A Dog Came, Too

"Long, long ago, two native guides, an explorer, and seven voyageurs set off to find a rout across Canada to the Pacific Ocean. A big brown dog traveled with them."Thus begins a children's picture book about Alexander Mackenzie's expedition to the Pacific Ocean in 1793, as seen through the eyes of their faithful, though nameless, working dog. The story is simple, moving, and true: Mackenzie and his voyageurs were accompanied by a dog, who proved to be extremely useful, and had several adventures. The dog got lost along the journey, and was sadly missed. I'm not a dog person, but I was still touched by the simple storyline. It matches my rough recollection of the history, from Mackenzie's journals. The watercolor illustrations are nice, and score big on accuracy; these voyageurs wear cloth shirts and trousers, not buckskins and roadkill hats, and are clearly influenced by Peter Rindisbacher's paintings from Red River in the 1820's. When they carry their pieces over a portage, they are shown correctly using tumplines rather than packframes. Mackenzie and his clerk are both dressed as befits their station, in 1790's style. (The Natives are in cookie-cutter buckskins, though.) The illustrations advance the story just as much as the text. I loved the illustration of Mackenzie and his men searching for their dog at Friendly Village. I also enjoyed the picture of unfriendly Natives checking out Mackenzie's spyglass and sextant as the voyageurs prepare to beat a hasty retreat; meanwhile, the explorer is busily painting his name on a rock on the Pacific shore.This is a great book for gently introducing kids aged 4-7 to fur trade history. It's primarily a dog story, not a history book; Mackenzie isn't named until the final page.