A review by shirleytupperfreeman
At the Edge of the Orchard by Tracy Chevalier

Who knew that if you cultivated 50 apple trees on a piece of property in 1838 you could stake a claim on the land? I learned that and a few other tidbits about some early pioneers. Johnny Appleseed is a secondary character in this work of historical fiction about the Goodenough family. James and Sadie get as far as the mud flats of Ohio as they head west from Connecticut with some kids and some apple tree seedlings. The first half of the novel tells the dismal story of the family's attempts to survive and thrive. The second half of the novel is Robert Goodenough's story - the one on whom any sort of 'legacy' depends. It's a well told story though I didn't get very attached to any of the characters.