Sacajawea

by Joseph Bruchac, Nicolle Littrell (Translation), Michael Rafkin (Translation)

In 1804, a mysterious young Shoshone woman known as Bird Woman met Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, and acting as interpreter, peacemaker, and guide, she bravely embarked on an epic journey that altered history forever. Reprint.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Native American, Historical, Young Adult, Fiction, Middle Grade, School

199 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Joseph Bruchac lives with his wife, Carol, in the Adirondack mountain foothills town of Greenfield Center, New York, in the same house where his maternal grandparents raised him. Much of his writing draws on that land and his Abenaki ancestry. Although his American Indian heritage is only one part of an ethnic background that includes Slovak and English blood, those Native roots are the ones by which he has been most nourished. He, his younger sister Margaret, and his two grown sons, James and Jesse, continue to work extensively in projects involving the preservation of Abenaki culture, language and traditional Native skills, including performing traditional and contemporary Abenaki music with the Dawnland Singers.

He holds a B.A. from Cornell University, an M.A. in Literature and Creative Writing from Syracuse and a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from the Union Institute of Ohio. His work as a educator includes eight years of directing a college program for Skidmore College inside a maximum security prison. With his wife, Carol, he is the founder and Co-Director of the Greenfield Review Literary Center and The Greenfield Review Press. He has edited a number of highly praised anthologies of contemporary poetry and fiction, including Songs from this Earth on Turtle's Back, Breaking Silence (winner of an American Book Award) and Returning the Gift. His poems, articles and stories have appeared in over 500 publications, from American Poetry Review, Cricket and Aboriginal Voices to National Geographic, Parabola and Smithsonian Magazine. He has authored more than 70 books for adults and children, including The First Strawberries, Keepers of the Earth (co-authored with Michael Caduto), Tell Me a Tale, When the Chenoo Howls (co-authored with his son, James), his autobiography Bowman's Store and such novels as Dawn Land, The Waters Between, Arrow Over the Door and The Heart of a Chief. Forthcoming titles include Squanto's Journey (Harcourt), a picture book, Sacajawea (Harcourt), an historical novel, Crazy Horse's Vision (Lee & Low), a picture book, and Pushing Up The Sky (Dial), a collection of plays for children. His honors include a Rockefeller Humanities fellowship, a National Endowment for the Arts Writing Fellowship for Poetry, the Cherokee Nation Prose Award, the Knickerbocker Award, the Hope S. Dean Award for Notable Achievement in Children's Literature and both the 1998 Writer of the Year Award and the 1998 Storyteller of the Year Award from the Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers and Storytellers. In 1999, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Native Writers Circle of the Americas.

As a professional teller of the traditional tales of the Adirondacks and the Native peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands, Joe Bruchac has performed widely in Europe and throughout the United States from Florida to Hawaii and has been featured at such events as the British Storytelling Festival and the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesboro, Tennessee. He has been a storyteller-in-residence for Native American organizations and schools throughout the continent, including the Institute of Alaska Native Arts and the Onondaga Nation School. He discusses Native culture and his books and does storytelling programs at dozens of elementary and secondary schools each year as a visiting author.

Reviews

[Melanie Hetrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful, beautiful writing from J. Bruchac, as always. Sacajawea's story is told from alternating viewpoints, hers as well as William Clark's. Actual correspondence or diary entries introduce Clarks entries and tribal tales introduce Sacajawea's entries. The storyline is easy to follow as it is being told to Pomp, Sacajawea's son by her husband who was also on the journey.

Fans of historical and/or American Indian fiction will enjoy this story.

[Ana · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really, really wanted to like this more, but given the constant switching of perspectives and the author's writing style, this book provided a lot of well-documented information in the form of fiction, but not much else. Maybe if I'd read it as a child I would have like it more.

[Randa Asad · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this book the author starts off the story with Sacajawea being a baby.When Sacajawea turns 10 she got kidnapped by the Hidatsa Indians. I personally thought it was okay. I would give it a 3 out of 5, because it was absolutely descriptive, but at the same time boring and exhausting to read. It requires loads of deep thinking, several questions, and an incredible understanding. This book was kind of hard for me to understand and it took me time to do so. I would recommend this book to a 7th or 8th grader who has an interest in history and Native American people, tribes, and way of life, and this book would be good for someone who can bear with a long book, and is not well-informed on Sacajawea. This book definitely gives a massive amount of information on Sacajawea and how her point of view on helping Louis and Clark effected their journey, and how famous and admired she is today from the magnificent things she has done to help Louis and Clark. Personally she inspired me and made me question my entire personality.

[Kathy Ramirez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this book would be a great tool to incorporate both the sujects of Langauge Arts and History in a classroom of students. Since this story is written with Sacajawea, Louis, and Clark all having their own part in speaking as the narrator, I think this book would be excellent in evaluating character analysis in a classroom. By reading each historical figure's parts, students can write upon each character's motives, goals, characteristics, and admirable qualities. Also, since most of the time I have seen Language Arts teachers teach Social Studies as well, I think this book would be a great tool in having a class read as a whole while learning about this part in American history. Students can also have fun with this book by drawing illustrations by their favorite part in the book. I think that this book can be very beneficial for students in a classroom. Also, it would be a great read for children with their parents at home!

[AnnaScott · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting book. Told from the alternating perspectives of Sacajawea and William Clark, it chronicles the journey of Lewis and Clark to the Pacific.

I cannot say much about the story, since it was true. The writing was engaging and the story well depicted. It did make me sad, though, about Lewis' death at the end, and I didn't like Charbonneau much at all. It was awkward that Sacajawea was braver than her husband. But, like I said, the author cannot be blamed much for this, since he based it all on facts. Overall this was an enjoyable way to learn about the adventures of Lewis and Clark.

[Tibby]

I’m fudging a little here as this is a fictionalized account of Sacajawea and her part in the Lewis and Clark expedition. However, Bruchac did extensive research and drew very heavily on journals of the expedition as well as consulting Native sources, including modern relatives of Sacajawea. So I’m going to count it.

I feel very foolish reading this book. I knew next to nothing about the Lewis and Clark expedition and even less about Sacajawea. She was captured around 12 years old and taken captive with a tribe who lived further east of her Shoshone tribe. After a few years Charbonneau purchased her and another woman she was captured with. (I was always kind of curious how she met and married Charbonneau.) While she was pregnant with her son, Jean Baptiste, the Lewis and Clark expedition arrived and Charbonneau was signed on as was Sacajawea who would help as a guide and interpreter. After Jean Baptiste was born and the spring arrived the party set off for the West Coast.

While I wouldn’t call the book action packed, which is due in part to the way the story is told, it’s an incredibly interesting look at the expedition. It’s packed with facts and information and because of Bruchac’s skill with storytelling the history really comes to life. It was a hard journey, and while they were often incredibly lucky (only one person died on whole expedition), there were a lot of challenges and lean times. It’s absolutely amazing to think Sacajawea was 16 or 17 years old and a brand new mother when she took this trip. Her strength and her age make her a very interesting character, one I think kids will enjoy hearing her voice brought to life.

I found the parts about the language barriers and translation particularly fascinating. Because the group encounters so many tribes they needed people who spoke different languages. They would pick people up along the way who could help and sometimes they encountered French trappers who spoke local languages. However, they were often translating from English into French into Shoshone (or Numi, which is what Sacajawea spoke) or Mandan into another language. Talk about complicated! Otherwise they would use some kind of universal sign language.

As the expedition goes through the land they encounter a lot of different native groups. A lot. There are a ton of names and Clark uses different names from Sacajawea. This gets a little confusing and I would keep it in mind if you are reading this with or to younger audiences that might be pushing the reading level. I found this awesome map of the tribal nations that a Cherokee map maker created. It has the tribe name in the area where they lived (pre-European contact) and lists both names given to them by Europeans and what they called themselves (this is incredibly helpful in keeping the tribes straight between Sacajawea’s and Clark’s narrations). Here is the link to the NPR article that tells the story of how and why the map was created.

Heads up, Merriwether Lewis meets an unfortunate end at his own hand and it’s mentioned how he commits suicide. If you’re reading this aloud you might skip over that bit. If you’re having your class read this or are handing it to students, just be aware that it’s in there. It isn’t graphic, but it’s sad and in there.

I had a couple complaints about the book that are very minor. As the story switches between Sacajawea and Clark they address the person they are telling the story to- Jean Baptiste, Sacajawea’s son. I found it pulled me out of the story a bit to have them asking and answering imagined questions from the boy, but it wasn’t a big deal. I also don’t like the cover on this. It screams required reading to me although it gets major points for having a person of color on it. It also feels young when the text is really geared higher. Also each chapter has either a folktale or excerpt from an expedition diary. These were awesome inclusions and did a lot to elucidate the story as well as show how Bruchac wove the fact into the fiction. But! The font for the diaries was so hard to read and if I struggled with it I can only imagine that kids are going to skip them entirely.

Definitely worth a read for kids who are interested in the expedition, this time period, or native voices. It is certainly well worth looking at including in curriculum because of Sacajawea’s perspective. Plus it really brings this important and fascinating exploration to life.

[Desirae · Rating 2 out of 5]

This feels like something you might be forced to read in an American History class. The writing was clinical and gives the illusion of vavacity, but its cold and lifeless.

The themes and character motivations really bothered me in this - Sacajawea is essential a kidnap victim but that fact is completely glossed over. No Native in this entire story has any qualms about what Lewis and Clark were doing. There was a very "give-us-your-whiskey-and-smallpox-infested-blankets" feel.

[Faith M:) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve always been obsessed over Sacajawea. Since I was a little kid- she has been my favorite historical person to study. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[Carolynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Told in two points of view in alternate chapters, _Sacajawea_ consists of stories told to her young son Pomp by her and by William Clark, one of the leaders of the Lewis and Clark expedition to explore the Missouri River Valley and the way west to the Pacific Ocean. Bruchac uses traditional Indian storytelling style and begins each of Sacajawea's chapters with a traditional legend, often featuring the trickster, Coyote. Each of Clark's chapters begins with an excerpt from his actual diary. Together the two give a very cogent account of the exploration, and the use of Clark as an alternate narrator allows him to make plain the immense contributions Sacajawea made to the trip, and the use of Scajawea as a narrator allows the reader to understand her thoughts and feelings, which she would never have spoken, and which Clark could never have included in his journals. The only disadvantage of the two narrators is that it does slow down the action a bit, since sometimes both perspectives of an event are given. Still the narrative is compelling and informative, based very closely on Clark's and other journals of the adventure. There is an author's note and a bibliography of sources. Bruchac is an Abenaki Indian, but he has researched the period extensively and presents both points of view very convincingly. He does not whitewash the difficulties, some of them harrowing, encountered during the exploration includes an account of Lewis's death, which most children's versions of the expedition do not. Compare to _Sacagawea, Girl of the Shining Mountains_ by Peter and Connie Roop.

[Angel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sacajawea was a young Shoshone Native American who was born in the late 1780s. When she was ten she was kidnapped by a raiding group of Hidatsa Indians and was taken away from her tribe. She got married to a french-canadian fur trader named Toussaint Charbonneau, who later on became a nuisance to the Lewis and Clark expedition. He was hired by them to translate Indian languages but Sacajawea did most of the work and went above and beyond by doing a bunch of helpful things without getting paid to. Charbonneau was just a useless old weight slowing down the expedition. He caused a lot of problems but Sacajawea was always there to saved the day thankfully. The journey was about 8000 miles including the way back and she carried a child with her the whole time.

To be totally honest I did not really like the book that much. It was going at such a slow pace and there was a lot of repetition. The book was very boring and dull. I’m pretty sure I fell asleep reading this one time. I’m not saying that it is a bad book per se; it had some interesting parts in it and reading about her journey was somewhat fun but for my standards its pretty boring.

I would recommend this book to people learning about the Lewis and Clark expedition. It goes really into detail about the expedition and I think it would be a great way to learn about the subject. I recommend it to people who like to read about history and historical events. Last but not least, I recommend it to people who like to read biographies.

[Eden Silverfox · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although Sacajawea was an important member of the Lewis and Clark expedition, not too much is known about her life. The documents with details about her and her life are written by others. So although they can tell you things she did, her reactions to different situations, without any accounts from Sacajawea herself, no one will ever truly know what Sacajawea thought.

The book has the chapters switching from the perspective of Sacajawea and William Clark. I think that Joseph Bruchac did well with the details there are about Sacajawea and gave her a very strong voice in this book. My favorite chapters are those of Sacajawea's perspective. If the book was just from Sacajawea's perspective, I would probably give it 5 stars. But I can understand why Joseph Bruchac chose to alternating points of view, since much of the information of Sacajawea and the expedition comes from the journals of William Clark and others.

This was a good book and I really like the author's note at the end. 3 and a half stars.

[Amy Perry]

I'd never even contemplated American history before (very snobbish of me) and although I'm still very new to the history of America, it's something I'm really enjoying and would like to devote more time to. I loved this story (because story it ultimately is) but the history behind it is fascinating and tragic and shrouded in so much mystery it makes me want to know more about the native Americans and their place in American history.

[Samantha Lindeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This detailed biography is told in a way that really shows Sacajawea's role in the expedition. Even though I was taught that she carried her baby along the way, I never understood the implications of that reality. After reading this, I now recognize that I was definitely taught the "white" history of this story, which left out a lot of important information.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, this audio book was so-so. The narrator doing Sacajawea's part was highly annoying. I did enjoy learning more about her part in the Lewis and Clark expedition, so it was worthwhile in the end.

[Helena Sorensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read-aloud companion to our Lewis and Clark unit.

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was not what I expected. I thought it was a biography of Sacajawea. It actually was the tale of her travels with the Lewis and Clark Expedition so that disappointed me. I grew up in Idaho and the story of the critical role of Sacajawea in that Expedition was taught proudly, and accurately, as part of our State history. At least it was 55 years ago.

The story was told as if the story is being told to Sacajawea's seven year-old son by different members of the Expedition. My favorite "narrator" of the individual storytellers was Sacajawea's parts. I thought it was a clever way to tell the story. I enjoyed Joseph Bruchac's storytelling so much that I picked up another of his books, Of All Tribes: American Indians and Alcatraz. ( Here is my review. ) Both are well written and are pretty fast to read.

I started this book as an audio book. The narrators, Nicolle Littrell and Michael Rafkin read the book as though it were being read to a group of very young children, maybe 4 or 5, whose first language was not English. The book is a children's book but the tonal quality came across as tooooo slow and exaggerated. I made it thorough about 60% and couldn't stand listening anymore so I changed to reading the ebook. I really enjoyed it so much more, not being distracted from the story by the voices with intonation reminiscent of a parent trying, in vain, to capture the attention of a child who would much rather be doing something else. ... Anything else. The book deserved better than that. So 3 stars for the book and 1 star for the narrators.

[Charsia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book while reading about American history, more specifically the Lewis and Clark expedition that took place back in 1804, through 1806.
The story of this book is told to us through Sacajawea's son Jean Baptiste Charbonneau- a long name.
Since Baptiste was born closer to the end of the expedition, many of the things that he tells us is from his Mother Sacajawea and his appointed uncle Lewis, who took care of him for some time.

This book gives us a dive into the Lewis and Clark expedition, a very detailed look at the amazing journey they made to explore the west side of the 'New World.'
It tells us about what hardships they may come to face on their travels in new areas, the new creatures they might've encountered and got around, and the Indian tribes they met along the way- some friendly some not at all- one most important being Sacajawea, a Shoshone Indian woman who helps the exploring group how to survive out in the new uncharted lands, where she was more familiarized with.
I don't think this book really shys away from talking about what the group faced. It's more unfiltered and detailed in story telling, and creative with the way the story was told to us readers through the P.O.V. of the people on the expedition, and then back through Jean Baptiste Charbonneau to us.

I really, really recommend reading this book. It's great for learning about American history and what exploring the 'New World' was like. Very raw and real feeling.

[Lena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I chose this book for my book club’s October category of “a book about an event you don’t know much about,” and I feel like this book served its purpose!

Bruchac utilizes a creative method to tell the story of Sacajawea and her work with Lewis and Clark. The book is written from all three of their perspectives in the form of stories told to Sacajawea’s son, Pomp. I really liked that style of storytelling — it was a great way to engage young ages especially. I mostly listened on audiobook (I read a little in my physical book and little via my kindle, too), and the narration is done really well with three different voice actors.

I also appreciated that it felt like a balanced and historically accurate perspective (not over modernized to meet certain political expectations and be something it’s not). The multiple points of view helped give insight into how both the native Americans and white men might have viewed the group’s explorations and decisions.

My only real issue with this book is that there’s some mature content for middle grade ages. The information is likely accurate, but I wish Bruchac had been a little more cautious for such a young audience. (Content considerations: slavery, the purchasing of young wives, reference to violence, reference to someone taking their own life)

Overall, I felt like I learned a lot about the characters and their expeditions — which is why I read it — so it was a beneficial read for me.

[Julier · Rating 4 out of 5]

The audiobook version was easy to listen to and follow. I enjoyed this book and thought that Joseph Bruchac (as expected) researched carefully and carefully chose the incidents to share in order to give a brief history of Sacajawea and Lewis and Clark's Corp of Discovery trip. I am no expert, but have been reading quite a bit of primary source material and took a few related classes and was pleased overall with the book. I recommend it!

[Randi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book by a native author is structured as if Sacajawea and Captain William Clark are taking turns narrating the story of the Lewis and Clark Expedition to Sacajawea's son. It relies heavily on Lewis and Clark's journals as well as the author's knowledge of the native tribes they came it contact with. It is definitely a middle school and up book as the complexity of sentences, paragraphs and chapters requires strong reading comprehension skills to understand.

[Savannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Title: Sacajawea

Author: Joseph Bruchac

Genre: Historical Fiction

Theme(s): Louisiana Purchase, Louis and Clark’s expedition, Native Americans

Opening line/sentence: “First born son, how has your day been?”

Brief Book Summary: The story of the famous Louis and Clark expedition is told from the point of view of both Sacajawea and William Clark. The author remains true to the events of one of the most important American history events, and gives the reader two different insights. Excerpts from William Clark’s journal make this retelling that much more realistic to the reader.

Professional Recommendation/Review #1:

The Horn Book Guide Online

(http://www.hornbookguide.com.ezaccess...)

(4) YA This dense, methodical novel credibly relates the story of the expedition through the eyes of both Sacajawea and William Clark. The dual narration, which includes excerpts from Clark's journal and retellings of Native myths, is set within the larger framework of a narrative presented by Sacajawea's son. This unwieldy structure, along with the book's slow pace, may impede readers.

Professional Recommendation/Review #2:

Kimberly Norman (Children's Literature)

(http://www.clcd.com.ezaccess.librarie...)

This masterfully crafted novel recounts the famous journey of Sacajawea, who guided Lewis and Clark westward and back in the first years of the 19th century. The novel is framed as a story told to Sacajawea's son, Jean Baptiste Charbonneau--nicknamed Pomp--who was too young to remember the adventure he shared during the first two years of his life. The voices of Sacajawea and William Clark alternate in weaving this tale. Sacajawea's narration flows gracefully, prefaced each time with traditional Native American lore. Her language is lyrical and touching, told from a native's perspective. Clark's contributions to the story begin with actual entries from William Clark's diaries. Bruchac presents all characters--from expedition members to the people of the many Native American nations they encounter--with respect and insight. Because the book offers two viewpoints, the reader gains a three-dimensional understanding of the expedition. In an extensive author's note at the end of the novel, Bruchac fills in the rest of the picture--the fate of many of the expedition members and the pains he took to remain true to actual events. This novel is equally entertaining as an adventure and a history lesson about one of the most important moments in American history. 2000,

Response to Two Professional Reviews:
I agree with both of the reviews when they say that this is a credible retelling of the actual event in history. I especially like how the second review states that Bruchac presented each character with respect and insight. The reviews are correct in stating that the two different points of view give this story an interesting twist.

Evaluation of Literary Elements:
The different tone to each person’s (Sacajawea and William Clark) voice helps to carry the reader through this book. The legitimate excerpts from Clark’s journal make this an excellent, educational historical fiction book. As the second review stated, the reader is given a three-dimensional view of this book through the use of telling the story through two different viewpoints.

Consideration of Instructional Application:
This could be a great guided reading book for older students. I could use the excerpts from Clark’s actual journal to analyze and weave into a history lesson about the Louisiana Purchase, as well. Other activities that could go along with this story include KWL charts, book report projects, draw and think, or a class play.

[Barb Keltner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened to it as audiobook.

[Abi Jewett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sacajawea was a 16 year old girl who was captured at a young age and taken captive from her homeland. She belonged to the Shoshone Tribe until then. Once captured, she became of the Hidatsa Tribe, but she had promised never to forget who she really was. Soon, Lewis and Clark came about and found her, and she joined with them on their expedition. Sacajawea was seen as an interpreter along with other valuable characteristics that would prove worthy along the trip.
As the expedition was sailing upriver, they came to the lands of the Hidatsa where the Indians welcomed them by waiting along the shores of the river. This place is where the expedition and Corps of Discovery met Sacajawea. She joined with the expedition, along with her husband, Toussaint Charbonneau. Along the way Sacajawea had her firstborn son, Pomp. They encountered many different tribes of Indians and had many problems and hardships they would face before making it to the Pacific Ocean. An exciting adventure, but not one, I'm sure, anyone would want to face now.
My favorite part of the book would be when Sacajawea was reunited with her family, the Shoshone. It was a joyous time for her, for she had not been back to that tribe since she was taken captive. It was a bittersweet moment, for the expedition had to move on. But I enjoyed reading Sacajawea's feelings as she encountered the Shoshone for the first time in a long while.
If you like reading historical fiction books, this would be a book I would recommend. It has some fiction in it to keep the story moving, but it also has a great deal of history behind it.

[Mel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Each chapter alternates in the viewpoint of Capt. Clark and Sacajawea as the story of their journey being told to Sacajawea's Firstborn Son (as she refers to him) and Pomp as Clark refers to him. Though Pomp never has a first person voice, his questions are brought up and answered by Clark or Sacajawea.
I don't particularly care for alternating viewpoint chapters, but I got used to it as the author gives more information of the journey to capture the reader. Of course it's not as detailed as the field notes/journals kept by the men, but even so by the time they made it to "the Great Water That Tastes Bad" I felt for this group having to go all the way back home.
Some of the tribes were helpful, others were greedy and some were thieves.
It boggles the mind to think this teenage new mother made this journey without complaint and was even a great help. I can't imagine any modern teenager doing this and even doubtful most adults could do it. (myself included)
The book recommends the age of 12 and up, but it would have been appropriate for my child at fourth grade.

[Kaelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It is such a wonderful story of Sacajawea and The Lewis and Clark Expedition. The chapters alternate between Sacajawea and Clark as narrators as they tell Sacajawea’s son their sides of the story. The stories of their expedition are wonderfully told and it seemed to me that the author stayed pretty true to the real events.

At the beginning of every chapter there was either a real excerpt from one of the explorers’ journals (Clark’s chapters) or a story of the Indians (Sacajawea’s chapters). While I thought this was a nice addition to the book, they were hard to read at times. For the journal excerpts, the font chosen was very hard to read. For the Indian stories, there was always a dark picture of a fish behind the writing that made it difficult to see the words.

Aside from that, I’m still so glad that I read this book. It is my favorite telling of The Lewis and Clark Expedition. Anyone studying this expedition or time in American history needs to add this to their reading list!

[Joan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sacajawea is only 14 when she and her husband are asked to join the Lewis and Clark expedition to the West to explore the Louisiana Purchase. As a young girl Sacajawea is stolen from her tribe and becomes a slave, later purchased by her husband who is portrayed as a fool. The book is told to Sacajawea's young son by Sacajawea and Clark. The expedition is an amazing travel experience, trying to prepare the Indians for Americans soon to come and trying to get the Indians to have peace among them. The book does make the reader aware of the many differences between now and then. She is married, has a child and travels to the West before the age of 16. The travel by canoe and horseback is very dangerous. I enjoyed the book, but I don't know how much is true and how much is fiction. The dual story teller is very good at giving insight into each of the two characters.

[Jenni · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think judging by the other reviews here, I think it's good that I listened to the audiobook version. Read by a woman for Sacajawea's chapters, and a man for William Clark's chapters, it made it quite interesting, and alive. The chapters and perspectives alternated and each started with either a Native American story or an excerpt from Clark's journal. I would say it is geared toward the younger reader, but I enjoyed it just as much as an adult. I really learned a lot about the Corps of Discovery and the Expedition. A recent trip to St. Louis got me interested in learning more about Lewis and Clark and Sacagawea, so this was timely. It was interesting to note how Lewis and Clark interacted with the native americans as well as York, Clark's "servant." You could definitely see that though they showed respect, there was also that hint of "superiority" there.

[Caitlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sacajawea is amazing.This book is very inspirational. What she had to go through to get to her family is unbearable. SPOILERS......
1)Sacajawea had a son named Pomp witch I never knew.
2)Sacajawea was taken away from her family by the Black feet indians also what I never knew.

Sacajawea was recommended to me by Hanna. Thank you. Sacajawea would be a great book for anybody who likes nonfiction,adventure, and to learn about different tribes. Really this book might have had a cliffhanger ending but the book was amazing.

[Jacob Hernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good book about the exploration after Thomas Jefferson had purchased acres of land from the French. Sacajawea, the Indian woman accompanies the white men in their expedition and taught them the ways of survival in the mountains and wild. Also the book is about the hardships of the Indians and how they were ran out of their own land by the white men. Nearing the end of the book Sacajawea lives a successful life with her husband Charbonneau and their child Jean, they all lived in St. Louis later on to continue their child's education.

[Willow · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved the way this history was chronicled, with feeling and gentleness. The chapter-by-chapter shifting from Sacajawea's perspective to Clark's gave it a depth of insight that I found fascinating. A great many original texts were included from journals by members of the Corps of Discovery. The whole story is so interesting and was written so beautifully.

There were two curses of condemnation, as well as two usages of an oath in French. Otherwise, the text and ideas were wholesome. Native legends and folklore are referenced often as part of tribal custom and culture.