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127th out of 391 books
—
210 voters
The Captain's Dog: My Journey with the Lewis and Clark Tribe
by
Roland Smith
Born the runt of his litter and gambled away to a rusty old river man, the Newfoundland pup Seaman doesn’t imagine his life will be marked by any kind of glory. But when he meets Captain Meriwether Lewis, Seaman finds himself on a path that will make history. Lewis is setting off on his landmark search for the Northwest Passage, and he takes Seaman along.Sharing the curios...more
Paperback, 304 pages
Published
September 1st 2008
by Sandpiper
(first published 1999)
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I've always had an interest in the Lewis and Clark expedition but it wasn't until I started working at Washington State's Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center at Cape Disappointment that I've had access to so many different books on the subject.
I love animals and I loved hearing about Seaman (Captain Lewis' Newfoundland dog) during the expedition so when I found this book at the Interpretive Center gift shop I had to give it a read even though it's for young readers and I'm an avid adult reader....more
I love animals and I loved hearing about Seaman (Captain Lewis' Newfoundland dog) during the expedition so when I found this book at the Interpretive Center gift shop I had to give it a read even though it's for young readers and I'm an avid adult reader....more
The narrative fails to maintain a convincingly doggish perspective, but it is a moving and entertaining account of the journey of Lewis and Clark none-the-less. Reviewers more knowledgeable than I have spoken for its historical accuracy. There are several disturbing scenes which may be too much for younger readers, such as the whipping of a man until he passes out from the agony of it. Also, the men take to eating dogs, not because of hunger but because they are tired of a monotonous diet of abu...more
I like dogs, history, Lewis & Clark, adventure, canoeing, hunting, fishing, camping and swatting skeeters. This book bursts with all that cool stuff. The doggy point of view is a unique and entertaining way to present this important historical event. Author Roland Smith does a good job of fleshing out excerpts of Lewis' journal with Seaman's doggy recollection of a united team of superbly-led men braving uncharted territory, starvation, disease, numbing cold, doubts, disappointment and depre...more
This is a very fun novel for children, as it discusses the life and journey of Lewis's dog, Seaman. Seaman is a newfoundland dog that is bought by Lewis, and while on the journey with Lewis and Clark, the readers hear about the trip from Seaman's perspective. WIth Seaman telling the story, it gives the novel a fun twist, and makes it more relatable for children. Children are more likely to relate to animals, and by having a dog tell the story, children can be entertained while still learning abo...more
This book grabbed me right from the start when Captain Merriweather Lewis bought the runt of a litter from a man on the wharf of Pittsburgh. Lewis names the dog Seaman and together with Captain Clark and a small party of pioneers they set off on a journey to find the Northwest Passage. The expedidition of Lewis & Clark. The book traces the journey through the writings of Lewis' journal as he entered the days events. Seaman then gives his account of the same day from the canine's perspective....more
This was a family read aloud. I have to admit, I began listening with a slight prejudice because I've read Stephen Ambrose's book, Undaunted Courage, about the Lewis and Clark expedition and that is some GOOD reading. I was, however, pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. Smith tells the story from the perspective of Seaman, Captain Lewis's huge dog. Each chapter begins with a portion of an actual entry from Lewis and Clark's journal and then the dog, as well as some other charact...more
Roland Smith is a wonderful author for children. I love all his books and find they capture my attention. This book did not let me down. It is well-written and adds excitement to the Lewis and Clark story by adding another voice on the trail--the dog and how he saw things transpire over the course of the year. My son is 11 and loved the book. We have been to many of the places along the trail Lewis & Clark ventured, so he could relate and picture the places in the book. That certainly helped...more
I remember the big dog that accompanied Lewis and Clark from the book by Stephen Ambrose, Undaunted Courage, but I did not realize he had written his own book, too!
This is a very well written account of the Lewis and Clark expedition told from the viewpoint of Seaman, Captain Lewis' dog. Each chapter begins with a description of the day's activity from Lewis' personal journal and Seaman expounds on what happened. This is a fantastic introduction to one of the greatest stories of exploration on t...more
This is a very well written account of the Lewis and Clark expedition told from the viewpoint of Seaman, Captain Lewis' dog. Each chapter begins with a description of the day's activity from Lewis' personal journal and Seaman expounds on what happened. This is a fantastic introduction to one of the greatest stories of exploration on t...more
I absolutely loved this book. It was filled with excitement and adventure and there was hardly a dull moment. The history involved was learned but it didn't feel like a history lesson. We laughed, I cried and there were many times we were in awe of what was going on or what had just happened.
The story is told from the dog's point of view and the images the Roland Smith created through his words, looking through Seaman's eyes was astounding. It was more like "being there" as opposed to sitting ba...more
The story is told from the dog's point of view and the images the Roland Smith created through his words, looking through Seaman's eyes was astounding. It was more like "being there" as opposed to sitting ba...more
The Captain’s Dog is about Lewis and Clark’s journey to the Pacific ocean. The book is mostly at the point of view of Lewis’s newfoundland Seaman, but at the beginning of each chapter there is an excerpt from Lewis’s journal. This book tells about all their meetings with the Native Americans, and how they slowly map out the west of the soon to be United States.
I really like how it was in the point of view of a dog and I love reading it.
“I turned to find a path to the river, but to my horror my w...more
I really like how it was in the point of view of a dog and I love reading it.
“I turned to find a path to the river, but to my horror my w...more
I received this book in my library through the Picturing America Grant. I had a hard time thinking that it would be good. But Roland Smith writes some great adventure books so I decided to read it. It started out a little slow but in the end I really enjoyed it. It is mostly narrated by a dog. The author did a great job helping you to visually see and mentally feel like you were reading this story through the dog.
It as a quick fun read. If you dogs, animals or Lewis & Clark you would enjoy...more
It as a quick fun read. If you dogs, animals or Lewis & Clark you would enjoy...more
A most vivid travel journal - from a dog's perspective! Made my daughter and I feel like we were right there, traveling with Seaman's human companions... amongst the friendly and not-so-friendly Native Americans; at the birth of Sacajawea's baby boy; climbing up one side of the Rockies and hunting for the "Northwest Passage" on the other side.
A MUST READ for anyone interested in an adventurous historical fiction tale, recounting the expansion of our country!
A MUST READ for anyone interested in an adventurous historical fiction tale, recounting the expansion of our country!
The story of Lewis and Clark through Lewis' dog's eyes....
I read another book out loud to my class which has Seaman (the dog) as the main character. I'm not planning to change to this one. This one is a bit more complex, and would be harder to read out loud. I like how the author spends more time focusing on Lewis, and his complex personality. Not much new information about the Corps here, but a different focus, and well written.
I read another book out loud to my class which has Seaman (the dog) as the main character. I'm not planning to change to this one. This one is a bit more complex, and would be harder to read out loud. I like how the author spends more time focusing on Lewis, and his complex personality. Not much new information about the Corps here, but a different focus, and well written.
UPDATE: finished the book and loved it! What a genious idea, to write about a historical event through the eyes of a dog. Smith is a gifted, imaginative writer. He makes it all so believable- you forget that the dog is the narrator!
The story goes back and forth, between the present and past, but it wasn't difficult to follow along.
I've been reading this book aloud to my 10 yr old daughter. I must admit, I was expecting this to be dry, monotonous and boring. It is quite the opposite! I only wis...more
The story goes back and forth, between the present and past, but it wasn't difficult to follow along.
I've been reading this book aloud to my 10 yr old daughter. I must admit, I was expecting this to be dry, monotonous and boring. It is quite the opposite! I only wis...more
Mar 07, 2011
Morgan Metcalf
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
historical-fiction
awesome book, I had forgotten a lot of the things i had learned about Lewis and Clark. i love SEAMAN!!! (dogs rock) I wasn't so glad about the whole spirit-guide thing. it's one things to say the indians believe in it, it's another to make it seem real. overall, a great story packed with information.
Oct 03, 2010
Aaron Marie
is currently reading it
So far this is a great book for middle and high school students to learn actuate information about the Lewis and Clark expedition. Each chapter starts with writings from a journal and then the story continue with events that happened along the way from the dogs point of view. So far I am loving it.
This is another book I read because Ethan (almost age 9) was reading it. It was interesting both because I didn't know that much about Lewis and Clark's journey and because it's told from the point of the dog. It made me want to research the actually events more to see what really happened how.
Written from the perspective of Seaman, Captain Clark's dog, this is a unique tale of the journey of Lewis and Clark. Each chapter begins with an excerpt from Lewis' journal, which offers a human element to the story. This was a quick read with a lot of great detail.
Brilliantly entertaining and accurate (and non-PC) tale of the Lewis and Clark expedition through the eyes of a Newfoundland hound. If you read the actually journals from Meriwether Lewis, the accuracy is amazing. What you read in this novel is exactly how Lewis described it.
Fun to see the Lewis and Clark adventure through a dog's eyes....the kids loved it, of course! The writing/language is not stellar, but pleasant enough. Great accompaniment to studies about Lewis & Clark. Appropriate for all ages that will listen without pictures.
Surprisingly good naration of the Lewis and Clark exploration of the Missouri River Basin and the "Northwest Passage" which combines the expedition journal and the dog's perspective. For the teen/young adult audience, it give a great perspective on the natural wonders on first seeing the prairie and plains of this country combined with the various tribes of Native Americans that this group encountered.
I love this genre. This is for everyone who enjoys the journey of Lewis and Clark. I feel I am right there with Sea and Drouillard and Colter and everyone else. It is written in diary entry then Sea's point of view of what happened.
Feb 24, 2012
Peyton
is currently reading it
So far, this book has kept me intruiged, and I am glad for the interesting perspective the author has shown to his readers. Seeing Lewis and Clark's journey through the eyes of a dog makes me think about it in a whole different way.
A great story about the Lewis and Clark expedition... From the dog's view!
I loved the story and the dog is named Seaman. Seaman is a Newfoundland pup and he is the runt of the litter... and still bigger than a Wolf.
A very good book.
I loved the story and the dog is named Seaman. Seaman is a Newfoundland pup and he is the runt of the litter... and still bigger than a Wolf.
A very good book.
I liked the part when the Lewis and Clark expedition escaped from the Blackfeet Indians. Lewis and Clark caught the Blackfeet Indians stealing their horses and equipment. I liked learning about Sacagawea and her cute baby, Pomp.
This book held my childish captivation down to the last page. Writing from the perspective of Seaman, Lewis' dog, was a risky, but rewarding way to describe the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Very well written.
So the dog is named Seaman. I don't know if I can make it through this book.
So I made it through the book. It was ok.
I could see it being a book report book for a 5th grader while studying Lewis and Clark's Exploration.
So I made it through the book. It was ok.
I could see it being a book report book for a 5th grader while studying Lewis and Clark's Exploration.
I bought this for Owen who was expressing an interest in Lewis and Clark. This is told from the dog's point of view. I actually learned a lot about the expedition.
An enjoyable read, laced with facts about the actual Lewis and Clark expedition. Sometimes I had to remember to think like a dog, as he was the teller of the tale.
Amazing book! Even if you don't have an interest in history, what an exciting story! Imaginative writing. Puts you right into the Lewis and Clark expedition.
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Roland Smith is an American author of young adult fiction as well as nonfiction books for children.
Smith was born in Portland, Oregon, and graduated from Portland State University and, following a part-time job at the Oregon Zoo in Portland, began a 20-year career as a zookeeper, both at the Oregon Zoo and the Point Defiance Zoo in Tacoma, Washington. After working to save wildlife following the E...more
More about Roland Smith...
Smith was born in Portland, Oregon, and graduated from Portland State University and, following a part-time job at the Oregon Zoo in Portland, began a 20-year career as a zookeeper, both at the Oregon Zoo and the Point Defiance Zoo in Tacoma, Washington. After working to save wildlife following the E...more
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Mar 01, 2009 01:41pm