My niece requested that we read this book after they read it in her summer camp where they are learning about the Lewis and Clark expedition. She loves this book.It's told at a level young elementary school kids can understand, and the central character is Seaman, the Newfoundland dog that accompanied the humans on the Lewis and Clark expedition, so immediately the central character is someone most kids will like and feel sympathetic toward. This makes Seaman an ideal teacher.
I know that my niece really enjoys this book, which is why I'm giving it four stars, but I would be inclined to give it closer to three stars. Many Native American tribes were introduced in this book, and as I was reading the story it became clear to me that my niece did not understand that the various tribes being named were Native American groups. I also didn't care for the way that "Seaman" characterized the Teton Sioux in this story. I know that the relations between the Teton Sioux and the expedition were far from warm, but the characterization of the tribe in this story just didn't sit well with me.
The pictures in the story were nice, but not necessarily beautiful. They failed to grab my nephew's attention, but I do recognize that this book wasn't written for children in his age group.
Seaman's Journal is certainly a book I would read to young kids learning about the Lewis and Clark expedition, but it is not the only book I would choose. When this epic journey gets to be too outside of young kids' understanding, however, they can always retreat to Seaman the dog and travel the trail with him.