The Captain's Dog: My Journey with the Lewis and Clark Tribe

What an enjoyable way to learn about the Lewis and Clark Expedition, from the perspective of a dog! "The Captain's Dog" is Seaman, a Newfoundland dog that belonged to Captain Meriwether Lewis. Seaman accompanied him and Captain William Clark and their Corps of Discovery on the search for the overland water route to the Pacific in the early 1800s. Here, Roland Smith's historical fiction is thoroughly researched and credible. Through Seaman, we meet many fascinating characters, experience the journey's hazards, and get an ingenious feel for what life in the Corps was like from the inside. Readers will enjoy the typical doglike behavior displayed by Seaman, such as marking his territory and sniffing out animals and humans from miles away. show more He is curious and courageous, as all fine explorers should be. Each chapter is told from three perspectives, using people who knew or accompanied Lewis and Clark speaking in third person, then reading excerpts from Lewis' personal diary, followed by Seaman recalling his adventures and observations in first person. The changes in viewpoint and lack of illustrations might make this book difficult for younger readers. I would recommend it for fifth grade reading level and up, especially as a great introduction or supplement for students studying the Lewis and Clark Expedition. show less

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 wish I could have read more books like this as a child- I might have retained a lot more history.

Born the runt of his litter and gambled away to a rusty old riverman, the Newfoundland pup Seaman doesn’t imagine his life will be marked by any kind of glory--beyond chasing down rats. But when he meets Captain Meriwether Lewis, Seaman finds himself on a path that will make history. Lewis is just setting off on his landmark search for the Northwest Passage, and he takes Seaman along. Sharing the curiosity and strength of spirit of his new master, Seaman proves himself a valuable companion at every turn. Part history, part science--and adventure through and through--The Captain’s Dog is the carefully researched, thrilling tale of America’s greatest journey of discovery, as seen through the keen, compassionate eyes of a remarkable dog.

Read this for our kids book group. I had the opportunity to meet and hear the author speak when this book first came out in 1999.

What a wonderful way to tell history through the eyes of the dog who joined the journey. The author takes you through the Lewis & Clark Expedition with journal entries form Captain Clark and through the eyes of Captain Lewis's dog Seaman. Seaman is a newfoundland he purchased for $15 in Philadelphia while gathering supplies for the trip.

President Thomas Jefferson had just bought a large plot of land know as the Louisiana Purchase from the French and he needed to find out what he bought and if it might lead to a Northwest Passage for trade. He asked his friends Lewis and Clark to put a group of men together show more to undertake this task. A task that would take several years to complete and would lead to many hardships but also a vast amount of information on the flora and fauna.

I enjoyed Mr. Smith's telling of this historical event. show less

The Captain's Dog tells the story of Lewis and Clark's journey from the point of view of a Newfoundland dog named Seaman. The dog describes the landscape and people the explorers meet. He also tells of exciting encounters with wolves and a very grumpy beaver. The book does not do a good job of convincing the reader that a dog is telling the story. The language seems like an English teacher is telling it.

This kidbook is a story of the Lewis and Clark expedition from the viewpoint of Seaman, Lewis's Newfoundland retriever. It's fun, and does introduces us to some of the less well-known members of the Corps of Discovery. It does leave some sizable holes in the narrative, but hey, it's a kid book and a good introduction to the Corps of Discovery and their work. A fun read, I have a class set.

I read Richard Adams' Traveller long ago and enjoyed seeing history from the point of view of an animal that experienced it, but this book just didn't hold my attention the same way - I only made it about halfway.