Customer Reviews

Streams to the River, River to the Sea

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Before I read the book, I saw the PBS documentary about Lewis and Clark. After reading the book, I double checked the information with the journals of the men of the Corps of Discovery. The first mistake the book made was that it said Sacagawea had learned English, and translated for them. However, she had not learned English at this time. The true translation process worked like this: Lewis or Clark would tell someone something in English; a member of the expedition would tell it to Charbonneau in French. Charbonneau would then translate it to Sacajawea's native language, and then she would speak to the Indians they met in their native language (if she knew it.)
One of the many other problems with Scott O'Dell's version, was that he made it sound like Captain William Clark was in love with Sacagawea, and she was in love with him. There is no proof that he was in love with her, but according to the journals, he did show compassion on her by trying to protect her from Charbonneau, who would often beat her.
Overlooking many small mistakes, I also must point out that Captain Lewis's Newfoundland dog was actually stolen, where in the book, it says that Captain Lewis gave Sacagawea the dog.
The end was the most disappointing part of the book. Once they reached the place where Sacagawea and her husband had started the journey, Captain Clark came to speak to her. He basically told her what he thought of her: that he didn't love her, and that he thought of her as a child. This led her to pack up and leave-the book ends with her riding away. Away from her husband whom she hated, and Captain Clark who she thought she loved. Away to the Shoshone people she truly loved.
However, this is not very accurate. It is known that Sacagawea stayed with Charbonneau at Fort Mandan for a month or two. Captain Clark invited the whole family to come to St. Louis so that her son could be educated. It is also known that they stayed there at least five years. In 1811, Charbonneau sold his land to Captain Clark and moved back to the Dakotas. Jean Baptiste, their son, was left in the care of Captain Clark. He became a trapper and guide who worked with Kit Carson, Jim Bridger and other explorers. He was fluent in French, German, Spanish and English as well his native Shoshone.

Streams to the River, River to the Sea: A Novel of Sacagawea, written by Scott O'Dell has 298 pages of exciting reading. Yet not all is true. This book is about the famous adventures of Lewis and Clark, but from Sacagawea's, their guide, point of view. Sacagawea was taken from her Indian tribe, the Shoshones, when she was about 12 years old. She became a slave for this new tribe, the Minnetarees, and was going to marry the chieftan's son. But after being saved by a frenchmen, she married him and became a guide for Lewis and Clark. There were many mishaps along the way. But some of this is not true. For instance, there is no written proof that Sacagawea fell in love with Clark. She may have liked him, but never as deeply as the book states. And, at the end, Lewis never gave her his dog. He kept Scannon (whose name could be Seamon for the handwriting in the journal was difficult to read) and took him back to St. Louis.

I enjoyed the book because it gave a new perspective on this famous exploration. I've only read it from Lewis and Clark's point of view. Though it was great, I didn't like certain parts of it. One, there were some untrue facts. Two, it skipped some of the more exciting parts and instead spent more time telling you about all the Indian tribes. Three, you'd have to read the book a few times before you could truly get the whole of what O'Dell is trying to get across to you. I would recommend this book if you have already read a book on Lewis and Clark's journey, because otherwise you wouldn't understand to much of what was going on. Don't read this if it's going to be your first time reading about Lewis and Clark. Hope this was helpful. Happy Reading!

Lewis and Clark's daring journey through the Louisiana Territory to the Pacific Ocean and back was created anew in the wonderful Streams to the River, River to the Sea. The book describes how Sacagawea, a young Shoshone woman, provides invaluable assistance and guidance to the Lewis and Clark expedition. When Sacagawea was a young woman, she was captured by the Minnetarees, an enemy tribe, and taken from her native village. She made a bold escape only to fall into the hands of Charbonneau, a cruel and ugly French trader whom she is forced to marry. Sacagawea has a son named Meeko soon after their marriage. Even though Sacagawea was a good wife and devoted mother, she was mistreated and abused by her husband.

While Sacagawea and her family journeyed through the Louisiana Territory, the expedition confronted many challenges such as severe cold, intense heat, sickness, and fierce enemy tribes. While the expedition traveled near the foot of the Rockies, Sacagawea met up with her blood brother and her Shoshone tribe helps the expedition in a vital way. In this story, Sacagawea learns about the true meaning of love and her place in society as a Native American. The author describes these difficulties in a vivid and adventurous way. Sacagawea's courageous and resourceful character is portrayed beautifully in this exciting and suspenseful book.

"Streams to the river, River to the sea" was a very enjoyable book. It is based on the life of Sacagawea when she was kidnapped from her home tribe and "adopted" by the Minnetarees, a enemy tribe. Toward the middle of her teenage years, she is taken from her new home to join the famous Lewis and Clark exibition. From there, Sacagawaea and the other members of the group go through many chalenges from other indian tribes to the deadly forces of nature. It is a very good book and I would definantly recomend it to any other readers interested in American history.

This book is a fictionalized account of two years in the life of a young Shoshone girl, called "Bird Woman" in her own tongue. Kidnapped by a raiding tribe, whose language she must learn, she is enslaved and groomed for the chief's son. Something about Sacagawea excites the interest of several warriors during the course of this story, but she is forced to marry a sly, truculent French trapper named Charbonneau, by whom she has a son at only 14.

While attempting to maintain historical accuracy (based on Clark's journals), O'Dell weaves an interesting tale of suppressed emotions, greed and jealousy, sacrifice and intrigue in wilderness America. The famous Lewis and Clark expedition of 1804/5 was commissioned to explore and document the geography, geology, flora and fauna of the newly purchased Louisiana Territory for President Jefferson. With the presumptuous claiming of Native American land as far as the
Pacific coast. This ardurous journey to the salty ocean, with her infant son on her back, was undertaken in simple faith and steadfast loyalty to the copper-haired captain. Yet the return proved a trail of unshed tears by the devoted young mother, who realized that the famous white man would never marry an Indian woman and be demeaned as a squaw man.

This story will appeal more to girls, since it is narrated in the first person by Sacagewea herself. Fort Clatsop, where the party wintered near the Washington/Oregon border, has been reconstructed for tourists interested in America's Western history. Of note: the courage of this brave Indian girl has been preserved (with son on back) in a recent commemorative coin.

This is a fantastic book that portrays the life of Sacagawea. It tells about her life from the time she was captured by the Minnetarees to when she leaves the Corps of Discovery at the end of their journey. It is a great read and very informative.

oh my gosh, i love this book! scott o'dell is such a good author! i really don't know what to say, except i love this book!!!

This story took place in the Louisiana Territory during the early 1800's. The main character is a thirteen year old girl named Sacagawea. Other main characters are people in the Lewis and Clark expedition, her French husband, and her baby boy Meeka. Her husband, Charbonneau, was an ugly, cruel man who she was forced to marry because she was a Minnetaree slave. Clark, on the other hand, was handsome and kind and she loved him at first sight. Sacagawea went with the Lewis and Clark expedition so she could help guide them through the Louisiana Territory. They wanted to reach the North Pacific Ocean. Their journey held many difficulties including near starvation, floods, and frost bite. Do they make it? Does Sacagawea marry Clark? This is a great book. You should read it. Scott O'Dell is a wonderful writer. Out of all the Scott O'Dell books I've read, this one is my favorite.

It was a good historical book, but at some parts it was slow. It was interesting to see Sacagawea's side of the story, not just Lewis and Clarks. It is a good book if you are studying the Lewis and Clark expedition, or if you want to find out about it. The story tells of Sacagawea's hardships throught the journey and what happened before Lewis and Clark even hired her. It is very interesting how she comes to love Clark, but she is already married.

This book is pretty good, I did noot give it its full points because I like more adventure books. If you were thinking about reading this book this book you would like it if you liked a little adventure and a bit of aand history.

The story is about a girl named Sacagawea. Her family was part of the the shoshone tribe and lived high up in the rockies. as you probably already know she guided Lewis and Clark along the Mississippi river. This story started way before this adventure, it tellsyou how it all got started.

It all started when she and many other people from her tribe were captured, and the town was demolished.

Will she get along withe the Minetarees, the people who captured her, or will they kill her? Will she ever see the shoshone tribe again? to find out you must reaad the book.

This book is a great book to find out how the Lewis and Clark expedition really eas. It is also a great fiction story to tell you about Sacagawea's adventure