Wildheart: The Daring Adventures of John Muir

by Julie Bertagna, William Goldsmith (Illustrator)

The exciting life story of John Muir—who sailed to America as a boy and ended up changing the world; told for the first time in a graphic novel. John Muir led an adventurous life, starting with his wild and playful boyhood in Scotland to his legendary exploits in America, where he became an inventor, a global explorer, and the first modern environmentalist; and even became friends with a president! His heart was always in the outdoors and he aimed to experience all he could. Most importantly, though, John Muir told the world about the wonders of nature . His words made a difference and inspired people in many countries to start protecting planet Earth—and they still do.
Winner! 2019 National Outdoor Book Awards, Children's Category
A Junior Library Guild Selection
2019 Eureka Honor Book from the California Reading Association!

Genres: Graphic Novels, Biography, Nonfiction, Middle Grade, Nature, Childrens, History

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

Julie Bertagna was born in Ayrshire and grew up near Glasgow, where she now lives with her family. After a degree in English Language and Literature, she was the editor of a small magazine, a teacher and a freelance journalist. She has written many critically-acclaimed, award-winning novels for teenagers and younger readers. She speaks in schools, libraries and at book festivals across the UK.

Reviews

[Woody Chichester · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was drawn to this book immediately - not only for John Muir but also for the wonderful illustrations! A good biography about a true hero, from his start as an adventurous boy in Scotland, to his lifelong love of nature and helping spread the word about conservation. A great read for young and olds (I'm calling myself an olds) alike.

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun way to tell the story of John Muir and his love of nature! I was delighted with the comic book set-up of this biography. My daughter didn't like the illustrations, but I thought they were fun.

[Hannah Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have only finished battle of the books titles so far this year, but we only have one more this year let's go!!

re read for 2026, John Muir was def a nature empath

[Silkybansal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book in one sitting, for many reasons:

🍂 It's a graphic novel, ofcourse!
🍂 It's includes travel around the world 🌍
🍂 The language used is crisp
🍂The impact of the message it conveys is huge✅

This book is a short graphical representation on John Muir's life and his works for the protection of the environment in and around America and raising the natural alarms all over the world.

It amazed me how a person born in 1838 took it to his life's sole purpose of not only traveling around the world but connecting with nature, falling in deep love with it and making hell bent effort in actualising the initiatives against environmental protection.

The way he saw nature and it's worth is so beautifully described in this book that even if a person hasn't travelled to all the places covered in this book, they can very much feel the sense being present there at that moment 😍❤️

[Sanjana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is pleasant to read. "John Muir calls out to us all to look beyond our everyday lives and enjoy the wonders of nature - to see ourselves as citizens of the universe and care-takers of the earth for future generations"

[Laura Gardner · Rating 4 out of 5]

WILDHEART is a #graphicnovel biography about John Muir, whom I find fascinating and inspirational. I love that this accessible biography will help more readers learn about him.

[Mary Havens · Rating 3 out of 5]

I learned a lot about Muir in a short amount of time so this book was a win! I'm always amazed at how anyone could walk hundreds of miles.
We are all indebted to Muir for his conservation efforts.

[KC · Rating 5 out of 5]

An outstanding graphic novel biography on legendary John Muir (today happens to be John Muir day too).

[Bethany Parker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel utterly embarrassed to admit that until I'd ended this book, I thought it was a work of fiction. How cool to read a biography in graphic novel format? This is perfect for students who are interested in non-fiction without text-heavy fact listing.

[Suzanne Dix · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a crazy life of a man I only associated with Yosemite. So glad to learn more.

[Amy Pickett · Rating 4 out of 5]

This middle-grade graphic biography of the first modern environmentalist, told in a first-person voice, will inspire readers to cherish our precious planet, and to take action to protect it! Rough, energetic sketches are appropriately tinted in natural shades of rust, moss green, berry, and ice-blue. This book, and John Muir's legacy, are a happy reminder that "We are part of nature, and its wild heart is part of us."

[Maria McGrath · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most people in the US, especially any who have visited national parks or enjoy nature, are familiar with the name, and possibly the writings of John Muir. This timely graphic novel biography, which has been awarded the Junior Library Guild Gold Standard, uses first-person narration interspersed with quotations from Muir himself, to carry the reader through Muir’s early life in Scotland, his trip across the sea to the wide prairies of the American midwest, and all his subsequent explorations. The description of the accident in which he almost lost his sight and his recovery from it is especially striking. As the location changes, so do the artist’s color choices, from only gray and brown in the old country to purplish rose for the sea voyage, to a full, bright palette once he reaches the great expanse of forests and grasslands. And the choices of anecdotes, from camping in Yosemite with President Teddy Roosevelt to braving ice bridges over crevasses in Alaska with his beloved dog, Stickeen, to his return visit to Scotland 44 years after he left, color in our understanding of his life. The book concludes with a sincere plea to protect the Earth, especially the wild places, and to visit them often, then gives a chronology (timeline), glossary, bibliography, and, along with the information about the author and illustrator, information about the national parks that John Muir fought for and loved so much.

[❂ Ann ❂ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who was John Muir? And why were schools, mountains, parks, glaciers and mountains named after him? Hey even a millipede was named after him, too! “Hello, I’m John Muir.” *See. It’s true, when I was growing up, I had classmates who went to John Muir Elementary in Kirkland. John Muir was born in Scotland. He was sent to school when he was only 3 and as a kid, he loved to play a game called scootchers which was a dangerous game of dares. He loved anything wild. One day his dad comes home and says, “We’re going to live in America!” And John’s life changed forever. He had a big accident that him see where he should be going in life. He’d change jobs from shepherd and inventor to environmentalist. He walked thousands of miles; he walked from Indiana to Florida. He became famous. People would recognize him everywhere he went. Even President Roosevelt knew about him and wanted to meet him. He got to know the president on a camping trip and talked him into creating national partks. The Grand Canyon exists today because of John Muir’s activism!

[Alicia]

Not particularly blown away by the illustrations or storytelling, but the subject matter is what kept it interesting in this graphic novel biography of Muir who had an impact on national parks and nature/wildlife. I did not know much about him, so this taught me some things. I'm thinking in terms of format, maybe a picture book biography would have worked a bit better than a graphic novel biography? But that's my opinion.

And if you're especially in tune with his contribution to nature, I'd want to feel the pages like the new You Are Home picture book celebrating all of the ends of the United States. I needed THAT inspiration and didn't really find it folded between the pages of this book.

[Heatherjoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this introduction to John Muir and the illustration style grew on me as I read. My only disappointment is the degree to which it portrays the wilds of America as empty and his own life as fulfilled only when he was alone in the wilds. I would love to know more about what he was like as a father and husband (the book almost gives the impression he abandoned his family but a little external reading seems to indicate he was a pretty caring parent). I’d also like to know more about his encounters with native peoples/would appreciate some acknowledgment of their place in the land he explored. At least this is encouragement for more in depth reading in the future.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

RA-
-this is a book for all ages
-follows the life of John Muir from being a kid in Scotland to the end
-a lot of the text is pulled directly from his letters and has wonderful prose
-the illustrations are vibrant and energetic with a fun color palette that changes through chapters
-introduced me to the word "scootchers" and now I want to say it all the time
-a wonderful biography about a man who many children probably don't know about but would definitely relate to
-has a timeline of historical events and photographs in the back

[Melissa Murrill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this kid-friendly, fun, graphic read about John Muir’s life. As a fan of John Muir, I love that it includes stories from his childhood in Scotland and Wisconsin that impacted his life in significant ways. Although I’ve read about him and read several of his writings, I haven’t read a biography of him, so I was pleased when I learned some new things. I can’t wait to share this with my kids!

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book as an adult that knew little of John Muir. I think it is an interesting biography of his life. I did not know that he had been blind for a while but got his sight back. I did not know he'd been to Alaska. I had only heard about him in California.

The time line and sited sources are good.

I think if kids were introduced to this book by reading the first couple of chapters, then it would be read. As it was with no introduction, it has not been checked out in a year.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sketchy - not in a dubious sense, but just loose - in both art and story. There were loose ends everywhere.

I think what broke my heart about this was that after all the work John Muir did, and all the people who stood up for trees and nature and wild spaces, we’re still steadily destroying it all.

[Brenda Kahn]

I'm a bit meh on this one. First off, a "biography" written in the first person? Sources please. I didn't love the flippant tone and how it jumped around without many details. I didn't love the art. While the palette was interesting, the art appeared unfinished and, for someone who reveled in nature, the art was startling in its lack of beauty.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a lovely, quick read. My kids are super into graphic novels and national parks, so I'm going to hand this to them! It wouldn't be suitable for writing a report or gaining an in-depth understanding of John Muir's life, but this book certainly hits the high points and conveys to the reader his drive to protect the wilderness. I liked it!

[Jeannie Standal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This graphic novel format biography is accessible to nearly any reader and shows John Muir in a light that brings him down to earth. From his life as a kid in Scotland to the very end of his life in the United States, this book shows Muir's love of the outdoors and how it shaped his life.

An excellent option for elementary and middle school biography collections.

[Kelsey · Rating 2 out of 5]

This would be a hard sell to the audience it is marketed towards (grades 4-8) due to the ill-defined artwork (it's beautiful but a bit of a mess for younger readers), brief and slightly lackluster stories, and stagnant plot progression. A better read for an adult audience that are already invested in John Muir's story.

[Lisa Simmons · Rating 4 out of 5]

“It’s always sunrise somewhere. Eternal sunrise, eternal dawn, as the round earth rolls...”
A tribute to the many accomplishments of naturalist John Muir. A reminder of the many reasons to marvel at nature, and protect it, as individuals and as society (policy, anyone?).
And, yeah, I’m taking away a philosophical and hopeful message.

[Erin Logan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This graphic novel tells the story of John Muir, an adventurer and lover of all things in nature. I've had this one in my library for a while but was not compelled to read it until I read What I Carry, a novel in which the main character was named for Muir. It was a fast read and an interesting life story of a person more people should know about.

[Traci · Rating 5 out of 5]

After slugging through a 400+ overly verbose biography of Muir, blasting through this 128 page graphic biography of John Muir was very enjoyable. The illustrations were fun and will appeal to my students. It is not something to read to complete a biography report, but it will be a fun way to learn about an important naturalist.

[Aviann · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Probably my biggest complaint was I didn’t love the artwork. However, this graphic novel is a terrific way to introduce kids to John Muir’s life and work. Yosemite is absolutely my favorite National Park. I also greatly appreciated that the author used some direct quotes from Muir’s books. And now I should read his actual books.

[Amber]

Poison-Swashbuckling-daring adventure graphic novel-John Muir led an adventurous life, starting with his wild and playful boyhood in Scotland and culminating in his legendary exploits in America, where he became an inventor, an explorer, a bold champion of wilderness—cute little sotry of a man who is so responsible for preservatin of forests

[JoAnna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love that there are graphic novels that introduce kids to significant people in history like John Muir. As someone familiar with Muir, I thought this was a fairly decent depiction -- I learned some new tidbits about his story, but I also know a lot was left out as Muir was notoriously racist. Recommended for an intro but don't stop with this book to learn the full story of Muir.

[Mary Hanna Wilson | Celebrate a Book · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a pleasant, easy read about John Muir's life. I am a sucker for non-fiction graphic novels, so they usually rank pretty high for me. This was no exception. The comic-style illustrations were not my favorite, but I appreciated the uniqueness compared to many modern graphic novels I read. It was a great change of pace.