New Found Land: Lewis and Clark's Voyage of Discovery

"This amazing work presents the adventure of Lewis and Clark through the eyes of its participants." — SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL (starred review)

In powerful, lyrical language, here is the journey of Lewis and Clark told by themselves and their diverse crew — from a one-eyed French-Indian fiddler to Clark’s African-American slave; from Sacagawea to Lewis’s Newfoundland dog, a "seer" whose narrative resonates long after the book is closed.

An American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults

An International Reading Association Children’s Book Award Notable

A New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age

A SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL Best Book of the Year

A Lion and the Unicorn Honor Winner for Excellence in North American Poetry

Two starred reviews (KIRKUS, SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL)

Publishers Weekly

First novelist Wolf tells the story of the Lewis and Clark expedition as an engrossing epic in blank verse, through the voices of 14 alternating narrators. Not only are we to search out the Northwest Passage (should it exist);/ we are also now charged with determining/ the very boundaries of the United States of America, explains Meriwether Lewis to William Clark, when the latter accepts Lewis's invitation to co-command the legendary cross-country trek. Wolf assembles familiar participants, such as the two leaders; Clark's slave, York; and the Shoshone guide, Sacagawea; and also incorporates the fictionalized voice of Lewis's Newfoundland dog, Seaman (the pooch confesses, my true name is Oolum). Teenaged George Shannon's monologues here work nicely in tandem with Kate McMullan's My Travels with Capts. Lewis and Clark by George Shannon (reviewed Sept. 20), and Oolum voices many of the journey's moments of beauty and insight, as when the Corps is poised to fight 400 Indians if necessary (Everything fell silent, except for the hissing of the Missouri River, which would not be stopped). Because of the shifts among perspectives, however, readers may be challenged to figure out when some of the characters joined the expedition (it's hard to discern just how Sacagawea comes into the fold, for instance). But Wolf's ear for verse (especially in many of Sacagawea's monologues: e.g., Every night when I go to sleep/ the birds bring hope in their beaks) and strong sense of the dramatic keep the pages turning. History buffs and readers with an interest in Lewis and Clark will find much to savor. Ages 10-up. (Sept.) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Authors : Allan Wolf, Max Grafe

Publisher : Candlewick Press

Published Year : August 2004

Edition : 1

Subject : Children's Fiction, Historical

ISBN : 0763621137

ISBN13 : 9780763621131