Letter from Author Joseph Bruchac

On Oct 26, 2009, at 11:06 AM, Jordan, Matthew, and Camila E. wrote:

Dear Mr. Bruchac,
We are some students of the 5th grade classroom at InterAmerican Academy in Guayaquil, Ecuador. We're reading Sacajawea and we had a question. We enjoy the diary parts and the story parts at the beginning of each chapter.
We were wondering if all the diary parts are true and if so where did you get them? Are the story parts fully true? How did you get your information for the book?
Thank you,
Jordan Kreis, Matthew Intriago, and Camila Escobar
(and their teacher Sue Stevens)

Hi Jordan, Matthew and Camila,
Thanks for your e-mail. I'm glad you enjoyed
the book!
Whenever I write historical novels I always turn to
primary sources for information and attempt to be
absolutely accurate and true to those sources.
I used the Journals of Lewis and Clark as the direct source
for the diary entries in SACAJAWEA. The stories in the
sections that are Sacajawea's all come from the oral
traditions of various tribal people--such as her own
Shoshones.
I got my information by reading--not just the journals
of Lewis and Clark, but thousands of pages of writing
by others about their great expedition. I also read hundreds
of books about the American Indian nations Lewis and
Clark encountered and spoke to many different tribal
elders who shared stories and history with me.
In addition, over the course of several years in different
trips, I traveled the entire route of the lewis and Clark
journey.
And I belong to the Lewis and Clark Trail Association.

Peace,
Joe Bruchac