JOURNEY INTO MOHAWK COUNTRY

O’Connor’s graphic novel is an example of the kind of work that will engage younger teens and spark interest in a potentially dull and little-known segment of American history. Based on the 1634 journal of Dutch trader Harmen Meyndertsz van den Bogaert, this describes his venture into what is now the state of New York. The 23-year-old interacted with Native American tribes, establishing trust in order to acquire wildly popular beaver pelts used in European hat-making. O’Connor incorporates rich browns and blues against a black backdrop in the work’s panels that include both interior and exterior scenes. Readers can almost feel the extreme cold and the harsh conditions of the region. The tribes’ lifestyles are presented favorably and their customs enhanced by the artwork. Several facial expressions are presented with exaggerated juvenile quirkiness, marking the work’s interest level as definitely middle school. Though the price tag is high for the format, the book’s quality ensures its place in studies of pre-Revolutionary America. (Graphic novel. 12-15)