Bertozzi (Houdini: The Handcuff King) brings new life to the epic westward journey of explorers Lewis and Clark in this graphic novel perfect for history buffs. At the urging of President Jefferson, Capt. Meriwether Lewis gathers a party of hardy men to accompany him into the unknown western territories, through which he is determined to find a water route to the Pacific Ocean. Setting off on May 21, 1804, from St. Louis with his second-in-command, Capt. William Clark, Lewis proves to be a man of singular—often bordering on tunnel—vision when it comes to accomplishing his goal. Bertozzi illustrates the group's interactions with numerous Native American tribes, which grow increasingly strained as the chiefs rebuff the explorers' offers of beads for trade and demand rifles and other weaponry. The challenging landscape plays a major role as well, including the mighty Missouri River, the unexpected Rocky Mountains, and finally rapids in the Dalles, Ore., near the end of the journey. Lewis's dream of finding an uninterrupted water route westward fails. His deteriorating mental state throughout the expedition and particularly on the return trip is eloquently drawn, with Bertozzi managing to combine both history lesson and character study in strong, gripping drawings. Ages 12–up. (Feb.)
A wonderful introduction to one of the most important expeditions and one of the most dramatic stories in American history.” —Ken Burns
“Nick Bertozzi's comics do more than bring history to life: they reanimate these long dead souls and make them human again. I would buy this book just to see Thomas Jefferson tending the roses. But it's dark-locked Meriwether Lewis whom we truly see for the first time through Bertozzi's pen: brave, fallible, ambitious, funny, brilliant, crude, transcendently ambitious, tragically mad all at once. Bertozzi captures in pictures the epic grandeur and quiet desperation of the Lewis and Clark expedition as no dumb book of prose ever could.” —John Hodgman
“Comic books and superhuman feats go hand in glove, and although the opening of the West by the Corps of Discovery might not be everyone's idea of righteous heroism, the cloak-and-tights-worthy daring and physical effort of the explorers is beyond contention. Bertozzi's fictionalized account of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark's expedition is researched with thoroughness and presented so convincingly that, were it not for some episodes and conversations that are clearly unverifiable, this could past as straight-up history. Presumably most readers have been introduced to the expedition by the time they reach middle school, and those with sufficient background will especially appreciate Bertozzi's take on the enmities and alliances among Indian tribes that directly impacted their decision on how to treat the white explorers. Those who know Lewis' sad demise will also laud Bertozzi's imaginative sensitivity to the mental imbalance that presaged his probable suicide. There's a dash of humor to the black-and-white artwork, which generally marches along in orderly frames, only to break into more creative flow when a landmark point or event in the journey is reached. Bertozzi handles silence as cannily as dialogue, and the stretches of mute storytelling will appeal to graphic-novel fans who may not ordinarily pay much mind to historical themes. A few brief exchanges of salty banter push this a bit beyond curricular use in lower grades, but these dashes of spice will make it all the more attractive and authentic to adolescents. A bibliography is appended, and the bound book will include an author's note.” —BCCB
“This important and often retold episode from U.S. history—the scientific exploration, federally supported by President Jefferson, to find a water route from the Missouri to the Pacific—receives an accessible, humorous, and accurate rendering by cartoonist Bertozzi (Houdini: The Handcuff King, 2007). Relying on good research and his own clarified sense of what these historical figures might have felt, Bertozzi shows us Lewis' depressive psyche, Jefferson's devotion to scientific inquiry, Clark's mediation skills, the slave York's self-perception, Sacajawea's role and personal considerations, and the attitudes, fears, and certainties of the general populaces of the exploration party, Native American villages, and white townspeople. The small, black-and-white panels provide clear and action-packed detail as well as insightful poses and facial expressions. The different languages being spoken and even hand signs are creatively distinguished by different balloon outlines. An excellent supporting choice for the American history curriculum and a fun and edifying read in itself. — Booklist With masterful command, Bertozzi offers an innovative take on Meriwether Lewis and William Clark's epic journey in this oversized graphic offering. Portraying the arduous trek through rough terrain and encounters with often unwelcoming natives, sequential panels transport readers alongside the famous duo and their equally renowned translator, Sacagawea, as they travel from St. Louis to the Pacific coast. Within a fictional framework, the narrative weaves in facets of the characters' personalities, including Lewis's tempestuous melancholy, Charbonneau's inept bumbling and Sacagawea's ability to endure this voyage surrounded by her intensely masculine cohorts. The artist soars with his exquisite eye for page layouts; his deft stylings can make otherwise dry passages come alive through clever panel placement and visual novelty. Pair with George O'Connor's Journey into Mohawk Country (2006) and Scott Chantler's Northwest Passage (2007) for a graphically hearty helping of fine historical readings. Slated to be the first in a series on explorers, this expedition ends with high hopes for subsequent volumes.” —Kirkus, Starred Review
In the early 1800s, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark led the first official U.S. expedition from the East to the Pacific Ocean: three years of scientific discoveries, Indian encounters, drunkenness, fraying tempers, geographical surprises like the Rocky Mountains, lengthy and exhausting portage of gear between waterways, and an unenviably variable food supply. Tasked by President Thomas Jefferson to map a waterway passage across the country as well as soften up Indian tribes for U.S. trade and sovereignty, the manic-depressive Lewis and his more even-keeled partner commanded a boat crew aided by translator Sacajawea with her baby and Clark's personal slave, York. Judiciously intercutting the emotional with the historical, Bertozzi (The Salon) dramatizes Native American dilemmas as well as those of the explorers in a nuanced and addictive account. Creative use of page layouts and speech balloons adds understanding. VERDICT Rightly described as "harrowing and hilarious," Lewis & Clark should help tweens and up burrow into history through a visceral appreciation of the road trip from hell, 19th-century-style. Recommended for all libraries. This is the first volume of a world explorer series, with Shackleton up next.—M.C.
Gr 7 Up—Meriwether Lewis, a complex and fascinating figure in American history, was a bold explorer and a man haunted by demons. Both sides of his personality are revealed in this saga of his search for a Northwest water passageway to the Pacific. This retelling begins as Jefferson informs Lewis that Congress has approved this expedition. After recruiting William Clark and obtaining necessary provisions, the expedition departs St. Louis in 1804. Death, stampeding buffalo herds, steep-sided canyons, large bodies of moving water, and encounters with multiple Native American tribes must be negotiated. The author makes excellent use of the generous page size. The vertical orientation of side panels frames a deep chasm and scale the heights of a tall tree. Prairies are depicted with long horizontal panels spanning the gutter, and full-page spreads show the expansive country, contributing to readers' understanding of the vastness of the journey. Traditional panels and speech balloons are used to portray the points of view of the explorers. Shapes and outlines of panels alter significantly when the various Native communities are depicted, with a different design for each tribe. Inventive use of differently shaped speech balloon help readers identify each individual tribe that the explorers encounter. This story continues beyond the conclusion of the expedition; it ends three years hence, detailing Lewis's tragic end as well as suppositions regarding Sacajawea's whereabouts.—Barbara M. Moon, Suffolk Cooperative Library System, Bellport, NY
With masterful command, Bertozzi offers an innovative take on Meriwether Lewis and William Clark's epic journey in this oversized graphic offering. Portraying the arduous trek through rough terrain and encounters with often unwelcoming natives, sequential panels transport readers alongside the famous duo and their equally renowned translator, Sacagawea, as they travel from St. Louis to the Pacific coast. Within a fictional framework, the narrative weaves in facets of the characters' personalities, including Lewis's tempestuous melancholy, Charbonneau's inept bumbling and Sacagawea's ability to endure this voyage surrounded by her intensely masculine cohorts. The artist soars with his exquisite eye for page layouts; his deft stylings can make otherwise dry passages come alive through clever panel placement and visual novelty. Pair with George O'Connor'sJourney into Mohawk Country(2006) and Scott Chantler's Northwest Passage (2007) for a graphically hearty helping of fine historical readings. Slated to be the first in a series on explorers, this expedition ends with high hopes for subsequent volumes. (selected bibliography)(Graphic historical fiction. 12 & up)
