"Ocian in view! O! The Joy!" (William Clark, journal entry dated November 7, 1805)

In Charles River Editors' History for Kids series, your children can learn about history's most important people and events in an easy, entertaining, and educational way. The concise, but comprehensive, book will keep your kid's attention all the way to the end.

It is the most fabled and storied journey in American history. From 1804-1806, the first expedition across the North American continent was commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson, who had recently bought a vast swath of territory from France. Though he knew he had bought a huge amount of land, Jefferson wasn't entirely sure of what he had bought, so he asked a team, led by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, to traverse the continent until they reached the Pacific, studying everything from ecology to geography along the way, to get an understanding of the country's new region.

Lewis and Clark would find far more than they bargained for. The 33 men who made the trip came into contact with about two dozen Native American tribes, many of whom helped the men survive the journey, and along the way they met and were assisted by the famous Sacagawea, who would become one of the expedition's most famous participants. Though they suffered deaths on their way west, the group ultimately reached the Pacific coast and got back to St. Louis in 1806, having drawn up nearly 150 maps and giving America a good idea of much of what lay west.

History for Kids: The Lewis and Clark Expedition chronicles the amazing journey made by the group and profiles the lives of its most famous members.