The Value of Love: The Story of Johnny Appleseed

In this installment of the ValueTales series, Ann Donegan Johnson helps us appreciate the love exemplified by John Chapman--better known as Johnny Appleseed (1774-1845). The book introduces Johnny, a restless young boy growing up in Massachusetts. He was a loving, considerate child who always looked for ways to help others. And Johnny liked apples, helping harvest them from the family's trees in the fall. He felt bad for the pioneers moving west in their wagons because there were no apple trees in the country they travelled through. He learned as much as he could about planting and growing apple trees. He spent the rest of his life planting and nourishing apple trees across Pennsylvania, Ohio and other states. He did this so other people would have free apples to eat. Like other books in the ValueTales series, this book uses a real-life person to exemplify an important value. It is suitable for reading by children in the later elementary school grades. A "Historical Facts" section at the book's end summarizes Chapman's life in a single-page bio form suitable for adults. Closing quote: "The frontier days are over now, and unless you plan to plant apple trees on the moon, you can't do exactly what Johnny did. But you can think about your own life and about the people you love. You may want to find a way to show that love, and perhaps to be more loving to more people. If you do, chances are that your love will be returned. And when you give love and receive it, you may find that you're a happier person. Just like our good friend, Johnny Appleseed." (p. 62)