells about his a sad past after his mother and baby brother die. His father remarries after the death of his family members and becomes part of a very large family. This story tells about how he spent a lot of time at the apple orchard and includes how he learned about how he could use the apples to make many different things. It also talks about how he observes the trees and the process of growing fruit on the trees – which would be a great connection to science. John eventually ends up moving throughout the country, spends a great deal of time outdoors, travels westward, plants hundreds of apple seeds, and shares his gift with many. He is a beloved character many are sure to identify with in some way.
Characteristics to Support Genre: This book has been told throughout history because of its setting and historical context. It is a tall tale that tells about a larger-than-life character whose specific job was to plant trees. It uses everyday language to tell exaggerated details.
Concepts Integrated: main idea and details, conservation, determination, hard work, social studies, American history,
Other Suggestions that could be useful regarding literary content, reading level, and other ways in which the book might be integrated: K-3 reading level
Writing - This is a great book to talk about main idea and details. Students could write the main idea and include details that tell about it. This could be a great opportunity to get writers to understand about the biography aspect of this book. They could write a biography about someone in the class and present them.
Science - Students could learn about the seasons of an apple tree. They could make apple booklets that tell about what happens to the apple tree before the apple grows on it. My coworker used this at the beginning of the year for beginning elementary students where they made an apple diagram identifying the parts of an apple: stem, leaves, skin, seeds, flesh, and core.
April 1, 2014
This tall tale retold of Johnny Appleseed is surely a great book to use in a K-3 classroom. This book tells the tale of John Chapman, otherwise known as, Johnny Appleseed. Children will enjoy following along a timeline of Johnny Appleseed's life from when he was born until the day he died. But most importantly, children will understand why and how he got his nickname of Johnny Appleseed!
Many big even events happen throughout this story. It starts out by telling readers that Johnny's father was in the Revolutionary War, and his mother and baby brother died. This left Johnny alone, until his father re-married and then he suddenly had ten more siblings. I think many children can relate to this situation and will feel a connection to Johnny right away.
The story highlights Johnny enjoying everything about apples. It shows that he was always busy in his apple orchard, picking apples, and enjoying making things, such as; sauces, cider, vinegar, and apple butter from them. It also talks about Johnny's love of watching the spring blossoms slowly turn into growing fruit.
There are many interesting, fun tales the book shows on Johnny's life. It says he walked hundreds of miles through the Pennsylvania forest and befriended the Native Americans by supplying them with apple seeds. It also says he never hurt animals or used any weapons. Lastly, it says Johnny got bit by a rattlesnake, had a wolf as a pet, and frolicked with a bear family. I believe these small tales will have children astonished at his untamed, wilderness lifestyle.
Most importantly, the book highlights how Johnny shared his apple seeds. He gave them away to people, families, and animals. He planted apple trees all over and encouraged others to buy them. Johnny had many apple orchards! I think this book would be a great book to read in the fall while talking about autumn fruits. Johnny Appleseed is a name children know, but with this book, it can be a story they know as well.
Many big even events happen throughout this story. It starts out by telling readers that Johnny's father was in the Revolutionary War, and his mother and baby brother died. This left Johnny alone, until his father re-married and then he suddenly had ten more siblings. I think many children can relate to this situation and will feel a connection to Johnny right away.
The story highlights Johnny enjoying everything about apples. It shows that he was always busy in his apple orchard, picking apples, and enjoying making things, such as; sauces, cider, vinegar, and apple butter from them. It also talks about Johnny's love of watching the spring blossoms slowly turn into growing fruit.
There are many interesting, fun tales the book shows on Johnny's life. It says he walked hundreds of miles through the Pennsylvania forest and befriended the Native Americans by supplying them with apple seeds. It also says he never hurt animals or used any weapons. Lastly, it says Johnny got bit by a rattlesnake, had a wolf as a pet, and frolicked with a bear family. I believe these small tales will have children astonished at his untamed, wilderness lifestyle.
Most importantly, the book highlights how Johnny shared his apple seeds. He gave them away to people, families, and animals. He planted apple trees all over and encouraged others to buy them. Johnny had many apple orchards! I think this book would be a great book to read in the fall while talking about autumn fruits. Johnny Appleseed is a name children know, but with this book, it can be a story they know as well.
March 31, 2009
I learned that Johnny Appleseed was a folktown hero because he planted appleseeds. I thought it was sad when his mom and his little brother died, and his dad went to war.
March 14, 2018
it was ok not super good but nice
Read
February 12, 20201. I noticed this book provided children with the history behind Johnny Appleseed's legend in a really interesting way. The story told children how Johnny grew up and how he became known for planting trees. As Johnny travels children will stay engaged waiting to see where he goes next.
2.We learned about Johnny Appleseed in elementary school. This book brought back many memories of history class in elementary school.
3. This book made me begin to wonder how many trees did Johnny Appleseed really plant?
4. I was surprised to read that people still claim to see Johnny Appleseed, even today.
5. This was a great story to teach kids about Johnny Appleseed. I think kids will enjoy following Johnny on his adventures. The book was full of entertaining pictures that will help keep children engaged. I enjoyed following the story and learning more about about who Johnny Appleseed was.
2.We learned about Johnny Appleseed in elementary school. This book brought back many memories of history class in elementary school.
3. This book made me begin to wonder how many trees did Johnny Appleseed really plant?
4. I was surprised to read that people still claim to see Johnny Appleseed, even today.
5. This was a great story to teach kids about Johnny Appleseed. I think kids will enjoy following Johnny on his adventures. The book was full of entertaining pictures that will help keep children engaged. I enjoyed following the story and learning more about about who Johnny Appleseed was.
May 10, 2022
don’t ask…
May 24, 2024
A cute retelling of the story of Johnny Appleseed.
March 27, 2023
Have you seen Johnny Appleseed?
This picture book briefly explains Johnny Chapman and his adventures and struggles through life as well as explaining a little of America's history using a formal arrangement. The illustrator did an amazing job on the endpapers and fly papers giving lots of detail and color in the art. The flypaper at the end of the book also goes into a little more detail about Johnny and information that shocked the author. The book would be fabulous for fluent readers who are interested in Johnny and the stories told about him.
This picture book briefly explains Johnny Chapman and his adventures and struggles through life as well as explaining a little of America's history using a formal arrangement. The illustrator did an amazing job on the endpapers and fly papers giving lots of detail and color in the art. The flypaper at the end of the book also goes into a little more detail about Johnny and information that shocked the author. The book would be fabulous for fluent readers who are interested in Johnny and the stories told about him.
October 26, 2023
Steven Kellogg did a great job with the retelling of the famous Johnny Appleseed. The best part of this book is the amazing illustrations! This would be a great read aloud to do during "apple week." This would be a great book to use when teaching students about the folklore genre. This book covers Johnny Appleseed's travels and work of planting apple trees. This would be an interesting way to inform your students about the first settlers in America. This is definitely a picture book for the older grades of elementary.
October 25, 2023
Johnny Appleseed is a great book for children. This book would be a great book for a traditional read-aloud. This book is a folktale. The main character is Johnny Appleseed. The book's setting takes place in an apple orchard behind their home. Johnny Appleseed theme explores sexuality.
March 21, 2023
Johnny Appleseed by Steven Kellogg would be a great addition to your classroom library. When you open this book you will be stopped by brilliant illustrations on the end paper and copyright page. The illustrations throughout the whole story make you understand the setting of this story. The illustrator made sure to put all of his pictures into boxes so that they didn't run into the gutter on any pages.
December 9, 2011
A retelling of Johnny Appleseed's life. Beautiful, detailed illustrations. An author's note in the back offers more background on John Chapman (Johnny Appleseed) and shares some of the sources of Kellogg utilized to write the book.
September 23, 2019
There are a few American folk tales that all children should know, and the story of Johnny Appleseed is one of them. Given the colorful art and the well-chosen 'episodes,' the kids listen attentively. The Author's Note addresses references and provides additional information.
December 1, 2020
A nice story time read about a real man and the tall tales told about him.
May 26, 2018
I didn’t know he had any other name; it’s actually John Chapman.
The page of the church and graveyard was pretty, with the yellows and greens.
The page of nighttime with the colors of the setting sun and the stars out was pretty too.
I thought Johnny Appleseed was a folktale, I didn't know he was a real person. So when facts came out about him in here, I wondered if it was real. Like how his mom and baby brother died before his second birthday, and his dad fought in the Revolutionary War. His dad remarried, and they had ten children.
I liked hearing of life back then, how early American fmailies would pick apples in the fall, store them in their cellars for winter, and use them to make sauces, vider, vinegar, and apple butter.
I really liked that he had a love of all nature, and often escaped to the woods.
It was unexpected, but I loved the inclusion of Native Americans in here. He lived like the Indians he befriended on the trail.
He cleared land for apple orchards, knowing pioneer families would soon be arriving, and he wanted to supply them with apple trees. I thought it was nice he'd think of them like that.
I found it hard to believe the Indians would like him cutting a lot of trees down, or planting orchards and helping the settlers build on their land.
A group of men were surprised to hear he wouldn’t hurt an animal, and didn’t use a gun. I love that on that page he was cradling a raccoon, sheltering it from them. And on the next page the raccoon was hiding behind his legs.
It sounded too easy how he replenished his apple seeds. When he ran out, he would hike to the eastern cider presses to get more. What is the eastern cider press? Is it just there for anyone who wants apples?
I didn’t know that he planned to sell them his apple trees. I thought it was a nice thing he was doing, but it sounded more like a business deal in the end, just a way for him to make money.
His neighbors are the ones who called him Johnny Appleseed, and he started going by that name.
It didn't flow well when it mentioned the War of 1812, and how when Johnny saw burning cabins, he went around warning people(a Paul Revere type moment), then on the next page it said after the war, ppl told him he should settle down. How can you skip over an entire war like that?
People told stories of Johnny, exaggerating them. How he would sleep in a treetop hammock and chat with birds, how a rattlesnake bite couldn't pierce his tough feet, how he took care of a wounded wolf and kept it for a pet, how he frolicked with bears. The next page showed illustrations of his other reported exploits. In one it looked like he was being carried by an eagle.
When Ohio became too crowded he moved to Indiana. I didn't really like that the whole book was him going around cutting trees down. That just doesn't seem right to clear timber all across Ohio and Indiana just to plant apple orchards.
I found it depressing when the children he used to tell stories to now had children of their own.
In a snowstorm of 1845, he became ill. Taking shelter in a settlers cabin, he died a few days later.
I couldn't believe that ppl continued to tell stories of him, saying they saw him in Missouri, Arkansas, Texas, planting trees on the Rocky Mountains and in California.
The book ends with saying even today ppl still claim they've seen him. I've never heard of that in my life. This was written in '88 I believe, but who's going around claiming they've seen Johnny Appleseed??
There was author's note at the end on Johnny. I didn't know he was a real person: he was careful not to injure an animal, and thought hunting morally wrong. He was welcome everywhere among the settlers, and was treated with great kindness by the Indians.
Even though there were tidbits like this of the real Johnny, it seemed to me to say that fact got tangled up in myth, and that no one really knows the real Johnny. There's so many poems and stories about him he's become completely romanticized, and it basically said the real story isn't important when there's all these romantic myths about him.
The page of the church and graveyard was pretty, with the yellows and greens.
The page of nighttime with the colors of the setting sun and the stars out was pretty too.
I thought Johnny Appleseed was a folktale, I didn't know he was a real person. So when facts came out about him in here, I wondered if it was real. Like how his mom and baby brother died before his second birthday, and his dad fought in the Revolutionary War. His dad remarried, and they had ten children.
I liked hearing of life back then, how early American fmailies would pick apples in the fall, store them in their cellars for winter, and use them to make sauces, vider, vinegar, and apple butter.
I really liked that he had a love of all nature, and often escaped to the woods.
It was unexpected, but I loved the inclusion of Native Americans in here. He lived like the Indians he befriended on the trail.
He cleared land for apple orchards, knowing pioneer families would soon be arriving, and he wanted to supply them with apple trees. I thought it was nice he'd think of them like that.
I found it hard to believe the Indians would like him cutting a lot of trees down, or planting orchards and helping the settlers build on their land.
A group of men were surprised to hear he wouldn’t hurt an animal, and didn’t use a gun. I love that on that page he was cradling a raccoon, sheltering it from them. And on the next page the raccoon was hiding behind his legs.
It sounded too easy how he replenished his apple seeds. When he ran out, he would hike to the eastern cider presses to get more. What is the eastern cider press? Is it just there for anyone who wants apples?
I didn’t know that he planned to sell them his apple trees. I thought it was a nice thing he was doing, but it sounded more like a business deal in the end, just a way for him to make money.
His neighbors are the ones who called him Johnny Appleseed, and he started going by that name.
It didn't flow well when it mentioned the War of 1812, and how when Johnny saw burning cabins, he went around warning people(a Paul Revere type moment), then on the next page it said after the war, ppl told him he should settle down. How can you skip over an entire war like that?
People told stories of Johnny, exaggerating them. How he would sleep in a treetop hammock and chat with birds, how a rattlesnake bite couldn't pierce his tough feet, how he took care of a wounded wolf and kept it for a pet, how he frolicked with bears. The next page showed illustrations of his other reported exploits. In one it looked like he was being carried by an eagle.
When Ohio became too crowded he moved to Indiana. I didn't really like that the whole book was him going around cutting trees down. That just doesn't seem right to clear timber all across Ohio and Indiana just to plant apple orchards.
I found it depressing when the children he used to tell stories to now had children of their own.
In a snowstorm of 1845, he became ill. Taking shelter in a settlers cabin, he died a few days later.
I couldn't believe that ppl continued to tell stories of him, saying they saw him in Missouri, Arkansas, Texas, planting trees on the Rocky Mountains and in California.
The book ends with saying even today ppl still claim they've seen him. I've never heard of that in my life. This was written in '88 I believe, but who's going around claiming they've seen Johnny Appleseed??
There was author's note at the end on Johnny. I didn't know he was a real person: he was careful not to injure an animal, and thought hunting morally wrong. He was welcome everywhere among the settlers, and was treated with great kindness by the Indians.
Even though there were tidbits like this of the real Johnny, it seemed to me to say that fact got tangled up in myth, and that no one really knows the real Johnny. There's so many poems and stories about him he's become completely romanticized, and it basically said the real story isn't important when there's all these romantic myths about him.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 3, 2018
The illustrations were the first things that hit me. Johnny looks like a real goon. That smile…no. It’s really goofy and not attractive. I don’t think I knew Johnny Appleseed was a real person, and his birthday is known, with a real name Johnny Chapman. That came as a surprise.
Interesting tidbit that apples were kept from the fall to eat in the winter, were used for sauces, cider, vinegar and apple butter.
I wasn’t sure how true the tale was of him befriending the wild animals, like deer, raccoon and rabbits, and feeding them out of his hand. I also wondered how old “old enough to leave home” was when he left to explore the west.
It was cool that he met Native Americans and became a friend. And that he planted apple seeds wherever he went, with the intention that settlers would be coming and wanted them to have apple trees.
The image of Johnny holding the frightened raccoon away from the men wanting to shoot it was nice. He wouldn’t hurt animals or use a gun. I was surprised that the favorite sport for the frontier was wrestling. It was an amusing surprise that his challenge to a wood-chopping contest was to clear the land for an orchard. He went from Massachusetts to Pennsylvania and then planted his way through Ohio. He put them at routes he thought the settlers would take, and he sold his young trees to them.
His nickname started because people just called him that. He would sometimes give people the trees. He’d help people build their houses. He told Bible and his adventure stories to children.
In the War of 1812, he ran to homes and warned them when he saw fire. I wanted to know more about his time during the war, but that was it. People wanted him to build a home and settle down but he said he lived like a king in the woods.
Like all legends, people started coming up with tall tales about him, exaggerating about his feats. He slept in a hammock with the birds, a rattlesnake bit his foot but his skin was so thick the fangs didn’t go in, he cared for an injured wolf and made it a pet, and he played with grizzly bears. There were two pages full of all these crazy images, like him being carried by an eagle, almost being swallowed by this huge fish, and going over the falls hanging onto a canoe.
He left Ohio when it became overcrowded, and went to Indiana. It was sad how he died. He was 71 and became sick in a snowstorm, asked to stay with a settle and died there. It was crazy how people claimed sightings of him after he died, in Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, Texas, California and that he planted trees in the Rocky Mountains. It’s amazing his legend spread across the country to so many places.
People wrote about him during his lifetime, that he went barefoot, didn’t injure any animals and thought hunting was morally wrong. He was a friend to the Indians and welcomed by all.
It was nice learning about Johnny, who I know they mentioned in elementary school, but I didn’t remember anything about. He’s such a well-known figure that I thought he was interesting to learn more about. There were more details about his life than I expected and it was enjoyable reading about frontier life and such an important person in history. I wish the illustrations had been better. It wasn't fun not knowing what to believe. I was left wondering what was fact and what had been fabricated by overzealous people trying to build up a story.
Interesting tidbit that apples were kept from the fall to eat in the winter, were used for sauces, cider, vinegar and apple butter.
I wasn’t sure how true the tale was of him befriending the wild animals, like deer, raccoon and rabbits, and feeding them out of his hand. I also wondered how old “old enough to leave home” was when he left to explore the west.
It was cool that he met Native Americans and became a friend. And that he planted apple seeds wherever he went, with the intention that settlers would be coming and wanted them to have apple trees.
The image of Johnny holding the frightened raccoon away from the men wanting to shoot it was nice. He wouldn’t hurt animals or use a gun. I was surprised that the favorite sport for the frontier was wrestling. It was an amusing surprise that his challenge to a wood-chopping contest was to clear the land for an orchard. He went from Massachusetts to Pennsylvania and then planted his way through Ohio. He put them at routes he thought the settlers would take, and he sold his young trees to them.
His nickname started because people just called him that. He would sometimes give people the trees. He’d help people build their houses. He told Bible and his adventure stories to children.
In the War of 1812, he ran to homes and warned them when he saw fire. I wanted to know more about his time during the war, but that was it. People wanted him to build a home and settle down but he said he lived like a king in the woods.
Like all legends, people started coming up with tall tales about him, exaggerating about his feats. He slept in a hammock with the birds, a rattlesnake bit his foot but his skin was so thick the fangs didn’t go in, he cared for an injured wolf and made it a pet, and he played with grizzly bears. There were two pages full of all these crazy images, like him being carried by an eagle, almost being swallowed by this huge fish, and going over the falls hanging onto a canoe.
He left Ohio when it became overcrowded, and went to Indiana. It was sad how he died. He was 71 and became sick in a snowstorm, asked to stay with a settle and died there. It was crazy how people claimed sightings of him after he died, in Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, Texas, California and that he planted trees in the Rocky Mountains. It’s amazing his legend spread across the country to so many places.
People wrote about him during his lifetime, that he went barefoot, didn’t injure any animals and thought hunting was morally wrong. He was a friend to the Indians and welcomed by all.
It was nice learning about Johnny, who I know they mentioned in elementary school, but I didn’t remember anything about. He’s such a well-known figure that I thought he was interesting to learn more about. There were more details about his life than I expected and it was enjoyable reading about frontier life and such an important person in history. I wish the illustrations had been better. It wasn't fun not knowing what to believe. I was left wondering what was fact and what had been fabricated by overzealous people trying to build up a story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 12, 2018
Johnny Appleseed: A Tall Tale is a biography, written by Steven Kellogg for children between five and ten years old. It entails the life story of Johnny Appleseed from birth to death, placing main emphasis on his youth.
Steven portrays Johnny as a man who is fond of animals and is kind to others. The book discusses how he would tell tales to other people, lend a helping hand, inform people of danger, and give his trees away. Although the tale is beautifully written, it does not fully cover all aspects of Johnny’s life, especially his life after his youth. It does, however, include how potentially fictional tales regarding Appleseed are being passed down the generations. For example, one person in the book stated that he saw Johnny tending a wounded wolf and keeping him as a pet, while another stated that he saw him “frolicking with a bear animal”.
The book was quiet thorough considering how it took certain facts into account. The book provided adequate amount of information regarding Johnny’s background. It talked about how Johnny’s mother and baby brother died when Johnny was at the age of two, and his father was away for the revolutionary war. It also covered what Johnny’s actual name was and why people started calling him Appleseed. It also talked about how his father re-married (when Johnny was six) and had ten more children a decade later. One minor weakness, however, was that the book failed to mention that Johnny had an older sister, named Elizabeth. Furthermore, it did not give much emphasis on how Johnny survived after his mother died and before his father re-married. This was one of the crucial stages of his life, and the author should have reflected more on it in order to give a more thorough and accurate account of the story.
This is a useful book for children to get a heads up on Johnny’s life; however, once children grow up, they should acquire more information regarding Appleseed’s biography from more credible and profound sources. Overall, this book would be appealing to children because of the beautiful and colorful illustrations along with the intriguing transition of the plot.
Steven portrays Johnny as a man who is fond of animals and is kind to others. The book discusses how he would tell tales to other people, lend a helping hand, inform people of danger, and give his trees away. Although the tale is beautifully written, it does not fully cover all aspects of Johnny’s life, especially his life after his youth. It does, however, include how potentially fictional tales regarding Appleseed are being passed down the generations. For example, one person in the book stated that he saw Johnny tending a wounded wolf and keeping him as a pet, while another stated that he saw him “frolicking with a bear animal”.
The book was quiet thorough considering how it took certain facts into account. The book provided adequate amount of information regarding Johnny’s background. It talked about how Johnny’s mother and baby brother died when Johnny was at the age of two, and his father was away for the revolutionary war. It also covered what Johnny’s actual name was and why people started calling him Appleseed. It also talked about how his father re-married (when Johnny was six) and had ten more children a decade later. One minor weakness, however, was that the book failed to mention that Johnny had an older sister, named Elizabeth. Furthermore, it did not give much emphasis on how Johnny survived after his mother died and before his father re-married. This was one of the crucial stages of his life, and the author should have reflected more on it in order to give a more thorough and accurate account of the story.
This is a useful book for children to get a heads up on Johnny’s life; however, once children grow up, they should acquire more information regarding Appleseed’s biography from more credible and profound sources. Overall, this book would be appealing to children because of the beautiful and colorful illustrations along with the intriguing transition of the plot.
March 9, 2017
Hero
This picture book depicts the life of John Chapman, also known as Johnny Appleseed, a pioneer famous for planting apple trees during his travels across the northeastern United States. Though this book is identified as a tall tale in the subtitle, it reads more like a biography. The author describes Johnny Appleseed's life and provides some speculation about how his deeds came to be exaggerated and how his story entered American folklore. In the detailed illustrations, rendered primarily in natural tones of green and brown with, of course, bright orange-red apples, Johnny Appleseed is depicted as living in harmony with nature, surrounded in nearly every picture by raccoons, birds, and other wild animals. Even in the scenes in which he is in conflict with nature, as on the page where a rattlesnake bites his foot, the soothing night scene under a full moon accompanies text reassuring the reader that his feet were too tough for the fangs to pierce his flesh. Moments of climax are marked by two-page spreads with no text, such as the incident where he wins a tree-chopping contest against a band of competitive men and an illustration depicting his various exaggerated deeds that storytellers recounted again and again. With its themes of coexistence with nature and selflessly helping others, this picture book remains firmly grounded in reality while still entertaining readers by including references to Johnny Appleseed's more unbelievable deeds. Target Audience: Ages 4-9
This picture book depicts the life of John Chapman, also known as Johnny Appleseed, a pioneer famous for planting apple trees during his travels across the northeastern United States. Though this book is identified as a tall tale in the subtitle, it reads more like a biography. The author describes Johnny Appleseed's life and provides some speculation about how his deeds came to be exaggerated and how his story entered American folklore. In the detailed illustrations, rendered primarily in natural tones of green and brown with, of course, bright orange-red apples, Johnny Appleseed is depicted as living in harmony with nature, surrounded in nearly every picture by raccoons, birds, and other wild animals. Even in the scenes in which he is in conflict with nature, as on the page where a rattlesnake bites his foot, the soothing night scene under a full moon accompanies text reassuring the reader that his feet were too tough for the fangs to pierce his flesh. Moments of climax are marked by two-page spreads with no text, such as the incident where he wins a tree-chopping contest against a band of competitive men and an illustration depicting his various exaggerated deeds that storytellers recounted again and again. With its themes of coexistence with nature and selflessly helping others, this picture book remains firmly grounded in reality while still entertaining readers by including references to Johnny Appleseed's more unbelievable deeds. Target Audience: Ages 4-9
October 29, 2018
1. Awards Received: none
2. Appropriate grade levels: Pre-K to 2nd Grade
3. Original Summary: Steven Kellogg's retelling of "Johnny Appleseed" follows John Chapman, or Johnny Appleseed as he was come to be known, on his journey through the frontier. Johnny was born in Massachusetts and his humble beginnings helped foster his love for the autumn in New England and most of all, apples! As Johnny gets older he uses his love of apples to plant apple orchards all across the eastern US.
4. Original Review: I found this tale of Johnny Appleseed to be easy to follow but a little too simple. The story seems to pass by very quickly because nothing is really in depth; it is very general. I do think children would like this story but I think it would need to be supplemented with other readings.
5. I can see this book being used in a compare/ contrast project. As I said above, this book was lacking depth and would benefit from supplemental reading. I think it would make for an interesting class project to read a couple of different versions of Johnny Appleseed and compare and contrast them to see what elements the authors include or leave out.
This book would be good to help children learn the specific literary sub-genre of tall tales. This book could be used in conjunction with other tall tales to put together a thematic unit.
2. Appropriate grade levels: Pre-K to 2nd Grade
3. Original Summary: Steven Kellogg's retelling of "Johnny Appleseed" follows John Chapman, or Johnny Appleseed as he was come to be known, on his journey through the frontier. Johnny was born in Massachusetts and his humble beginnings helped foster his love for the autumn in New England and most of all, apples! As Johnny gets older he uses his love of apples to plant apple orchards all across the eastern US.
4. Original Review: I found this tale of Johnny Appleseed to be easy to follow but a little too simple. The story seems to pass by very quickly because nothing is really in depth; it is very general. I do think children would like this story but I think it would need to be supplemented with other readings.
5. I can see this book being used in a compare/ contrast project. As I said above, this book was lacking depth and would benefit from supplemental reading. I think it would make for an interesting class project to read a couple of different versions of Johnny Appleseed and compare and contrast them to see what elements the authors include or leave out.
This book would be good to help children learn the specific literary sub-genre of tall tales. This book could be used in conjunction with other tall tales to put together a thematic unit.
January 29, 2022
Johnny Appleseed (A Tall Tale) by Stephan Kellog- Children’s Illustrated Colour Picture Book- The book narrates the story of John Chapman who was born on 26 September, 1774 at Leominster, Massachusetts, USA. At the time of his birth, Eastern part of America had few residents and Red Indians. Pioneers groups were trying to settle in this area. The difficulty in moving to Western USA was long distance, fear of wild animals and looters. John lived to travel. One day he ate an apple for lunch and the seed was left on his palm. He planned to plant apple seeds in the whole Eastern USA so that pioneers could settle without difficulty. He walked with a bag full of apple seeds which he sowed in the ground on the way. When the seeds bag was exhausted, he visited a apple juice factory and collected apple seed from there. For years he did this work for charity and as his mission. Red Indians and Pioneers were his friends. As he grew old, one day he found the snow has fallen in the area and the apple trees are covered with snow. There are no green leaves. He fainted at the sight. Some Red Indians took him to their huts, served him with medicine and food. He recovered to find that spring has arrived and apple trees are blooming. Illustrations help the reader in relating to the script. I have read the Hindi language translation of this book.
September 23, 2019
Johnny Appleseed: A Tall Tale by Steven Kellogg is a story that I remember my teachers referring to during lessons about children's literature but was never a story that was read to me or that I chose to read. I am familiar with the name Johnny Appleseed, but not the story. After reading the story, I would choose to incorporate it into my classroom because of the lessons that it teaches. Johnny teaches the readers about the importance of generosity and sacrifice while completing good deeds to strangers while on his journey. Students can benefit from learning the impact of good deeds.
Thee genre elements of tall tales include a problem at the beginning of the story that is almost always solved in the end. The reader also is always taught an important lesson along the way. Johnny's problem is that he is worried the pioneers will forget to plant his apple seeds and care for their trees so he leaves his home to plant trees and bring good. The reader is taught about generosity and sacrifice when Johnny gives up his home to the old lady. He makes an impact on everyone he meets.
As a future teacher, students can benefit from discovering the importance of the themes and lessons in the story. Children can relate their real-life experiences of good deeds to Johnny's good deeds.
Thee genre elements of tall tales include a problem at the beginning of the story that is almost always solved in the end. The reader also is always taught an important lesson along the way. Johnny's problem is that he is worried the pioneers will forget to plant his apple seeds and care for their trees so he leaves his home to plant trees and bring good. The reader is taught about generosity and sacrifice when Johnny gives up his home to the old lady. He makes an impact on everyone he meets.
As a future teacher, students can benefit from discovering the importance of the themes and lessons in the story. Children can relate their real-life experiences of good deeds to Johnny's good deeds.
June 23, 2024
Here's your ticket. Would you like to ride the well worn path of the legend of Johnny Appleseed? Here you go, with very clear writing and also very attractive illustrations.
But that tall tale is pretty incomplete. My ears perked up at this book's one understated slice of reality about the legendary apple tree philanthropist:
He particularly enjoyed entertaining children with tales of his wilderness adventures and stories from the Bible.
Historically, you see, Goodreaders, that's a bit of an understatement. The real man was named John Chapman. He became a missionary.
Yep! To quote part of the entry for him in the online version of the Encyclopedia Britannica:
Chapman was a devout follower of the mystical teachings of the Swedish theologian Emanuel Swedenborg, proselytizing and distributing Swedenborg’s writings as he traveled.
RATING THIS BOOK
I'll give it FIVE STARS. But I would have found a way to give this book more than five stars if it had included this important truth about Johnny Appleseed.
Personally I think that people would benefit more from some truth-telling in picture books -- and the rest of life -- rather than "Tall Tales."
But that tall tale is pretty incomplete. My ears perked up at this book's one understated slice of reality about the legendary apple tree philanthropist:
He particularly enjoyed entertaining children with tales of his wilderness adventures and stories from the Bible.
Historically, you see, Goodreaders, that's a bit of an understatement. The real man was named John Chapman. He became a missionary.
Yep! To quote part of the entry for him in the online version of the Encyclopedia Britannica:
Chapman was a devout follower of the mystical teachings of the Swedish theologian Emanuel Swedenborg, proselytizing and distributing Swedenborg’s writings as he traveled.
RATING THIS BOOK
I'll give it FIVE STARS. But I would have found a way to give this book more than five stars if it had included this important truth about Johnny Appleseed.
Personally I think that people would benefit more from some truth-telling in picture books -- and the rest of life -- rather than "Tall Tales."
September 11, 2017
Summary: This story retells all the tall tales of Johnny Appleseed and how he became so well known. It goes from he point where he was a young boy to the end and where he was living in the wilderness. It explains how his story was exaggerated in many different ways from him having a pet wolf to a foot so strong that a rattlesnake couldn't bite him.
Evaluation: I think that this is such a great book to get your kids excited for reading. The different stories of Johnny Appleseed are so exciting and the pictures are great for a child to keep imagining what happened.
Teaching Idea: I would use this book to teach about tall tales and what it means, as well as when we use the word exaggeration. I would teach them that this book is a fable and define with different examples in the book. Students could use sticky notes to write down different forms of exaggeration that they hear as I read the book. We could then read other stories by this author because he is well known for writing fables as well.
Evaluation: I think that this is such a great book to get your kids excited for reading. The different stories of Johnny Appleseed are so exciting and the pictures are great for a child to keep imagining what happened.
Teaching Idea: I would use this book to teach about tall tales and what it means, as well as when we use the word exaggeration. I would teach them that this book is a fable and define with different examples in the book. Students could use sticky notes to write down different forms of exaggeration that they hear as I read the book. We could then read other stories by this author because he is well known for writing fables as well.
November 17, 2017
Summary: This story is about a boy who grew up loving nature. When he grew up, he started planting apple trees to grow into orchards to feed the settlers. This story shows his achievements and how people viewed him. Many people claimed to have seen Johnny Appleseed and his accomplishments of growing apple trees across America.
Writing Trait:
Ideas - This book focuses on the idea of one man clearing away land and growing orchards. It shows the story of how apple trees are now throughout America. The book focuses on Johnny Appleseed’s achievements and hard work which help keep the reader engaged. This also can teach readers about hard work and what it can do for a person and their community.
Mentor Text Classroom Integration: I could read this book to the class during the fall season and connect it to fall activities like apple orchards, cooking with apples, and food. I could also read this book during a unit that discusses community and how one person can make a significant impact.
Book Level: 4.4
Writing Trait:
Ideas - This book focuses on the idea of one man clearing away land and growing orchards. It shows the story of how apple trees are now throughout America. The book focuses on Johnny Appleseed’s achievements and hard work which help keep the reader engaged. This also can teach readers about hard work and what it can do for a person and their community.
Mentor Text Classroom Integration: I could read this book to the class during the fall season and connect it to fall activities like apple orchards, cooking with apples, and food. I could also read this book during a unit that discusses community and how one person can make a significant impact.
Book Level: 4.4
February 3, 2019
Johnny Appleseed: A Tall Tale by Steven Kellogg I would consider to be a tall tale. Right away reading there is a lot of exaggerated language. This book did address historical events, for example, the Revolutionary War. In this book, Johnny has a larger than life personality. He was performing the impossible.
Tall tales are full of fun for young children. These books bring the children’s imagination to life. Reading tall tales like Johnny Appleseed, takes children on an adventure. I think tall tales are not always the best because they could confuse children with reality, but as a future teacher I want to make sure my students know the differences.
In my future classroom, I could use the genre of tall tales in a writing assignment. As a class I’d read a tall tale, and then we would discuss the characteristics. I then would have my students write their own tall tale incorporating historical people or events. This is a fun and creative way for students to use a mentor text of a tall tale to create their own.
Tall tales are full of fun for young children. These books bring the children’s imagination to life. Reading tall tales like Johnny Appleseed, takes children on an adventure. I think tall tales are not always the best because they could confuse children with reality, but as a future teacher I want to make sure my students know the differences.
In my future classroom, I could use the genre of tall tales in a writing assignment. As a class I’d read a tall tale, and then we would discuss the characteristics. I then would have my students write their own tall tale incorporating historical people or events. This is a fun and creative way for students to use a mentor text of a tall tale to create their own.
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