A 150-pound Newfoundland dog teams with Lewis & Clark for an edge-of-your-seat middle grade adventure. It is 1804, the year that Meriwether Lewis, William Clark, and the Corps of Discovery set out for their now-legendary exploration of the Louisiana Purchase. With no maps and little idea what wonders and dangers lie ahead, Seaman, a 150-pound Newfoundland dog, proves to be one of the most valuable members of the Corps. In the face of starvation, Seaman catches and retrieves game, and his intimidating size and teeth protect the small band of explorers – from Native American raiders and even a ferocious grizzly bear! As the bond and mutual trust between Seaman and the Corp grows, they're confident that nothing—not even raging waters and towering mountains—will stop them from reaching the West Coast. This thrilling fictional account of Lewis and Clark's expedition with the Corps of Discovery, Seaman, and eventually Sacagawea, is full of accurate details drawn from Lewis's own diary entries and will draw readers into one of the most exciting chapters in American history. Grade 4-7-Sometime in the summer of 1803, Meriwether Lewis paid the huge sum of $20 for a Newfoundland dog that he named Seaman. This animal participated in one of the great adventures in American history and became part of the written record of the Lewis and Clark expedition. He is mentioned nearly 30 times in the diaries of the two captains and even had a creek named after him. Once young readers begin this fictional account of the dog's role in the expedition, they will be caught up in the drama and action and even reluctant readers will find it just too good to put down. By concentrating on the interaction of the dog with the members of the Corps of Discovery, Karwoski humanizes the men and woman of the expedition, but she is guilty of trying to soften the historical realities. York is introduced by Clark as his "servant" rather than his slave. Also, readers will be hard-pressed to come away with a clear understanding of Sacagawea. This book does convey a strong sense of the adventure without sentimentalizing her relationship with Clark or without concentrating too much on the sense of rugged individualism and Manifest Destiny. Interwoven with the story is information about protein shortages, problems with vermin and bugs, and the dangers of having an unskilled braggart as a boatsman. The text is accompanied by two useful maps and Watling's black-and-white drawings that are captioned by the original entries from the men's journals. Dona J. Helmer, Montana State University, Billings, MT Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. Based on a true story gleaned from period journals, this historical novel dramatizes the story of Seaman, the Newfoundland dog that accompanied Lewis and Clark on their expedition. Along the way, Seaman befriends a member of the Corps of Discovery and proves itself to be a valuable contributor to their happiness and success. Despite the occasional passage of information-laden conversation, the story flows well. The appended author's note separates fact from fiction to some extent and tells what happened to the main characters after the events in the book. James Watling's many handsome, shaded-pencil drawings will help readers visualize the setting, hardships, and dramatic moments of the story; and two maps will enable them to follow the explorers' route. An effective, fictional introduction to the Lewis and Clark expedition. Carolyn Phelan "James Watling's many handsome, shaded-pencil drawings will help readers visualize the setting, hardships, and dramatic moments of the story; and two maps will enable them to follow the explorers' route. An effective, fictional introduction to the Lewis and Clark expedition." —Booklist "Once young readers begin this fictional account of the dog's role in the expedition, they will be caught up in the drama and action and even reluctant readers will find it just too good to put down." —School Library Journal Seaman joins the intrepid explorers in the tale with a personality all his own, hunting and retrieving game, toting supplies, battling against wild animals (once almost losing his life when bitten by a beaver) and frolicking with his companions around the evening campfire. Jim and Julia's summer turns into an adventure of a lifetime as they travel to North Caico Island and fight to survive a storm at sea and drug runners that want to remain a secret. Gail Langer Karwoski received a BA from the University of Massachusetts and an MA from the University of Minnesota. She taught third- and fourth-grade students for many years. Karwoski has published several picture books and historical novels for middle readers. She lives in Georgia. James Watling lived in Canada, where he was a professor of art education at McGill University. He illustrated more than fifty books, many of them for young readers. He died in 2006. Used Book in Good Condition