The Journey Home — John Hamilton

Gr 5-9-These three volumes cover the time periods from the overwintering of 1804 to the arrival at the Three Forks area of the Missouri; the fall of 1805 to the construction of Fort Clatsop on the Pacific Northwest coast; and the journey home from the spring of 1806 to the arrival back in the St. Louis area in 1807. Each book is divided into six brief, highly illustrated chapters. The narratives are well written. Clear and lively, they make seamless and effective use of primary-source material. The journals of both Lewis and Clark are interpolated frequently, always adding depth and illumination to the text. Illustrations are equally judiciously chosen and well placed. The use of Clark's maps is particularly inspired and serves to create respect for both the cartographer himself and for the task set for the Corps of Discovery. Given its overall quality, the format stands out as a potential problem. The slenderness of the volumes seems to pitch them at a younger audience than the middle and high school readers who would most benefit from the text and presentation. It is a pity all six volumes in the series were not combined into one larger book. Nonetheless, these titles are excellent stepping stones to in-depth adult titles such as Stephen E. Ambrose's Undaunted Courage (Touchstone, 1997).-Ann Welton, Grant Elementary School, Tacoma, WA Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.