Today I welcome Gail Langer Karwoski to Best Dog Books, a blog that features interviews with authors who’ve written a canine story for kids or young adults. Gail is here to talk about Seaman, the Dog Who Explored the West with Lewis and Clark, which is a middle grade historical novel published by Peachtree Publishers for kids aged 8-12.
Best Dog Books: Who is your key dog character(s) and what kind of dog is he/she?
Seaman is my key dog character, and he was a Newfoundland.
Newfoundlands are one of the largest dog breeds. They are first cousins to Labrador Retrievers. While Labs were bred to work on land, Newfies were bred for water work. Newfies are natural swimmers, with a double coat of fur so they can survive longer in cold waters.
Best Dog Books: Tell us about your story.
My story is historical fiction. It’s based on an event in American history called the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
Lewis and Clark were explorers, and this was the most famous camping trip in our history. There really was a big black Newfie who traveled with their expedition. So, if you’re the kind of reader who likes dogs, camping, adventure, or history, this is the book for you!
Seaman belonged to Meriwether Lewis, co-captain of the expedition. In 1803, when my story begins, Thomas Jefferson was the United States President, and our country occupied the eastern half of the North American continent. We’d just bought a large section of western North America from the French; this purchase was called the Louisiana Purchase. Since there were no maps of the territory that we’d bought, President Jefferson organized an exploring trip called the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The job of the explorers was to travel from St. Louis (which was at the western frontier of our country) all the way to the Pacific Coast, and back again. The expedition lasted until 1806. Since there were no cameras back then, the explorers kept journals where they wrote logs and made maps and sketches of the wilderness that they traveled through, so they could share their experiences with other U.S. citizens.
Oh, the wilderness they experienced was beautiful, abundant, and dangerous! The explorers encountered all kinds of animals and plants. They were the first American citizens to encounter a grizzly bear, for instance, and they were astounded by how bold and ferocious these bears were. They were also the first to observe a prairie dog; they called them “barking squirrels”! Plus, the explorers met dozens of Native American tribes; some were friendly, others were threatening.
Seaman was the only dog who went on the trip. He was more than just a friendly companion. He helped the explorers hunt for food. He guarded their camp at night. The explorers valued him as a trusted member of their group. Just like the human explorers, Seaman was brave and loyal, even during scary moments. Once, he was injured and nearly died of a bite wound when he was retrieving game for the explorers.
Best Dog Books: What inspired you to write this story?
I love dogs, and I love to learn about unusual moments in history. When my editor told me that there was a dog member of this expedition, I knew that I’d enjoy learning about Seaman. Since the explorers kept journals, I could read about their adventures in their own words, so I felt like I was experiencing the American wilderness along with them.
Best Dog Books: What was the biggest challenge you had writing your story? How did you overcome it?
It takes a long time to research and write a book. I was teaching when I began writing this story, but I needed more time to complete it, so I finished the school year but didn’t renew my contract. Then I found myself working by myself at home every day, and I missed interacting with students and other teachers. I missed moving around the school campus and doing a variety of activities with the kids.
When I got discouraged or restless, I’d take walks around my neighborhood and pretend that I was walking through the wilderness with Seaman. Sometimes, when I was stuck in a scene, I’d pretend I was one of the characters and talk out loud to another character.
Best Dog Books: What kind of story can we expect next from you? Is it about a dog? If so, what can you tell us about it?
I’m a restless person, so I like to try new things. I’ve got fifteen published books – novels, nonfiction, picture books, even a board book for toddlers!
I did write two other historical novels that star a dog character: Quake! Disaster in San Francisco, 1906! And When Hurricane Katrina Hit Home. Both of these books tell about an actual event in American history. Quake! Was awarded the Maxwell Medal for Best Children’s Book by the Dog Writers Association
Quake! Is the story of the most powerful earthquake that ever struck a heavily populated United States city – San Francisco. In my story, the main character – a boy named Jacob – gets separated from his family during the earthquake. Together with a stray dog, Jacob searches for his dad and little sister as he tries to survive life on the streets of his destroyed city.
Hurricane Katrina is about the storm that struck New Orleans. Two different characters tell this story: Chazz, a boy from the wealthier part of the city, and Lyric, a girl from a poor neighborhood. Their families get stranded in an attic as water floods the streets. At first, the children don’t like each other, and the only thing they share is their love for a little Dalmatian. But eventually, they learn to appreciate each other’s talents, and, working as a team, they save their families.
Best Dog Books: What else would you like us to know about you or your story?
When I began to write Seaman, I thought that I was writing a book about history that happened to have a dog in it. But young readers quickly let me know that it was the other way around: I wrote a book about a dog that happened to take place in history!
I used real historical figures as the characters in this novel. But when I wrote Quake! and Hurricane Katrina, I based my stories on real events but I made up most of the characters. After writing Seaman, I learned that readers would enjoy my novels more if there was an important dog character, so I made up fictional dogs for these books.
A lot of readers have pet dogs, and other kids wish they had a dog. Most kids (and grownups!) believe their dog is clever enough to understand what they say and how they feel. Everybody thinks their dog is a hero and would save them from danger, like Seaman.
Dogs wag their tails and introduce us to strangers on the street. That’s what they do in a novel, too – they invite the reader to join the fun and get to know the characters.
Best Dog Books: What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
Think of your story as a journey: Before you set out, decide who is going on the trip (your characters), where they are starting from, and where they are going to end up. If you don’t know your “destination,” you won’t know which direction to take and when to turn – so you may get frustrated and lost while you are writing.
And, just like a journey, take it one mile (one paragraph, one page, one scene) at a time. If you try to “drive” (accomplish) the whole journey at one sitting, you may get tired and discouraged.
Include a dog in your story if you can. You’ll have more fun on your writing journey if a dog is along. And your reader will have more fun, too!
If you’d like to learn more about Gail Langer Karwoski, you can check out her author website.
Thank you, Gail, for joining us at Best Dog Books. We look forward to reading your book!
For other great books about dogs, check out 101 Best Dog Books for Kids.
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