Good Reads: Sacagawea

-          Author:  Judith St. George

-          Publisher:  G. P. Putnam’s Sons

-          Copyright:  1997

-          ISBN#:  0-399-23161-7

-          Genre:  Biography

-          Current Library Location:  Southwest Amarillo Public Library

Summary:

            Sacagawea is a biography of the Shoshone Indian woman who accompanied Lewis and Clark on their expedition from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean in the early 1800s.  Sacagawea’s husband was a French-Canadian fur trader who lived with the Indians.  He was hired as an interpreter for the expedition.  He proved to be almost useless, but Sacagawea was a great help to the company in many ways.  She and her small son, Pomp, were a sign of peace to other Indian tribes; she helped gather roots and berries for food; and, she also served as an interpreter.  She was brave and resourceful and was considered a valuable asset by Lewis and Clark.  Upon her death, Clark even adopted Pomp and raised him as his own.

Personal Response:

            I had never heard much of the story of Sacagawea before.  I enjoyed it particularly because it discussed the strength and courage of a woman and mother, and also her dreams of adventure.  Sacagawea was smart and resourceful, and proved to be a great help in spite of her husband’s failure as a value to the journey.  The book also gave insight into Indian life—the differences in tribes, the relationship between the Indians and the white men, and also some of the Indian culture.

Suggested Use in Classroom:

            This book is a great example of a biography.  I believe it’s an asset because it is a true story and an adventure story, yet it is about a woman—something not seen in classic literature very often.  Like historical fiction, biographies are another way to give students’ a place to connect real people and emotions with their history books.  After reading this example, students could practice interviewing each other and writing short biographies.