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Who Was . . . ? Series
Who Was Johnny Appleseed?
The perfect biography to "bite into" at the start of a new school year! Children are sure to be fascinated by the eccentric and legendary Johnny Appleseed, a man who is best known for bringing apple trees to the midwest. Over John Chapman’s lifetime, he saw the country grow and start to spread westward. Traveling alone— in bare feet and sporting a pot on his head!—Johnny left his own special mark planting orchards that helped nourish new communities. His journeys and adventures are illustrated in a hundred black-and-white illustrations.
112 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2005
52 people are currently reading
565 people want to read
About the author
Joan Holub
347 books1,236 followersNY Times bestselling children's book author:
GODDESS GIRLS series + HEROES IN TRAINING series (w Suzanne Williams); THIS LITTLE TRAILBLAZER a Girl Power Primer; ZERO THE HERO; I AM THE SHARK. Lucky to be doing what I love!
GODDESS GIRLS series + HEROES IN TRAINING series (w Suzanne Williams); THIS LITTLE TRAILBLAZER a Girl Power Primer; ZERO THE HERO; I AM THE SHARK. Lucky to be doing what I love!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
October 9, 2025
Who Was…? biography series for middle grade fascinates with the story of Johnny Appleseed – a nature lover who planted thousands of apple trees for pioneer families to enjoy and earned his nickname of Johnny Appleseed. His real name was John Chapman.
John Chapman (1774-1845) was born in Leominster, Massachusetts. He had lots of siblings. They all lived in a small farmhouse. Thus, in order to get some peaceful time, he spent much of his time outside. His fascination with apples began in his teenage years.
As settlers were moving westward, Johnny decided to do the same at the age of twenty-three. As he passed cider mills in Pennsylvania, he collected apple seeds, and began his journey of planting orchards.
In 1800, at twenty-six, he moved from Pennsylvania to Ohio as Pennsylvania was getting too crowded for him. In Ohio, he continued planting orchards. What made him stand out was his knack for figuring out where people moved next. He got there first and planted apple trees for them to enjoy.
He was also a good storyteller and entertained settlers with stories of wilderness. He interacted with Native Americans as well. Through his travels, he met many people.
He always carried a book with him written by Emanuel Swedenborg, who believed in importance of thinking for yourself and being useful in life, and not being afraid of being different.
This biography exemplifies a man who did what he loved all his life, always peaceful, never letting life to rush him. He was deeply connected with nature where he took long hikes which made space in his mind to show the way for his happiness in life. When he felt the rush invading his life, he moved away from it. Always, seeking freedom and calmness over materialistic things. He never settled down in a home or owned many things. It wasn’t necessary for his happiness. The traits that embody him are generous, kind, helpful to others, living simply and staying true to oneself.
This illustrated biography for young readers, ages 8-12, is presented in a relatable way, with simple sentences, and insightful inserts.
John Chapman (1774-1845) was born in Leominster, Massachusetts. He had lots of siblings. They all lived in a small farmhouse. Thus, in order to get some peaceful time, he spent much of his time outside. His fascination with apples began in his teenage years.
As settlers were moving westward, Johnny decided to do the same at the age of twenty-three. As he passed cider mills in Pennsylvania, he collected apple seeds, and began his journey of planting orchards.
In 1800, at twenty-six, he moved from Pennsylvania to Ohio as Pennsylvania was getting too crowded for him. In Ohio, he continued planting orchards. What made him stand out was his knack for figuring out where people moved next. He got there first and planted apple trees for them to enjoy.
He was also a good storyteller and entertained settlers with stories of wilderness. He interacted with Native Americans as well. Through his travels, he met many people.
He always carried a book with him written by Emanuel Swedenborg, who believed in importance of thinking for yourself and being useful in life, and not being afraid of being different.
This biography exemplifies a man who did what he loved all his life, always peaceful, never letting life to rush him. He was deeply connected with nature where he took long hikes which made space in his mind to show the way for his happiness in life. When he felt the rush invading his life, he moved away from it. Always, seeking freedom and calmness over materialistic things. He never settled down in a home or owned many things. It wasn’t necessary for his happiness. The traits that embody him are generous, kind, helpful to others, living simply and staying true to oneself.
This illustrated biography for young readers, ages 8-12, is presented in a relatable way, with simple sentences, and insightful inserts.
October 1, 2021
I don't think I ever really knew Johnny Appleseed was a real person. This children's history book tells his story. It was cute and informative!
February 6, 2019
Who Was Johnny Appleseed is an OK book. The book gives good details about what he did at first but then the author just kept repeating things and that made the book seem a little annoying at times. It said that Johnny Appleseed slept underneath the stars and planted apple seeds everywhere but then it again,just repeated stuff and the grammar that was used made it kind of sound like a 4th grader wrote it. This book is OK but I wouldn't go around telling everyone about it.
July 23, 2021
Who Was Johnny Appleseed? is part of a series of children's biographies of famous figures and events in American history. This book provides an introductory biography of Johnny Chapman who's life became part of the legend of Johnny Appleseed in due to his work of creating apple orchards throughout early America. Written in an easy-to-read format, we learn of Johnny's early life that lead him to love the outdoors, to his personality, and even his actions to help his people during the War of 1812. It also goes into seeing how his life story become part of popular folklore in due to his eccentric ways but also the kindness he showed to many people and animals.
I think this is a nice book to read to if one needs to know of quick factual information about Appleseed, as there are only a handful of biographies available about this American folk hero.
I think this is a nice book to read to if one needs to know of quick factual information about Appleseed, as there are only a handful of biographies available about this American folk hero.
August 15, 2025
This is a decent historical book of Johnny Appleseed. It is very dry and I don't think it would hold a child's attention. It has no character. It gives alot facts just one right after another with some thrown in folk lore. It does go into telling the difference between a tall tale and a real person, but then adds some tall tales about Johnny Appleseed so I think that could be confusing, especially to younger children. If this was a discussed book in a classroom, I think it would be better in a lesson rather than read alone.
June 1, 2017
Johnny Appleseed's real name is John Chapman but everyone knows him as Johnny Appleseed.
He was all about the wilderness he did not kill animals. The reason he is named Johnny Appleseed is because he planted apple orchards in 3 states, Ohio, Indiana and Pennsylvania. He loved planting apple trees and so everyone called him Johnny Appleseed.
He was all about the wilderness he did not kill animals. The reason he is named Johnny Appleseed is because he planted apple orchards in 3 states, Ohio, Indiana and Pennsylvania. He loved planting apple trees and so everyone called him Johnny Appleseed.
October 30, 2020
It wouldn’t be a homeschool house in the fall if we didn’t read about Johnny Appleseed ☺️. Even though we’ve read several picture books in years past, this was the first time we picked up the Who Was book, and it was great! This series rarely disappoints.
November 15, 2022
I didn't realize that Ohio features so heavily in the Johnny Appleseed saga!!
....also finding out that pioneers called apples 'winter bananas ' made my day. 😂
....also finding out that pioneers called apples 'winter bananas ' made my day. 😂
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April 22, 2009This book is a biography that tells the life about Johnny Appleseed’s whose real name was John Chapman. He earned his nickname by planting thousands of apple seeds in America’s Midwest. For this, he became a legend during his own lifetime. Johnny Appleseed was known as an apple lover. He was also a peacemaker who tried to keep peace between the Animals, Settlers, and the Native Americans. Throughout the book it tells the about the life of Johnny and it tells what was going on in the world. At the end of the book you can find a time line of Johnny Appleseed’s life and a time line of the world.
June 3, 2016
Johnny was an pioneer, a tall tale, and a real person who planted apple trees for pioneers.
He also loved animals and did not eat meat. He loved to tell stories. But then his stories kept on being retold. Then the stories started stretching the truth and became tall tales. Read this book to know more about Johnny Appleseed!
What I like about this book is how cool he was!
What I learned was always set a goal in your life and do it!
He also loved animals and did not eat meat. He loved to tell stories. But then his stories kept on being retold. Then the stories started stretching the truth and became tall tales. Read this book to know more about Johnny Appleseed!
What I like about this book is how cool he was!
What I learned was always set a goal in your life and do it!
April 5, 2018
He sounds like the original hippie. Good for him, though.
October 21, 2025
It was kinda interesting I guess and makes me wanna rewatch the Disney Tall Tale movie (I was obsessed with the Johnny Appleseed one as a kid specifically which is why I got this book lol) but this book really fell short and at one point I was actually confused. It was saying he was a peacekeeper between the settlers and the Native Americans and then it said he warned the Ohioans of a Native American attack. This doesn’t quite make sense to me because a true peacekeeper would try to get the two parties to talk but it seemed like it was written more like he was on the Ohioans’ side. And then the random bio of Tecumseh was a little confusing and seemed out of place. I was also a bit thrown off when they started talking about Pecos Bill and Paul Bunyan. That just didn’t seem to flow super well.
Overall this is not one of the better Who HQ books and was actually pretty disappointing considering I was wanting some childhood nostalgia. Guess I’ll just rewatch the Disney Tall Tales for that instead.
Overall this is not one of the better Who HQ books and was actually pretty disappointing considering I was wanting some childhood nostalgia. Guess I’ll just rewatch the Disney Tall Tales for that instead.
August 30, 2023
Who was Johnny Appleseed, indeed. He was a real, living person named John Chapman from 1774-1845. He was one of twelve siblings who loved to wander, loved nature, was a vegetarian, and made friends with Native American Indians as well as English settlers alike. He was an eccentric man who walked everywhere and learned how to live in nature with the help of Natives who also taught him how to grow his own food. This launched his entrepreneurial career as the man who planted apple orchards across three states -- Johnny Appleseed.
With exception to the annoying excerpts of other historical information thrown in, this child-friendly little book was fairly easy to read and full of interesting information.
With exception to the annoying excerpts of other historical information thrown in, this child-friendly little book was fairly easy to read and full of interesting information.
December 4, 2017
This book is written for kids ages 9-12, and is a biography about John Chapman who is also known as Johnny Appleseed.This was a comprehensive book about his life. It includes a few black and white illustrations throughout the book. I can see this book being used as a read aloud or a popcorn reading book within an elementary school history class.I think this would be a very appealing to children because the cover is very inviting and the context of the text is very easy to understand. It is a factual but the facts are interesting and grabbing to the reader. The author gives great insight into Johnny's life.
June 10, 2020
This is a very informative book about Johnny Appleseed for children (and English Language Learners despite age). It is an easy-to-read book with interesting facts about pioneer lives. It's also very inspiring to readers. It could be a good read-aloud/intro to study American pioneer times.
However, despite the decent narrative of the life of John Chapman, what he believed was quite reflected and mirrored in many people's minds in this post-modern civilization. His favoring of Swendenborg's teachings is an interesting one for further exploration. I guess nothing is too new to be claimed when we look at the history.
However, despite the decent narrative of the life of John Chapman, what he believed was quite reflected and mirrored in many people's minds in this post-modern civilization. His favoring of Swendenborg's teachings is an interesting one for further exploration. I guess nothing is too new to be claimed when we look at the history.
March 19, 2021
Who Was Johnny Appleseed? by Joan Holub
Published September 8, 2005
<3 Did not know this was a real person.
The perfect biography to "bite into" at the start of a new school year! Children are sure to be fascinated by the eccentric and legendary Johnny Appleseed, a man who is best known for bringing apple trees to the midwest. Over John Chapman's lifetime, he saw the country grow and start to spread westward. Traveling alone— in bare feet and sporting a pot on his head!—Johnny left his own special mark planting orchards that helped nourish new communities.
Published September 8, 2005
<3 Did not know this was a real person.
The perfect biography to "bite into" at the start of a new school year! Children are sure to be fascinated by the eccentric and legendary Johnny Appleseed, a man who is best known for bringing apple trees to the midwest. Over John Chapman's lifetime, he saw the country grow and start to spread westward. Traveling alone— in bare feet and sporting a pot on his head!—Johnny left his own special mark planting orchards that helped nourish new communities.
October 20, 2018
This book was pretty interesting learning about Johnny Appleseed. His real name was John Chapman and got his nickname by planting apple seeds in America’s Midwest for the pioneers, he was a very good person and loved animals and the forest which he mainly lived. He was planting apple seeds all over Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana. He died on March 18,1845 by pneumonia when he was 70. I recommend this book to everybody.
June 8, 2018
It's nice to know that this Tall Tale really was a real person. His life was interesting. However, I felt this book didn't really have a lot to say. It almost felt like it was a stretch to find enough material to write about him.
June 25, 2021
Johnny Appleseed is one of the few people who was both legendary and real. This is the story of his life and many adventures. It also includes many facts about apples in general and historical moments associated with the history of the apple.
January 22, 2023
What an interesting little read! I never knew all of this about Johnny Chapman, aka Johnny Appleseed or apples in general. I really enjoyed reading this book! I'm going to recommend it to some of my students this week. I think they will like it too!
January 31, 2023
I knew nothing about John Chapman prior to reading this book. Interesting to know that I have been to so many of the places he planted apple orchards. Definitely changed peoples lives and shaped early America.
November 6, 2023
Short informative read. I just wish the smattering of white shame wasn’t in there. I’m slowly learning that there’s always some sort of agenda in this series. I think my 6yo will like it. He loves Johnny Appleseed.
February 21, 2018
It was not that interesting
September 25, 2019
Great book
We enjoyed reading about Johnny Appleseed’s amazing life! The extra information included made it even better! I’m sure we’ll read it again!
We enjoyed reading about Johnny Appleseed’s amazing life! The extra information included made it even better! I’m sure we’ll read it again!
November 6, 2020
Good overview of Johnny Appleseed.
November 7, 2020
It was pretty good I think it was funny how he stuck needles in his foot
September 12, 2021
Turtle: great! Return to library.
October 27, 2021
Packed with good information, some of which corrects old folktales. It’s always amazing to hear what went into settling this country!
August 31, 2024
I didn’t know Johnny Appleseed was a real person! It was fun to read this short informative text. Even as an adult, I would read more of these books.
July 17, 2025
Great book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews