Johnny Appleseed and the Bears, by David Novak, is a wonderful tall tale kid's book read aloud for preschool, kindergarten, and elementary school ages (and adults still young at heart), for the Fall/Autumn season.
Parents and teachers, join me here at The Children's Storytime Bookshelf for daily read alouds in the classroom, at bedtime, or anytime!
Follow The Children's Storytime Bookshelf for a classic children's library.
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Parents and teachers, join me here at The Children's Storytime Bookshelf for daily read alouds in the classroom, at bedtime, or anytime!
Follow The Children's Storytime Bookshelf for a classic children's library.
#kidsbooksreadaloud #readaloud #readaloudbooksforchildren
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LearningTranscript
00:00Johnny Appleseed and the Bears.
00:29Written by David Novak, illustrated by David Wenzel.
00:38One sunny day in early October, Johnny Appleseed hiked up to a wide mountain meadow.
00:45He carried a sack full of bright red apples, fresh picked from one of his apple orchards.
00:51Today was his day for cutting out seeds.
00:54Later, he would plant the seeds for the people he visited.
00:58When the seeds grew into trees, the people would have fresh apples to eat.
01:05Johnny leaned against a sun-warmed rock in the middle of that bright meadow.
01:10He took out his paring knife and began slicing open apples.
01:14Then he took out the seeds.
01:16The trees were ablaze with autumn colors and the air was fresh and cool.
01:21This was just the sort of place Johnny considered to be heaven on earth.
01:26So as he worked, he made up a song.
01:29How happy I am to sit in the sun with bright autumn colors and a cool autumn breeze.
01:36I'm doing the work that needs to be done with apples I've grown from my own apple trees.
01:45Johnny thought he heard something growl.
01:48He listened.
01:52Everything was quiet, so Johnny went back to work.
02:01There it was again, a growling grrr.
02:04Johnny looked up.
02:06At the edge of the woods, he could see a dark shadow.
02:09Out of that shadow stuck a black shiny nose.
02:12Attached to that nose was a big black bear.
02:16Johnny knew a thing or two about bears.
02:19Johnny knew that bears sleep in the winter and don't wake up until spring.
02:23Johnny knew that autumn is the time when bears are always eating to get ready for the long
02:28winter sleep.
02:30Johnny also knew that bears will eat anything.
02:33They might even eat Johnny Appleseed.
02:38Papa Bear started coming toward him.
02:41But Johnny didn't panic.
02:43He said, Papa Bear, how would you like an apple?
02:47Apples are sweet and sugary.
02:49They taste better than any scrawny old Johnny Appleseed.
02:53Johnny reached into his sack, sliced open an apple, and took out the seeds.
02:58Then he tossed the rest of the apple to Papa Bear.
03:04Papa Bear picked up that apple and munched on it.
03:08Then he nodded as if to say, thank you kindly.
03:11Johnny said, don't mention it, friend.
03:14I'm glad to be of service.
03:19Papa Bear turned around and walked off into the woods.
03:26Everything was quiet, so Johnny went back to work.
03:30Suddenly, he heard two growls.
03:37There were two black bears, Papa Bear and Mama Bear.
03:41Well, Johnny had plenty of apples.
03:44He reached into his sack, sliced some open, and took out the seeds.
03:48Then he tossed the apples to the bears.
03:54Papa Bear and Mama Bear ate the apples, nodded to Johnny, and walked away.
04:00Everything was quiet, so Johnny went back to work.
04:04Three growls.
04:10There was Papa Bear, Mama Bear, and Baby Bear.
04:15Once again, Johnny reached into his sack, sliced open some apples, and took out the seeds.
04:21Then he tossed the apples to the bears.
04:24Once again, the bears ate the apples, nodded to Johnny, and walked away.
04:29Things weren't very quiet after that.
04:34Along came Papa Bear, Mama Bear, Baby Bear, Grandpa Bear, Grandma Bear, Aunt Bear,
04:41Uncle Bear, and Cousin Bear.
04:42And more bears were still coming.
04:48Soon, all of the bears on that mountain came into the meadow for a big bear picnic.
04:54Over and over again, Johnny reached into his sack, sliced open some apples,
05:00and took out the seeds.
05:01Then he tossed the apples to the bears.
05:04He was afraid he might run out of apples, but he kept finding more and more apples in his sack.
05:13Finally, all the bears were full.
05:16They stretched out in that meadow and looked at Johnny with big, shining black eyes.
05:21I wonder what they want now, thought Johnny.
05:27Then he understood.
05:29Those bears had to wear the same furry suit of clothes all the time.
05:34They were bound to itch.
05:36So Johnny stepped among the bears, giving them scratches.
05:40And the bears stretched and yawned.
05:42One by one, they fell asleep.
05:49Everything was quiet.
05:51Johnny Appleseed stood in the middle of that meadow, watching those dozing bears.
05:57He watched for a long time.
05:59Then he thought,
06:01I have to travel on, and I'm not likely to be back this way again.
06:05I wonder who will be here next year to feed the bears and scratch their backs.
06:10I plant my apple seeds for the people to eat, but I suppose I can spare a few for the bears.
06:16So Johnny stepped among the bears once more.
06:19This time, he planted seeds, one for each bear.
06:24Finally, he picked up his sack and tiptoed away.
06:31That was a long time ago, and Johnny Appleseed has long since left this world.
06:36But his apple trees are still here.
06:39There is a mountain meadow in the north of the city.
06:43There is a mountain meadow in the northern Appalachian range,
06:48with a wild apple orchard growing in it.
06:50If you go there in the autumn, you're likely to find a black bear or two,
06:55munching on apples and rubbing up against those trees.
06:59For after all these years, Johnny Appleseed still feeds the bears and scratches their backs.
07:10I hope you enjoyed that story.
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07:16and don't forget to check out all the other stories that are already uploaded.
07:19Thank you so much for watching.