Synopses & Reviews
This young, lyrical picture book reveals the adventure and natural wonders that Lewis andamp; Clark encountered on their Western expedition in the early 1800s. Told from the point of view of Jean Baptiste Charbonneau, the baby on Sacagawea's back, this story offers a fresh perspective of a young country and gives voice to a character readers will already be familiar with--at least visually (the baby is shown on the golden Sacagawea dollar).
Review
and#8220;Short, poetic descriptions of the landscape and journeyand#8230;close with onomatopoetic phrases that refer to the many animals they meet during the journeyand#8230;digital artwork is rendered in warm, earthy hues, shot through with tiny, crackling lines that give the images an aura of old oil paintingsand#8230;readily conveying the majesty and geographic biodiversity of the American west. A refreshing new angle on a familiar story of American history.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; --andlt;Iandgt;Publishers Weekly,andlt;/Iandgt; April 25, 2011, andlt;Bandgt;*STARandlt;/Bandgt;
Review
and#8220;Napoli expertly gets into the mind of Sacagaweaand#8217;s sonand#8230;a beautiful, atmospheric narrative that explores the possibilities of that momentous expeditionand#8230;.Madsenand#8217;s glowing illustrations, created digitally, employ rich jewel tonesand#8230;.Children will need nonfiction sources to gain context about Lewis and Clark, but this lyrical picture book will help them understand the journey on a human level.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt; --andlt;Iandgt;School Library Journal, andlt;/Iandgt;July 2011
Review
and#8220;Poetic text and lush artwork tell an evocative story for children familiar with the history.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt; --andlt;Iandgt;The New York Times Book Review, andlt;/Iandgt;July 15, 2011
Review
and#8220;Full page, full color illustrations beautifully capture the natural landscape surrounding the travelers. Readers will enjoy hearing about this journey from a simplistic yet poetic point of view.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt; --andlt;Iandgt;Library Media Connection, andlt;/Iandgt;November/December 2011
Review
"Riding in a cradle board on his motherand#8217;s back, Sacagaweaand#8217;s baby son Jean Baptiste provides a fresh perspective on Lewis and Clarkand#8217;s monumental westward journey.... Richly hued, realistic, digitally rendered illustrations capture the pristine grandeur of the American west and its first inhabitants. The wee narrator, Jean Baptiste, appears on his motherand#8217;s back or in her arms in every double-page spread with high plains, waterfalls, mountains, forests and ocean as backdrop until he runs free in the final scene. Experience the wonder of Lewis and Clarkand#8217;s journey with the youngest expedition member."andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt; andlt;Iandgt;- Kirkus Reviews,andlt;/Iandgt; May 2011
Synopsis
This young, lyrical picture book reveals the adventure and natural wonders that Lewis & Clark encountered on their Western expedition in the early 1800s. Told from the point of view of Jean Baptiste Charbonneau, the baby on Sacagawea's back, this story offers a fresh perspective of a young country and gives voice to a character readers will already be familiar with--at least visually (the baby is shown on the golden Sacagawea dollar).
About the Author
Donna Jo Napoli is the acclaimed and award-winning author of many novels, both fantasies and contemporary stories. She won the Golden Kite Award for andlt;iandgt;Stones in Waterandlt;/iandgt; in 1997. Her novel andlt;iandgt;Zelandlt;/iandgt; was named an American Bookseller Pick of the Lists, a Publishers Weekly Best Book, a Bulletin Blue Ribbon, and a School Library Journal Best Book, and a number of her novels have been selected as ALA Best Books. She isandnbsp;a professor of linguisticsandnbsp;at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania, where she lives with her husband. Visit her at DonnaJoNapoli.com.andlt;Bandgt;Jim Madsenandlt;/Bandgt; is the illustrator of numerous books for children. He is a graduate of Brigham Young University and lives with his wife and kids in Provo, Utah where he enjoys the outdoors, golf, and riding Harley Davidson motorcycles.