(2) YA When Catalina's pa dies after drinking cider made from a poisoned apple, "wind burst through the cabin like a ferocious intruder...a man, but his skin rose and fell in patchy, lopsided ridges. Bark? Green leaves with serrated edges sprouted from his hair. Birds circled his head." It's Johnny Appleseed--he goes by "John, actually"--and this Faustian take on the folk hero posits that he was compelled to plant poisoned apple seeds across North America after selling his soul to the devil. John has come for Catalina's younger brother, Jose Luis, and she sets off to save him by tracking one of John's birds. Soon she finds a companion in a young lumberjack, Paul, who is also hunting John. They gradually open up to each other and acknowledge their growing mutual attraction as they face more harrowing forest obstacles. Interspersed with third-person narration are first-person accounts from John detailing his desperate dealings with the maleficent "banker." Krause's North American frontier is diverse and filled with historically rooted fantastical elements (e.g., "tree weepers": sobbing canopy-dwellers dressed in worn period gowns). Her lyrical prose shines in descriptions of nature: "Late summer rains had fattened the wilderness, making it full and dense, as though it wore a coat it had made for itself." Catalina's emotional growth, including reflections on her maternal Mexican heritage (her mother died years earlier) and identity as a poet, and several surprising plot twists carry this riveting tale to a satisfying conclusion.

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2023

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Lynne Rae Perkins. Two contemporary urban children meet colonial-era orchardist John "Appleseed" Chapman and accompany him around the country as he communes with nature and shares its bounty. Codell's lyrical text paints a heroic portrait; Perkins's detailed, homespun watercolor and gouache illustrations embrace the natural world, evoking its sounds, smells, and changing seasons. An author's note includes craft ideas and an apple pie recipe.

Reviewer: Thom Barthelmess | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2012

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Jim Burke. Yolen attempts to distinguish mythology from biography regarding the famed apple evangelist. Each spread includes a snippet of a hagiographic poem, some myth-busting information ("The History"), and thumbnail supplemental details ("The Fact," which sometimes includes Yolen's source). Burke's accomplished earth-tone paintings reflect imaginative Johnny's preoccupation with apples, starting in childhood and continuing throughout his life.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) K-3 Ready-to-Read series. Illustrated by Mary Haverfield. This easy reader features a rough biographical sketch of John Chapman, a historical American figure commonly known as Johnny Appleseed. The poorly rhymed text conveys Appleseed's passion for planting, growing, and giving away apple products while hinting at his nomadic and eccentric character. Sentimental watercolor illustrations idealistically picture Appleseed's westward travels along the Ohio River.

Reviewer: Sheila M. Geraty

(3) K-3 Illustrated by S. D. Schindler. Written in 1933, this short poem provides a brief, whimsical account of Jonathan Chapman's quest to plant apple trees all over the United States. Emphasizing his solitude, the text presents Chapman as a model of American determination and independence. Clever, humorous illustrations breathe new life into the somewhat dated text and help to make the verse sound both fresh and relevant.

Reviewer: Jim St. Claire

(4) K-3 Step into Reading series. Illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka. In a folksy text with tall-tale elements, Johnny Appleseed himself recounts his story to two pioneer kids. The story-within-a-story device is contrived, but the retelling, accompanied by friendly cartoonlike illustrations, is adequate for beginning readers.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee

(3) K-3 Although Moses doesn't completely succeed in clearly distinguishing between fact and legend, this lengthy text does offer a credible account of the man behind the myth. Depicted in a folk-art style, the skilled illustrations complement the conversational tone of the story. This picture-book biography is a nice addition to Johnny Appleseed lore.

Reviewer: Anne St. John

(3) K-3 On My Own Biography series. Illustrated by Janice Lee Porter. Packed with information and illustrated with bold, folk-flavored artwork, this easy-to-read book explores the life of John Chapman from his childhood to his life as a frontiersman. The concise text both acknowledges that scant facts of Chapman's life are available and clearheadedly challenges some well-known legends about this popular folk hero. Bib.

Reviewer: Emma Loy-Santelli