A fictionalized version of the story of Sacagawea, the young woman who traveled with Lewis and Clark on their expedition across America. Sacagawea, a Shoshone, is captured by a neighboring tribe and be. comes the prize in a game of chance. A French-Canadian trapper, Toussaint Charbonneau, is the winner, and, at 13, Sacagawea becomes his wife. O'Dell traces the familiar story as Sacagawea, with her husband and new baby, travels as guide to Lewis and Clark. Here O'Dell departs from history--Sacagawea falls in love with Clark, and so stays with the expedition through hardships and suffering. As the party journeys home, Clark tries to persuade Sacagawea to return to the land of the white man, where she and her young son can go to school. Instead Sacagawea steals away and returns to the land of the Shoshone. This book captures the excitement of discovery that early explorers must have felt. Though written as a novel rather than biography, a note about sources and/or a map of the journey would be welcome. The language is eloquent and stately, if slow-moving. Although there is little character development, Sacagawea is captivating. A satisfying historical chronicle.
