The Life of Sacagawea

April 1, 2012

PreK-Gr 1-These slim titles present brief looks at the lives of six important figures in American history. While engaging and highly readable, with just a few sentences and a large color picture per spread, there is not enough content in these volumes for reports, and there is already a wealth of information available about these people for young readers. The time lines reiterate the important events mentioned in the text and the concise glossaries contain adequate definitions. Children may stumble over pronunciations of the multisyllabic words used throughout the series.

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2012
Grades K-3 This very simple biography of Sacagawea, part of the Famous Lives series, will serve as an introduction for children who want to know more. Still, it offers a good deal of information considering its slim size. From the start, Nelson tells readers that many facts about Sacagawea's life are uncertain. She does give a date for her birth and discusses how she was abducted from a rival tribe and joined her husband leading Lewis and Clark on their famous expedition. After that, little is known, including the date of her death. Each small, square page features a bit of text in large type facing an historical painting or photograph. The back matter features a glossary and further-reading suggestions with a couple books and two websites, including one that traces the Lewis and Clark expedition.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)