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138 pp.
| Holt/Godwin
| June, 2019
|
TradeISBN 978-1-250-18635-5$15.99
(3)
1-3
Time Dogs series.
Illustrated by
Misa Saburi.
On a typical day, the elderly dogs of Happy Paws Farm nap and enjoy one another's company. When tracking a lost ball leads the pack to a time-traveling/age-reducing magical van, the five friends experience adventures in history--as puppies. Frequent black-and-white illustrations support the large-font text. An author's note provides details about the real life events that inspired the stories. Review covers these Time Dogs titles: Balto and the Race Against Time and Seaman and the Great Northern Adventure.
(4)
4-6
Fact Finders: Landmarks in U.S. History series.
Blashfield offers readers a cursory introduction to this important event in American history. The overview describes Lewis and Clark's expedition from St. Louis to the Pacific, including encounters with Native American groups and the value of Sacagawea to the trip's success. The brief, readable text is enhanced with informative sidebars, maps, stock photographs, paintings, and appended critical thinking questions. Reading list. Glos., ind.
(4)
YA
Beginning in 1810, this dense novel imagines the life of Sakakawea's son (born on the Lewis and Clark Expedition). "Adopted" by Clark, Jean Baptiste Charbonneau attends school in St. Louis, travels the world, and experiences life as a man of both Native and French ancestry. Though rich with historical detail, this serious, old-fashioned novel will appeal to only the most dedicated history buffs. Bib.
40 pp.
| Dial
| October, 2017
|
TradeISBN 978-0-525-42853-4$14.99
(4)
K-3
Ordinary People Change the World series.
Illustrated by
Christopher Eliopoulos.
The latest series entry centers on Sacagawea's contributions to Lewis and Clark's expedition to the Pacific. There's some moralizing and instances of historical glossing-over, but the bestselling biography series' setup--a chatty first-person narrative and cartoon art with occasional comics-style frames--has plenty of kid-appeal. Photos are appended. Reading list, timeline. Bib.
32 pp.
| Book House
| January, 2017
|
LibraryISBN 978-1-910706-89-3$31.35
(3)
4-6
Explorers series.
Illustrated by
David Antram.
The travels and travails of explorers from different centuries are detailed in clear prose accompanied by attractive color drawings. Italian Marco Polo and Portuguese Ferdinand Magellan both ventured to the Far East, while Lewis and Clark trekked through the uncharted North American West. All three titles humanize their subjects, describe interactions with Native Peoples, and summarize the impact of their expeditions. Glos., ind. Review covers these Explorers titles: The Story of Lewis and Clark, The Story of Magellan, and The Story of Marco Polo.
(4)
K-3
Zoom In on Native American Leaders series.
These starter biographies offer brief descriptions (with one to three sentences per page) about important Native American figures; historical art and photos as well as contemporary scenic photos accompany the sparse texts. Only very cursory details about each subject is offered, but the series may serve as an adequate introduction for younger readers. Lists of quick stats and key dates are appended. Glos., ind. Review covers these Zoom In on Native American Leaders titles: Chief Joseph, Crazy Horse, Pocahontas, Sacagawea, Sequoyah, and Sitting Bull.
(3)
4-6
Instead of a summer playing baseball, Will is forced to accompany his history-obsessed father on a Lewis and Clark–inspired road trip. Eventually, Will learns the truth behind the journey, revealing a tale of a family redefining itself in the face of serious illness. An easy read, seasoned with American history and Will's tart voice; Will and his father's deepening relationship is affecting.
(4)
K-3
Zoom In on Pioneering Explorers series.
These three biographies highlight international exploration (Ferdinand Magellan; Marco Polo) and exploration of the American West (Lewis and Clark). The scant introductory volumes, which align to Common Core Standards, raise more questions than answers, but they may spark interest in further research. Paintings, drawings, and stock photographs accompany the mundane texts. Lists of quick stats and key dates are appended. Glos., ind. Review covers the following Zoom In on Pioneering Explorers titles: Ferdinand Magellan, Lewis and Clark, and Marco Polo.
(4)
4-6
Women Who Broke the Rules series.
Illustrated by
Matt Collins.
Krull meets the challenge of balancing fact and speculation head-on, occasionally tripping on her modern phrasing ("Hidatsa women helped their economy sizzle") and glossing over certain facts (such as the adoption of Sacajawea's young son by Meriwether Lewis). Collins's paintings support the account, though at times his subjects' facial expressions appear cartoonish. An informative and well-researched offering, despite its pitfalls. Reading list, websites. Bib., ind.
(4)
K-3
Cub Reporter Meets Famous Americans series.
Illustrated by
Doug Jones.
Cub Reporter "interviews" Sacagawea about her life and the Lewis and Clark expedition. Sacagawea responds to simplistic questions in her own hokey "voice" ("Captain Lewis said that if I hadn't done this, the trip could've been ruined!"). Cartoons of a microphone-holding bear cub alternate with captioned photos and illustrations that extend information. The premise may work for reluctant readers. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind.
64 pp.
| Arcturus
| March, 2015
|
LibraryISBN 978-1-78404-081-9$27.95
(4)
4-6
Wild West series.
These books delve into legends and popular lore related to the American West. Brief biographies and vignettes dispel many of the myths surrounding such characters as Jesse James, Belle Starr, Butch Cassidy, and Wyatt Earp. Trailblazing includes accounts of Lewis and Clark, mountain men and fur trappers, and the Alamo. Illustrations and sidebars accompany readable texts on blandly designed pages. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers the following Wild West titles: Gunslingers and Cowboys, Outlaws and Rebels, and Trailblazing the Way West.
48 pp.
| Boyds/Calkins
| September, 2015
|
TradeISBN 978-1-62091-628-5$16.95
(3)
4-6
Illustrated by
Stacy Innerst.
Jefferson's passion for agriculture takes center stage in this dense picture-book biography. Beginning with his rebuttal of foreign gibes at American wildlife, Jefferson's many efforts to promote America as a nation of farmers are chronicled, including growing new crops, smuggling rice, and commissioning Lewis and Clark's expedition. Playful gouache paintings accompany a well-researched text; an afterword considers Jefferson's slave ownership. Timeline. Bib.
48 pp.
| Enslow
| August, 2012
|
LibraryISBN 978-0-7660-4006-9$21.26 New ed. (1997)
(4)
4-6
Courageous Heroes of the American West series.
All originally published under different titles, the updated editions of these brief biographies, written in short, easy-to-read sentences, outline the lives of adventurous individuals who helped shape the American West during the nineteenth century. Black-and-white photographs and drawings add some interest to the text-heavy pages; the lurid cover illustrations are unappealing. There are four other fall 2012 books in this series. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Courageous Heroes of the American West titles: Bill Pickett, Buffalo Bill Cody, Calamity Jane, Daniel Boone, Davy Crockett, Richard King, Sacagawea, and Sam Houston.
245 pp.
| Walker
| April, 2012
|
TradeISBN 978-0-8027-2340-6$16.99
(4)
4-6
Following in the footsteps of Lewis and Clark, Goldenrod Moram plans to meticulously map her hometown. In the woods near her home, she discovers a strange woman, a quest for an elusive blue rose, the ghost of Meriwether Lewis, and a band of hoodlums (mostly her classmates). Although the plot treads predictable paths, quirky characters keep the story lively and engaging.
40 pp.
| Atheneum
| June, 2011
|
TradeISBN 978-1-4169-9474-9$16.99
(4)
K-3
Illustrated by
Jim Madsen.
Sacagawea's infant son, carried on her back, narrates this story. Napoli's prose is more evocative than explanatory: "We try dugouts / against the mighty spring current. / The current wins. / We buy horses / and ride…" The language, while poetic and imagistic, can be puzzlingly abstract. Digital illustrations with the appearance of expansive oil paintings depict the shifting landscape.
124 pp.
| Sterling
| October, 2010
|
TradeISBN 978-1-4027-6845-3$12.95
(3)
4-6
Sterling Biographies series.
Each title opens with an introduction that arouses compassion and interest for the featured subject. Succeeding chapters present chronological biographies, with vivid portrayals of daily life, culture, and the impact an expanding America had on the individual and his or her people. Paintings, drawings, and occasional photographs combine with detail-rich sidebars and maps to provide a cumulatively engaging, accessible history lesson. Timeline, websites. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Sterling Biographies titles: Sacagawea, Chief Joseph,Pocahontas, Sitting Bull, Geronimo, and Tecumseh.
112 pp.
| Enslow
| April, 2010
|
LibraryISBN 978-1-59845-124-5$31.93
(3)
YA
Great Explorers of the World series.
Examining the lives of well-known explorers, these biographies go beyond to offer information about the times in which the men lived; events leading up to and surrounding their travels; and the impact of their explorations on the world. The volumes are well illustrated with photos, archival art, and maps. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Great Explorers of the World titles: Leif Eriksson, Captain Cook, Cortés, Vasco Da Gama, Lewis and Clark, and Pizarro.
(3)
4-6
Sterling Biographies series.
Attractive layouts and numerous reproductions of photos, paintings, documents, etc. (e.g., Lewis's pre-expedition shopping list) make for easy-to-approach biographies of four famous explorers. The writing is solid, with sidebars that flesh out historical contexts and important contemporaries. Columbus and Henson give personal portraits; Lewis & Clark reads more like a history of the expedition. Source notes, timeline. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Sterling Biographies titles: Christopher Columbus, Lewis & Clark, and Matthew Henson.
144 pp.
| OTTN
| January, 2008
|
LibraryISBN 978-1-59556-026-1$25.95
(4)
YA
Shapers of America series.
Crosby emphasizes Sacagawea's important role in Lewis and Clark's Corps of Discovery: a Shoshone captured by the Hidatsa she married a French-Canadian voyageur and acted as guide, interpreter, and indicator of peaceful intent, for no war party would include a woman and her baby. Though the text is dense, maps, photos, drawings, and sidebars add accessibility. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind.
48 pp.
| Heinemann
| September, 2007
|
LibraryISBN 978-1-4034-9757-4$31.43
(4)
4-6
Great Journeys Across Earth series.
Each series volume details a historically important expedition. The circumstances leading up to the journey as well as the aftermath are also discussed. Also included is information about who accompanied the explorers and the experiences they all had. Numerous sidebars, maps, and illustrations provide additional information (though the crowded pages divide attention). Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Great Journeys across Earth titles: Captain Cook's Pacific Explorations, Burton and Speke's Source of the Nile Quest, Amundsen and Scott's Race to the South Pole, Hillary and Norgay's Mount Everest Adventure, Lewis and Clark's Continental Journey, Magellan's Voyage around the World, and Marco Polo's Travels on Asia's Silk Road.