cover image SACAGAWEA

SACAGAWEA

Liselotte Erdrich, , illus. by Julie Buffalohead. . Lerner/Carolrhoda, $16.95 (40pp) ISBN 978-0-87614-646-0

Erdrich (Bears Make Rock Soup and Other Stories), a member of the Turtle Mountain band of Plains-Ojibway, and newcomer Buffalohead, who is of Ponca heritage, retell the story of the famous Shoshone woman. For the most part, the text adheres to what is known of Sacagawea (principally from the journals of Lewis and Clark) and only rarely speculates on Sacagawea's feelings. Unfortunately, when Erdrich does try to extrapolate from other material, the writing sometimes strains for effect. For example, kidnapped from her tribe at the age of 11 or 12 by Hidatsa warriors, Sacagawea is said only to be "overwhelmed by the vast open space" and "astonish[ed]" at the Hidatsa earth-lodge village. When Erdrich turns to Hidatsa life, she writes of Sacagawea's pleasure in gardening (the Shoshone did not garden) and adds, in a rare and conspicuous metaphor, "The sunflower, friendly soul of the garden, brightened her days." Featuring earth tones, broad strokes and a grainy texture, Buffalohead's oil paintings impute more personality to Sacagawea (and to her growing infant son, Pomp), but the other characters' faces often seem indistinct. The most useful illustrations may be the occasional black-and-white spot art; these provide more detailed views of specific objects or moments mentioned in the text (e.g., Pomp's "cradleboard"; men hauling a canoe on a roughly built wagon). A timeline and map of the expedition's route are included. Ages 8-11. (Aug.)