The Story of Sacajawea: Guide to Lewis and Clark

by Della Rowland

As a young girl, Sacajawea was separated from her family when she was captured by a band of Minnetaree warriors and taken to be their slave. Several years later, she was bought by a French fur trader to be his wife. Then, in 1804, when she was only sixteen years old, Sacajawea met Lewis and Clark.



Carrying her infant son on her back, Sacajawea helped guide the famous team of explorers through the uncharted terrain of the western United States. Her courageous efforts made an important contribution to America's history.

Genres: Biography, American History, History, Childrens, Nonfiction, School

96 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1989

Reviews

[Deborah Camuglia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting, informative book.
However, the author seemed to be grasping at strings to get enough information about Sacajawea. The book was more about the expedition with a “trying too hard” feel to make it about her. I suppose you have to work with what is available. Also, there were too many exclamation marks!!! Lol. The words should portray emotions rather than continued exclamation marks. A few here and there are fine, but when they are constant, it feels cheesy.

[Teresa Mercer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect way to prepare for our field trip to Pompey’s Pillar.

[Daniel Godfrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Was reading about Lewis and Clark when I found this one. Where Bold Journey was about their entire trip West, this book has more about the parts in the northwest. Specifically, the segment between Fort Mandan (North Dakota) and Fort Clatsop (Oregon) where the Columbia River borders Washington state. Sacajawea was also present for the trip east when the group forked into two parties, so the book follows her as she accompanies Captain Meriwether Lewis to explore the Yellowstone River. Some information here about her early life with her Shoshoni people in the Bitterroot Mountains, including when the Minnetarees captured her in the Great Forks area (southwest Montana) as a child and carried her to central North Dakota, hundreds of miles away from her home. Not so much here about her later life.

Plenty here about Sacajawea's voyage with the Corps of Discovery, though. For example, the book talks about how, during the expedition, Sacajawea cared for her newborn child Pompey (Jean Baptiste) by her husband, the French trapper Charbonneau, also recruited to the Corps. It also details the importance of her role as translator, guide, forager, and a symbol of peace to tribes who figured that a woman and her child would not be members of a war party.

I mistakenly thought this one was historical fiction. There's a blurb in the front about the careful research that went into it and how it has not been fictionalized. I enjoyed how factual the book is, but I think it also explains why I couldn't find an answer to a question I had: Was Sacajawea interested in rejoining her tribe? Her brother Cameahwait was chief of the Shoshonis when the Corps encountered them on the trip up. And then on the trip back down, Sacajawea's guidance concerning shorter and easier paths through the mountains helped a lot, so the Corps may not have been enthusiastic about leaving her behind. But what about when it was all over?

There's a map in the back, but it's more of a sketch that marks routes and locations of major events. However, the text is also very good about letting readers know PRECISELY where the travelers are. Sometimes it even refers to both Native and Anglicized names, like Kooskooskee for Clearwater River in Idaho. Other times it provides both historic and current names, like how a body of water named Bird Woman's River (after the Minnetaree translation for Sacajawea) is known as Crooked Creek today. All this meant I could follow along pretty easily in my road atlas, requiring little assistance from its helpful markers for the Lewis & Clark Trail Highway. (I did run into a few minor differences, though. One is Gibbon's Pass in the book, which I think is Lost Trail Pass in my atlas.)

I've been to the area, but only briefly and a long time ago. Was surprised to hear names of plant life up there familiar to me down here in the Southwest (a difference of about 10 degrees latitude), such as cottonwoods and prickly pears. Descriptions of natural wonders made me want to visit! Although in the case of Great Falls, the book points out that, because of hydroelectric dams, I wouldn't see the exact same thing that inspired Captain Lewis. (But that's probably for the best, since my understanding is that one reason these dams were put in place was to prevent frequent flooding.) Still plenty of other magnificent things to see, though, like the Gates of the Mountains and Pompey's Pillar.

I liked this book a lot! The back cover lists several other biographies from this series, which I'd definitely like to check out sometime.

[Bobbye West · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book in consideration of assigning it to students in an American history class I teach. I decided to use this book for the course for several reasons. First, it is historically accurate. The events in the book align with the primary source material of Lewis and Clark’s journals with regard to dates and locations. Secondly, the book portrayed indigenous people respectfully. Third, the novel was honest about Sacajawea not being in a conventional marriage. My only concerns with this book were its title and its portrayal of York. The title indicates Sacajawea was a guide when she was brought into the Corps of Discovery as an interpreter. Her ability to guide the group would have been limited to the areas she personally knew and had traveled (her northern Shoshone home and the areas inhabited by the Hidatsa who took her in a raid). There is exactly one sentence concerning York in the entire book and it identifies him as a servant; in truth he was an enslaved man. Though these points concern me I was able to being alongside primary sources and supporting books to add depth and accuracy to these characters and found the book, overall, to be the best choice for readers aged 9-12 than other available options. Lastly the book is still in print and readily available and is short enough to have students read over the course of 2-3 weeks. It is a very condensed/abridged account of the work of the corps of discovery but lays a good foundation for upper elementary students to build on as their education progresses

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cleared out some children’s chapter books from my shelves and read it before giving it away. I enjoyed this read. I didn’t know that Sacajawea was kidnapped from her original Shoshone tribe and made a slave of another tribe. I didn’t know that she was sold to a Canadian explorer to be his wife, and I didn’t know she had a baby before heading out on the Lewis and Clark team for what turned out to be an 18 month adventure. Also didn’t know Lewis was shot by his own man! Glad I read it.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very good story about the history of Sacajawea. But I feel like there were many exclamation points. Good for the children that need to read the history of her.

[Olivia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like this story about Sacajawea because i think she would have to be very smart to have done what she did.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Used for homestudy history curriculum - appropriate length/level for upper elementary; courageous, highly valued member of Lewis and Clark expedition

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very easy read and very informative. It discusses not only the life of Sacajawea and how she came to be a member of the Corps of Discovery but also of her importance on the journey.

[Roxanne Riddle · Rating 5 out of 5]

An easy and quick read. I normally dislike reading historical texts, but the author did a good job of keeping it interesting.

[Hillvan]

860L

[Aidan · Rating 5 out of 5]

a good, edjucational read

[Sam]

Not a big fan

[Hannah · Rating 2 out of 5]

This definitely wasn't a pleasure reading book. But, if someone has to write an essay on Sacajawea this might be a helpful book.