Typical of many of his adult novels, O'Dell uses the main character as the narrator of the story. O'Dell has often used first person narration in novels where the main character is female, including Newbery honorees Island of the Blue Dolphins and Sing Down the Moon.

This narrative voice is effective because, looking through the eyes of Sacagawea, the reader can see the nuances of Native American life and can experience the conflicts that reveal her strength of character. O'Dell himself admitted that the historical research for his novels, which usually took from three to four months, was what he enjoyed most while writing the book. This Sacagawea is not the cardboard figure of encyclopedias and history textbooks, but a vividly drawn woman who relies on instinct and common sense for survival in the wilderness and in the complex world of human relations.

By using flashbacks...