Our Journey West with Lewis and Clark
By Claire Rudolf Murphy
Illustrations by Higgins Bond
Lewis and Clark Expedition, also known as Corps of Discovery is famous in annals of American history for being considered as one of the first known teams to have found a way across American continent to Pacific Ocean. Although the team was made up of volunteers, there were a few like York and Sacajawea who were forced to accompany them. York, an African American slave of William Clark and Sacajawea, an Indian-American of the tribe Lemhi Shoshone was considered a property of her husband, a french-Canadian named Charbonneau. This book is the story of these two properties/slaves who end up playing a great role in this expedition.
Most picture books are told from third person perspective and a few are told as first person account. I have rarely come across a picture book for 32 pages which switch between two different view points. Most picture books are kept simple and hardly are the perspectives changed. In this book though, Claire Rudolf Murphy keeps switching the perspective from York to Sacajawea - as every alternate page is told from each other's perspective.
Sacajawea, pregnant with her kid was enlisted by her husband to travel along with the Corps team and she plays a huge part in the success of the expedition. She helps the team understand and interact with the other Indian communities acting as an interpreter and guide.
As the whole story is told from the perspective of York and Sacajawea and the way the picture book was presented, it is clear that both of them were just living their life as it comes, not thinking of the so-called bigger picture, probably wondering what is the big deal about the expedition and just going along because they had to - because they had no choice. And in-spite of it all, they played a rather pivotal role in this expedition and exploration of the continent of North America.
A lovely book that can be used as a starting point to understand the history of exploration of the North American continent, slavery and migration. The book has some great references to both books and websites that can be read on the same topic.
As the whole story is told from the perspective of York and Sacajawea and the way the picture book was presented, it is clear that both of them were just living their life as it comes, not thinking of the so-called bigger picture, probably wondering what is the big deal about the expedition and just going along because they had to - because they had no choice. And in-spite of it all, they played a rather pivotal role in this expedition and exploration of the continent of North America.
A lovely book that can be used as a starting point to understand the history of exploration of the North American continent, slavery and migration. The book has some great references to both books and websites that can be read on the same topic.
4 comments:
Wow this sounds like a gem. Thanks Sathish for pointing it to us.
Sounds like a great book, Sathish. The format sounds interesting - it is often found in longer books, but as you said, unusual for a 32 page picture book. Will look out for it.
"As the whole story is told from the perspective of York and Sacajawea and the way the picture book was presented, it is clear that both of them were just living their life as it comes, not thinking of the so-called bigger picture, probably wondering what is the big deal about the expedition and just going along because they had to - because they had no choice. And in-spite of it all, they played a rather pivotal role in this expedition and exploration of the continent of North America."
Isn't it true of most really great things?
Chox and Sandhya, this book is a favourite of mine and daughter. For me,it was like a new world that was opened up...never knew that Sacajawea is a legend in American history.
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