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Sacagawea
If it had not been for President Thomas Jefferson, Sacagawea would have lived out her life in the wilderness as the unknown Shoshone wife of a French-Canadian fur trapper. But in 1803 Jefferson ordered Meriwether Lewis and William Clark to find a route from St. Louis to the Pacific Ocean, and to gather information about the Indians they encountered. In a village on the Missouri River, Lewis and Clark met Sacagawea, the young woman who would travel with them on their historic Journey of Discovery.
With her husband and her infant son, Sacagawea accompanied Lewis and Clark's Corps of Discovery as they braved rapids, blizzards, hunger, illness, grizzly bears and hostile Indians. She found them roots and berries to eat, helped them negotiate for horses, and explained their peaceful intentions to the tribes they met along the way. When they finally reached the Pacific, Sacagawea shared in their triumph.
Using the journals of Lewis, Clark and other members of the expedition, award-winning author Judith St. George brings to life the story of this remarkable woman and her contribution to one of America's great journeys of exploration.
With her husband and her infant son, Sacagawea accompanied Lewis and Clark's Corps of Discovery as they braved rapids, blizzards, hunger, illness, grizzly bears and hostile Indians. She found them roots and berries to eat, helped them negotiate for horses, and explained their peaceful intentions to the tribes they met along the way. When they finally reached the Pacific, Sacagawea shared in their triumph.
Using the journals of Lewis, Clark and other members of the expedition, award-winning author Judith St. George brings to life the story of this remarkable woman and her contribution to one of America's great journeys of exploration.
115 pages, Hardcover
First published September 22, 1997
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
August 1, 2018
This was one of my favorite biographies as a kid, and when it came across the library desk I had such an emotional reaction that I snagged it.
It is very readable, as remembered, and has a pretty good explanation of some of the events of the Corps of Discovery, as well as a delightful number of mentions of what kinds of food they were able to find and eat. I loved that as a kid, I love that now, I couldn't really say why.
Reading it now as an adult with a history degree I found a few things iffy:
- The portrayal of Native Americans is not super nuanced. It's not NEGATIVE, but it's just...not that interesting, either. For narrative, there's also an odd choice of making some of the people the Corps run into "good Indians" and some "bad Indians." The Shoshone trade bad horses to the Corps and they're described as smart traders (perhaps because Sacagawea is Shoshone?) other tribes do the same thing later in the journey and get villainized and even compared to bogey-man stories that Sacagawea heard as a child. It's an odd choice, that may be influenced by how the Corps themselves wrote about the tribes they encountered.
- This is definitely a fictionalized biography, a distinction I do not think I made as a child. Sacagawea is given many thoughts and feelings and motivations (although not specific dialogue) that can certainly be guessed at but cannot be confirmed, especially as it is likely all of our sources are second-hand accounts and not from the woman herself.
I do think it still has value, especially in how easily engaging it is and how it brings you close to the historical figures as real people (I remember always preferring Clark), but it should definitely not stand alone in the study of the Corps and Sacagawea. Luckily, child me did read a number of other books on these subjects!
It is very readable, as remembered, and has a pretty good explanation of some of the events of the Corps of Discovery, as well as a delightful number of mentions of what kinds of food they were able to find and eat. I loved that as a kid, I love that now, I couldn't really say why.
Reading it now as an adult with a history degree I found a few things iffy:
- The portrayal of Native Americans is not super nuanced. It's not NEGATIVE, but it's just...not that interesting, either. For narrative, there's also an odd choice of making some of the people the Corps run into "good Indians" and some "bad Indians." The Shoshone trade bad horses to the Corps and they're described as smart traders (perhaps because Sacagawea is Shoshone?) other tribes do the same thing later in the journey and get villainized and even compared to bogey-man stories that Sacagawea heard as a child. It's an odd choice, that may be influenced by how the Corps themselves wrote about the tribes they encountered.
- This is definitely a fictionalized biography, a distinction I do not think I made as a child. Sacagawea is given many thoughts and feelings and motivations (although not specific dialogue) that can certainly be guessed at but cannot be confirmed, especially as it is likely all of our sources are second-hand accounts and not from the woman herself.
I do think it still has value, especially in how easily engaging it is and how it brings you close to the historical figures as real people (I remember always preferring Clark), but it should definitely not stand alone in the study of the Corps and Sacagawea. Luckily, child me did read a number of other books on these subjects!
March 21, 2012
Sacagawea
Written by: Judith St. George
Review by: Katie Lerond
"A strong arm swept her up as easily as if she were a fish being plucked from the stream. Captured!" If not for this, Sacagawea never would have been invited on the famous Lewis and Clark expedition, and without her help, it most likely would have failed. This incredible book captures every detail that went through her journey, without making it long, tedious or boring. In the very beginning, the Minaterees (Indian tribe) captured Sacagawea and the rest of her tribe, and Judith St. George caught every intense moment. St. George's Sacagawea gave me a sense of life in North American wilderness.
One of the best life lessons is illustrated thoroughly in this book, "What comes around, goes around." Sacagawea was a great help to all on the expedition. She treated the sick, and taught them things of the wilderness, and many would have been killed or lost without her. In turn, when she was deadly ill, she would have most definitely have died if Clark hadn't treated her and made her healthy. Sacagawea's snobby husband, a French-Canadian fur trapper named Toussaint Charbonneau was full of himself, and thought he was better than everyone. Charbonneau was also a coward, and just outwardly not helpful when it came to their journey. Because of this, he was never taken on journeys that required bravery, asked to do anything that needed any small amount of work, so he generally didn't get to do anything exciting.
I think Judith St. George did an amazing job of recounting the life of Sacagawea and putting together the stories into a larger and more magnificent picture. She showed that during that time men were allowed to have several wives, which would not be tolerated today. Sacagawea was one of two of Charbonneau's wives, and tolerated him since they married, she at 16, he at 46 years old! Most don't get married until their 20's now, but back then it was normal to have such age differences in marriage. Sacagawea though it was normal for things like these, but if I were put in her shoes, I would be outraged at the way he acted and would call a divorce (if they eveen had those). She went through a lot, but eventually made her goal, to have "wings".
I think everyone should read this if you enjoy historical fiction, and especially if you like stories about Sacagawea. This book had incredible moments, made your heart skip in parts of terror, and brought together the true story of Sacagawea. I truly enjoyed this book, and I hope you will like it just as much as I did!
Written by: Judith St. George
Review by: Katie Lerond
"A strong arm swept her up as easily as if she were a fish being plucked from the stream. Captured!" If not for this, Sacagawea never would have been invited on the famous Lewis and Clark expedition, and without her help, it most likely would have failed. This incredible book captures every detail that went through her journey, without making it long, tedious or boring. In the very beginning, the Minaterees (Indian tribe) captured Sacagawea and the rest of her tribe, and Judith St. George caught every intense moment. St. George's Sacagawea gave me a sense of life in North American wilderness.
One of the best life lessons is illustrated thoroughly in this book, "What comes around, goes around." Sacagawea was a great help to all on the expedition. She treated the sick, and taught them things of the wilderness, and many would have been killed or lost without her. In turn, when she was deadly ill, she would have most definitely have died if Clark hadn't treated her and made her healthy. Sacagawea's snobby husband, a French-Canadian fur trapper named Toussaint Charbonneau was full of himself, and thought he was better than everyone. Charbonneau was also a coward, and just outwardly not helpful when it came to their journey. Because of this, he was never taken on journeys that required bravery, asked to do anything that needed any small amount of work, so he generally didn't get to do anything exciting.
I think Judith St. George did an amazing job of recounting the life of Sacagawea and putting together the stories into a larger and more magnificent picture. She showed that during that time men were allowed to have several wives, which would not be tolerated today. Sacagawea was one of two of Charbonneau's wives, and tolerated him since they married, she at 16, he at 46 years old! Most don't get married until their 20's now, but back then it was normal to have such age differences in marriage. Sacagawea though it was normal for things like these, but if I were put in her shoes, I would be outraged at the way he acted and would call a divorce (if they eveen had those). She went through a lot, but eventually made her goal, to have "wings".
I think everyone should read this if you enjoy historical fiction, and especially if you like stories about Sacagawea. This book had incredible moments, made your heart skip in parts of terror, and brought together the true story of Sacagawea. I truly enjoyed this book, and I hope you will like it just as much as I did!
November 17, 2014
I originally checked this book out for my son, since I thought the adventure might appeal to him. While he read more than half of it, he really didn't enjoy it--I think he's too young for it yet. I, however, was thoroughly intrigued, so I read the whole thing. St. George attempts to walk the delicate line of narrating history as "story" without wandering too far afield from known fact. As such, I think she does a beautiful job. For an older child, this is a good bridge between dry encyclopedic histories and not-so-accurate story-fied biographies.
December 30, 2010
A delightful and well researched book. The author does an excellent job of highlighting the character and persona of Sacagawea. I especially enjoyed the internal complexes the author expounded on that her subject may have been feeling.
Highly reccomended as a fictionalized biography or addition to history studies.
Highly reccomended as a fictionalized biography or addition to history studies.
November 6, 2012
enjoyed every page, amazed at the strength and tenacity of this woman, who accomodated to traveling across country in every changing weather, powere struggles with all the men she traveled with and how her life evolved with her sons and her later life forced to live in a civilized city. this book has stayed in my mind for many years since reading
April 14, 2009
This book was very true to reality. I also enjoyed the way the author brought us into Sacagawea's perspective without being dishonest, or over exaggerating.
May 5, 2010
i was ok.......
July 26, 2011
a beautiful story extrapulated form the diaries of the corpus of discovery and their struggles and hardships and the help that sacagawea
March 14, 2012
Great easy read book that I had the pleasure to read with my daughter. It was her 3rd grade bibliography research project. Great book.
August 2, 2012
This is one of my favorite books of all times. I think it is about 1400 pages (mama mia), so you know if it is one of my all time favs with that many pages it's gotta be dang good:)
January 5, 2015
I think that this is an amazing book because it really describes everything well. I love how her (Sacagawea) feelings were described.
April 12, 2017
Very nicely written, easy to read, informative. I am a huge fan of Sacagawea, and St. George portrayed her honestly.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews