A is for Appleseed

March 11 is Johnny Appleseed Day. I haven’t thought about this American folk hero in years, but I warmly remember singing about him in second grade and listening intently to the story my teacher read. (See book list below.)

Johnny Appleseed, Paul Bunyan and Rip Van Winkle were three of my favorite folklore characters. Their stories were larger than life, and that appealed to a child of 8.

Mr. Van Winkle’s story was a variation on the time travel theme – an easy remedy for life’s problems. Simply go to sleep and they vanish! Mr. Bunyan lived with gusto. He made flapjacks on such a big griddle that skaters had to strap hunks of bacon to their feet to grease the pan! And, Mr. Appleseed was a tree-hugger prototype, someone who appealed to an outdoorsy girl like me, who had grown up camping and playing for hours outside every day.

“Rip Van Winkle” was a short story written by Washington Irving and published in 1819. The legendary antics of super-human lumberjack Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox are still told today, and many towns in the United States lay claim to him. The origin of these tales is hotly disputed.

John Chapman, the son of a Massachusetts farmer, was born in 1774. His favorite spot on his father’s farm is said to have been the apple orchard. He enjoyed talking to people who passed their farm as they headed west on wagon trains. The more he learned, the more he dreamed of joining them. He eventually set out, heading west with a pot on his head, a walking stick, a book and a bag of apple seeds. As he traveled, he planted seeds and told stories. The resulting trees became the source of delicious apples and legend, and John Chapman became known as “Johnny Appleseed.”

Why not read this enduring story to your children? Tie in additional lessons if you wish. His tale is a great launching pad for discussions about fruits, vegetables and nutrition. A bag of apples of various colors can be used to practice counting and graphing numbers on a chart. Talk about the difference between facts and legend. Discuss his character. Examine his attitude toward nature.

Here are some books to get you started:

• “Johnny Appleseed: The Story of a Legend” – This book was written and illustrated by Will Moses, the great-grandson of folk painter Grandma Moses. It’s intended for ages 5-9. “The virtues his picture biography teaches include sharing, simplicity and kindness to animals,” said Massachusetts elementary school teacher Simon Rodberg in a New York Times review. “This ‘Johnny Appleseed’ is biography as parable, embracing history and tall tales equally, its bright pages packed with country cheer.” (Philomel Books)
• “Johnny Appleseed” by illustrator Steven Kellogg. (Morrow Junior Books) Ages 8-12.
• “Johnny Appleseed” written by award-winning author Carol Ottolenghi and illustrated by C.D. Hullinger. (School Specialty Publishing) Ages 6-10.
•  “The Story of Johnny Appleseed” written and illustrated by Aliki. Ages 5-7.
• “Johnny Appleseed” written in poem form by Reeve Lindbergh and illustrated by Kathy Jakobsen Hallquist. A Redbook Children’s Picture Book Award Winner.
• “Johnny Appleseed” written by Patricia Brennan DeMuth and illustrated by Michael Montgomery. (Grossett & Dunlap) Level 1 Beginners.
• “What’s so Great About…Johnny Appleseed” written Daryl Davis Zarzycki, a second grade teacher in Delaware. (Mitchell Lane Publishers)