The Sign of the Beaver

Very enjoyable for even an "older kid" like me. my grandson and I both loved this book. It shows the need for understanding those different than ourselves and the joy and knowledge that one can experience when accepting and learning about another culture.

This book was fine as an e-book. It is widely used in 5th grade when they are learning about indigenous people in North America. It's a story that children seem to like but it's chock full of stereotypes and an underlying theme of "white people are better than Indians". At the end for example the boy is reunited with his parents but he doesn't tell them about his positive experience with the Beaver tribe because they supposedly wouldn't understand. Basically the native Americans are marginalized and almost secondary to the story. All that matters is that the white boy ends up OK as the Beaver tribe moves away for their safety.

Here's a brief review written by my daughter:
I liked this book ok. I read it for school. I liked that it showed that anyone can be friends no matter what their skin color.
It was a little long for me but that's just what I think.

I first read His Indian Brother, by Hazel H.Wilson when I received it as a Christmas present in 1956 ...yes that long ago. I still have my copy. I loved the book then, and I love it now. I later became aware of the book, Sign of the Beaver, written by Elizabeth George Spear in 1983, decades after Hazel H. Wilson wrote and published His Indian Brother. It's the SAME story, only with different names for the principle characters. I will never understand why Speare won a Newbery Honor for writing a book that was written almost 30 years before. The story is a wonderful and timeless no matter who wrote it. (Remember, the books are all but identical except for the character's names. ) If you can get a hold of a copy of His Indian Brother, by Hazel Wilson, (1956), read it, and compare the two stories. You will then understand why it gauls me Speare got the accolades.

I read this book aloud to my children. It has won several literary awards, including: 1984 Newbery Honor, 1984 Scott O'Dell Award, and 1988 Rebecca Caudill Young Reader's Book Award Nominee.

Wow, what an adventure! I love survival stories like this.

The story takes place in 1769 and involves a 12 year-old boy named Matt. Matt's father has bought land in a new township in Maine, and the two of them have been building their new log-cabin home as well as planting crops. Matt's mother, sister, and new baby stayed behind in Massachusetts while the "men" got things set-up for the family's permanent move to Maine.

During the summer of 1769, Matt's father makes the trek back to Massachusetts to bring the rest of the family to the new home in Maine. It is expected that it will take six to seven weeks, round-trip. Matt is left in charge of the home and crops in Maine, with his father's rifle for both protection and hunting.

There is much work to be done tending to the crops and chinking the spaces between the logs of the cabin. Matt works hard, and he keeps himself busy to help pass the time while he is alone. Of course, he experiences some adventures along the way! He makes friends with the local Beaver tribe, who initially are very hesitant to trust a "white" boy.

August, the time for Matt's family to arrive, comes and goes. Autumn passes, and soon it is winter. The chief of the local Beaver tribe tells Matt that they intend to leave the area and travel north to follow the moose. The tribe worries that something has happened to Matt's family and fear that they will not return now that it is already winter. They invite Matt to come with them, and the chief lovingly promises to treat Matt as his own blood. It is a heartbreaking moment, and Matt must decide whether to try to brave the harsh winter completely alone and isolated or go with the Beaver tribe where he will be safe. What would you do?

We loved this story! This is one of those books where my kids actually begged, "Just one more chapter, please?" It was hard for even me to put down, and it took a lot of discipline to keep my own hands away from the book and not read ahead!

This is a fantastic book to read with your kids, and I highly recommend it! This would also be a perfect choice for someone who is a reluctant reader.

MY RATING: 5 stars!! We loved it!!

When I read this book at a much younger age, I adored it. Let's be real, I probably had an unrealistic crush on the fictional Attean. Tall, dark, handsome, strong, intelligent, good with hands... ;)

Alright, alright so he is 14 in this book, but I was merely a young lass enamored with the idea of a gorgeous Native American boy to sweep me off my feet.

Now about the book itself... It is an easy read for 2nd-5th graders, I would say. It doesn't teach much but the plot is catching enough that young readers would devour it. A young boy's father leaves him alone in a cabin surrounded by nothing but forest while he returns to Quincy, Maine to retrieve his wife and child. In his absence, Matt [boy] meets Attean [Indian] and against all odds, they become friends. As things progress, he is invited to join the tribe in their move West. Does he abandon the cabin he's guarded for almost a year or does he wait for his family's return? *cue dramatic music* You'll just have to read it to find out!

What I don't like is the inconsistent writing. The author used very ridiculous speech for the Indians. "Me Attean. We no like white man. White man words bad". She gives the boy's father a type of hybrid old-english-southern-alabama accent, while Matt's is plain ol' english. At times, she uses modern slang such as : "the village was awesome" and "now it looks lame".

This well-written children's book did a great job showing what life was like for early American settlers and what kinds of relationships they were capable of having with the American Indians when they cooperated. This depicted a young boy who was asked to hold down the fort all by himself--I think he was about twelve years old--in a gesture of trust and a weight of responsibility that would never be put on a kid in our time. The child is able to hold his own once he accepts help from an Indian boy who's the same age as him but acts much more mature . . . but it's amazing how even though his coping strategies and skill set are far above what would be expected of today's preteens, he still has those fully recognizable, familiar childhood fears and concerns. It was great to see a kid from the distant past having so much in common with both a child of a different culture and with children who are alive today. That said, the actual story itself was engaging as well. I was more impressed with HOW it was told than what was being told, but both aspects were good.

We have the old old cover - beautiful. Love it. Both main characters kneeling by a river. Got it out to read to my children's children. This book had high stakes for both characters so it was intense. Right up to the last chapter you could not be sure how it would turn out. Well written. I don't think it is fair to give this book one star as some have done, trying to hold it to a political correct standard that was not applicable when it was written. The author is accomplished and I think we can be assured that she researched the actual word choices she made.

Refers to Native American Women as Squaws (Prostitute/whores), Native Americans as "Redskins". Has many typos and also intentional grammatical errors that insinuates that the Native Americans could not fully grasp a second language. We successfully got this inappropriate and racist book removed from our private school's, reading list/lessons for the next school year and were offered the chance to read a different book. We are enrolled Native Americans and foster parents to Native American children. Helping to teach our culture, Proper History and instill pride while affecting change in removing negative racist wording.

We are a group of 4th and 5th graders. Our team name is Beavers.

The Sign of The Beaver is about a kid whose name is Matt. He goes into the wilderness of Maine in the late 1700s with his dad and builds a cabin. They get ready for the winter by planting corn and gathering firewood. The dad leaves Matt to go back to Boston to get the rest of the family. Matt has many adventures like finding an Indian tribe or almost starving to death. We liked how Matt met a kid his age named Attean. We would recommend this book to people who like action and adventure. This book has action but it would have been better if the action had been more suspenseful. This is a good book for eight years old and above.

This is a wonderful and compelling story of a young white boy in 1700's Maine and his encounters with a nearby Indian tribe as he waits for his father to return to their small settlement with the rest of his family. It is part survival story, partly a story of friendship, a coming of age story and a story of the importance of family all rolled into one. Speare writes in an engaging and sparse style, painting vivid pictures with few words. An easy read, this story will captivate children and interest adults as well. Excellent and highly recommended.

The Sign of the Beaver

Recommended grades: 4-8.
The Sign of the Beaver is a novel about a young boy Matt in the 1800’s. This story tells of independence and hard choices. Young Matt has just become alone in the wilderness. For the past months, Matt and father have been building a log cabin in the wilderness. His father had left to return to civilization and bring back his mother, sister and newborn baby back to the log cabin. When vicious bees attack Matt, Attean, a teenage Indian and his father come to the rescue. As it turns out, his father is the chief of the tribe and asks an interesting favor, to teach Attean English. Reluctantly, the two learn to respect each other and share many talents between the two. Matt learns many Indian customs and is learning to love their culture. When more English people come to take the forest, the tribe has to move. Matt is faced with a decision, wait for his absent father or go with Attean and his tribe.
This book is an amazing title if you like:
Survival
Independence
Friendship
Adventure

Happy Reading!

I was assigned this book as a fifth grader in 1990; how reluctant I'd been, as a ten year old girl, to delve into a book that featured a picture of two boys fishing on the cover. I just knew it was going to be really, really boring, and I was right.

For the first couple chapters, anyway.

After that, the book TOOK OFF and I could not put it down -- I admired Attean, I commiserated with Matt, and the historical backdrop excited my imagination. The book had such a lasting impression on me that when I was selected to represent a book on PBS's Reading Rainbow, I promoted The Sign of the Beaver. It in fact remained my favorite book until high school.

Now here I am, twenty three years later, reading this outstanding novel about compassion and friendship to my own little daughter. It is just as excellent as the first time -- I truly place this short book in my top ten.

Check out The Witch of Blackbird Pond, too. Elizabeth George Speare rocks!

Twelve-year-old Matt must stay alone for several weeks in the cabin at his family's new settlement in the Maine frontier, as his father returns home to get the rest of the family. Early on in his time alone, Matt begins facing unexpected difficulties. Soon, Attean and his grandfather rescue Matt from some angry bees. Attean is a Native American. The two boys share a friendship, and Matt is surprised how much he can learn about survival from his new friend.

This is a wonderful story, tenderly written about a boy doing his best to be responsible by doing what needs to be done for his family. Facing fear after fear, conquering problem after problem, Matt grows into a young man. This is a wonderful story of growing up. It is also a story that expresses acceptance and appreciation for those who are very different from us.

As a 4th grade teacher, I must have read this book to at least 20 groups of students, and it was always a huge success!
There is much to learn in this children's classic~both academically and as a "coming of age" tale. History, geography, Early American life, the customs of northeastern Native Ameicans and SO much more, are covered in this action-filled novel.
This young adult fictional account of the friendship between two boys from very different cultures afforded the opportunity to discuss current issues as well. Topics like the environment, prejudice and concern for others are easily launched during reading.
There IS a film version available, and with no disrespect to it, I must point out that EVERY time I've shown it, the response from the kids is always "Man, that wasn't nearly as good as the book!"
...and I can't think of a better testimonial than that!!

The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare is a very good book. It is about a boy named Matt who moves to Maine from Massachusetts with his father in the 1600s. His father goes back to get his mother, sister, and a newborn baby Matt hasn't even seen! One day Matt is climbing a bee tree to get honey when the bees attack! He runs towards the river and jumps in. He is pulled from the river by an old indian chief named Saknis. Saknis nurses him back to health. Saknis signs a treaty with Matt saying that Matt should teach his grandson, Attien, to read. Matt agrees. So Matt semi-teaches Attien to read. He tries to explain things like "A is for arm" so Attien can understand. Matt shows a page from Robinson Crusoe to Attien. Attien thinks white men are morons for printing "arm" all over the page- he thinks each "A" stands for arm. Matt decides to read Robinson Crusoe to Attien. But they explore the forest more than they read. I like the way Elizabeth George Spear brings you into the story and makes you feel like you are there, right in the action. I didn't think the book was long enough. If it was longer it would have been great! I learned from this book that courage is not skin deep. I also learned what it was like to live in the wilderness of Maine in the 1600s. I learned what it was like in an indian village in the 1600s. I recommend this book to people who like very intruguing books, books that can take you to another place, books that can take you to another world or another time in history. Review by Jacob Gilden, Mr. Seely's 4th grade, Duniway School, Protland, Oregon

The book sign of the beaver by Elizabeth George Speare is one of the best books I ever read. It`s a historical fiction book about this 12 year old kid haft to survive in the wilderness only till his Dad comes back. Luckily for Matt there's an Indian village nearby. So when an Indian saw Matt getting stung by multiple bees at the same time he helps Matt. When the Indian saw one of Matt`s book he tried to read it so the Indians won`t get trick by white man. But he can`t read it, so the Indian offer`s a deal to Matt. All Matt had to do was to teach the Indians grandson attean to read English and attean will show matt how to hunt. When Matt first made the deal with the Indian attean wasn`t happy and he even skip the lessons with Matt. But the Indian forced attean to go. After a while, Matt and Attean came really close friends. And the Indian even invited Matt to an Indian feast. But Atteans grandmother (the Indians wife) didn`t want Matt to come because of their experience with white people. But Matt still comes, and a couple of days later he found Atteans dog stuck. And because attean and his grandfather (the Indian) were gone hunting he got Atteans grandmother instead. Because of Matt`s act atteans grandmother started to like him. But only a week later attean and the Indian came to Matt and said that they were leaving to get more animals up north, and they told Matt it would be best for him to come along. But Matt had to deny it, just in case his father came back. Atean and the Indian both understood, and the next day Attean and the Indian gave Matt a present before they left. And luckily for Matt his father came back 3 days later.

Some of you may have heard of or read some novels by one of my favorite authors, Elizabeth George Speare. She wrote three Newberry Honor Award winning novels, The Bronze Bow, The Witch of Blackbird Pond, and The Sign of the Beaver. The Sign of the Beaver is an incredible story of a 13 year old boy named Matt. He is left alone in the wilderness of Maine in the 1700s while his father is away retrieving his family. Most of the story is about Matt's growing friendship with an Indian boy named Attean. As the two boys spend more and more time together, a friendship blossoms and grows stronger.
I liked this story because it shows the mixing of English and Indian cultures, and you get to watch two very different boys learn to appreciate each other's ways. The Sign of the Beaver uses great description, painting a wild picture in your head, while also showing the true meaning of friendship and teamwork. That is why I liked this book.

The sign of the beaver is a great book; I have found it interesting and fun to read. When Matt's father leaves him alone in a cabin centuries in the past what will he do? Will he survive on his own? When his father leaves and does not return, will Matt survive?This book never stops interesting you, every twist and turn of Matt's decisions and their out come, keeps you on the edge of your seat. Every page questions your mind "will Matt survive?", "what will he do?" "Did he make the right decision?" I found this book easy and fun to read.
I especially enjoy the fact that in this book nothing comes easily. It shows you that everything in life isn't easy but if you try, you can really go places. It also shows you that you must be responsible no matter the cost. Even if the thing you must do is hard, all you have to do is try and you can make it happen.No matter how bad it seems, everything will work out in the end.In other words, bad things happen for a reason, in this book you will learn that lessons with Matt while he deals with everyday life in the forest.
Although I wasn't totally satisfied with the ending, the book was surprisingly realistic and interesting. It deals with real life situations and hardships that Matt must over come, sometimes alone and sometimes with the help of others. It is a kind of educational book. It shows you that sometimes you have to do the things you wish you didn't have to, for the sake of others. To any reader I think that this book would be a great start to a love for reading. It's shockingly realistic situations leave you wanting more, even after you read the last page.
If you are looking to buy this book, I think that you will be very satisfied with your purchase. I enjoyed this fun and interesting journey. So I encourage you reader, to take this wonderful journey with Matt and his friends.

A long-ago Newbery Honor book, this used-to-be boy found it enjoyable. Like so many other Newberys, the main character is a young person who finds himself alone without the support of family, in this case, with responsibilties for the newly built family home in Maine around 1770. Matt is taking care of the home he built with his father before his father left to fetch the rest of the family. The location is isolated and Matt finds himself having to fend for himself. He makes understandable, but problem-creating mistakes, and becomes involved in the life of a young Native American from the nearby tribe whose Grandfather rescued Matt from one of his mistakes (trying to get honey). As historical fiction, it stands the test of time better than Newberys that are contemporary when published, but don't read well a decade or two later. A young reader willing and able to identify with Matt's situation and adventures is going to find much pleasure here.

A great snapshot of what life was like long ago for people who lived off the land, farming and hunting for survival. It is a wonderful story of how a boy quickly has to grow up and provide for himself while alone on his family's property, in a cabin in the woods, while learning survival techniques from nearby Indians. This tale shows how two boys from vastly different cultures, can become friends and learn from each other. I did not want to put it down, and I highly recommend it for children and teens. My ten year old enjoyed it as I read it to her.

We - two children: ages 7 and 10, mom, and a bit the end, dad - listened to "The Sign of the Beaver" (or "Matt", as my son calls it) while driving all over the place.

It is beautifully written, very engaging for all of us (aged 7 - 47), thought-provoking, and a spark for family conversations. Each of us has been touched in different ways, and we have all learned many things from this lovely book. I especially appreciated how the author presents the viewpoints of Native Americans (and demonstrates their many skills) and colonists, without too much political correctness. The relationship of the boys, and their similar paths to maturity, also meant a lot to me, the mom. The kids appreciated the ending (but I won't give it away!). Our youngest really wants a bow and arrow now!

Highly recommended for reading and listening.

This is a great book about a boy who forms a friendship with and Indian boy named Attean, and in fact with his entire family. I found it a pleasure to read, because it offered a different historical perspective than most books that come from the white man's perspective. While Matt was white, most of the book is filled with his interactions with the Indian people. We get a glimpse of how they lived, and how very practical it was as opposed to the white man's way of life. It was more in tune with the land, for sure.

I'm getting off track, but I was very touched by the story. Matt is essentially invited to join the Beaver tribe by Attean and his grandfather, and Attean calls him his brother. The warm acceptance that grew between the two boys was heartwarming, and toward the end it brought tears to my eyes, but not due to sadness; instead due to the love the two boys shared.

Matt's father left him alone to guard the cabin. He has to tade care of himself. His father went to get their family, so Matt has to stay in the wilderness and wait for his family. Attean, the Indian shows him to get food so Matt won't get hungry. I like the book because it takes place in the wilderness. I like how they made Matt try to get the honey from the bee hive. I don't like it when the white man stole Matt's gun. Matt should have followed him. Comparing to Tuck Everlasting The Sign Of The Beaver takes place in the wilderness, and Tuck Everlasting takes place in the woods. In Tuck Everlasting there are no indians, it has traps from Indians, in other place there are white man's trap too. Tuck Everlasting has more characters. I would give Tuck Everlasting 4 stars because I like how they made the spring water, how the cow made the trail around the woods, how Winnie ran away and she went in the woods, met Tucks, and how Winnie took Mae's spot when Mae was in the jail. I would give the Sign Of The Beaver 4 stars too because they add a lot of detail in the wilderness such as how Matt has to take care of himself, when the bees chase after him, and how Matt tried to teach Attean how to read.

My son read this for his 4th grade class and I picked it up intending to just read the first chapter. What a great and satisfying story - well written and well paced. I bawled my eyes out when Matt's father praises his work and Matt's mother asks to simply look at him near the end of the book. I learned a lot too about how the Indian cultures used everything available in the forest to make their lives prosperous. One thing that struck me is how often I take it for granted that I have so many books at my fingertips, available anytime I want. Matt has two, carefully selected by the author, The Bible and Robinson Crusoe. The theme of racial prejudice is also very interesting in the book. I liked how Attean's grandmother and grandfather had different ideas about white people when they had both been through the loss of Attean's mother and father at the hands of the white people. I liked how Matt and Attean debated these ideas themselves as they talked of Robinson Crusoe and Friday. Very subtle writing and exploration of the topic - skillful.

"The Sign of the Beaver" has been required reading for 5th grade students in our school district for over a decade, and it is one of the required titles that all the students--boys and girls--seem to read with pleasure. Since our 5th grade social studies curriculum covers the settlement and colonial period of American history, this story about Matt's family homesteading in woods of Maine during this period fits in perfectly.
While "The Sign of the Beaver" is an outstanding piece of historical fiction, it is also an exciting adventure story in the tradition of books like "My Side of the Mountain," "Hatchet," and "Island of the Blue Dolphins."
It's been many years since I first read "The Sign of the Beaver," so I decided to listen to the audio-book on 2 cassettes, read by actor Greg Schaffert. Schaffert does a great job of moving this adventure along at a swift pace, and bringing the main characters to life. As one young reviewer wrote here, this story makes a great read-aloud, and listening to the tapes would be an excellent option for students, or for teachers to play for an entire class.
Through Matt's friendship with Attean and his grandfather, chief of the Beaver clan, he learns to survive while his father goes to retrieve his mother and sister to bring them back to the cabin they built. Matt agrees to teach Attean how to read after they save him from life-threatening bee stings. In the end, Matt learns more from his native friend, than Attean does from him.
While it is true that white people unfairly took land from the Indians, and this is a story that needs to be told, there were some subliminal messages I didn't notice the first time I read this book. Although Matt has two books in his cabin, "Robinson Crusoe" and the Bible, he mainly sees the Bible as a bunch of exciting stories, and not as a source for his religion. So, while the Bible is not connected to any sense of spirituality, much is said about the ceremonial life of Attean's tribe, and more specifically about his spirit quest for his manitou. So this book implies that Native American ways and spirituality are superior to the white man's ways and religion.
This is just a small observation, in an otherwise excellent book. It's an exciting historical fiction adventure that students are bound to enjoy. It would work both within the context of studying early American history, or as part of a study on Native American life. As another student reviewer wrote here, this book leaves many unanswered questions, so it's an excellent springboard to learning more about Indians in the past.

JAMIE'S READ IT REVIEW
By Jamie L. Schlegel age 10
One of the best books I ever read was ... Sign of the Beaver! This is how it begins. 13 year-old Matt, main character, is left alone to watch his family's land in Maine's woods, over 100 years ago. Along the way, Matt meets up with some Indians! As Attean (an Indian boy) and Matt grow closer, they learn more about each other. Matt's family is still not back, and it is many weeks over the planned arrival. Matt is starting to worry. Will they make it back? Then Matt has a big choice to make. The Indians want him to come with them when they leave, but he needs to stay. Will he go or stay to wait for his parents' return? "Go with us," they commanded. Read this believable heart touching fiction to figure out what happens. I recommend this to survival and nature lovers. Don't leave this great book unread!

Max's Fiction Book Review
This book will blow your mind! Set in Maine's wilderness in the past, brave Matt confronts Attean and Saknis two Beaver tribe Indians. Attean and Matt were like brothers. At first they didn't get along, but then they played lots of fun games. Attean taught Matt to hunt, and Matt taught Attean how to read. Then they ran into a bear and killed it. At Attean's camp, Attean said, "White boy help kill bear." Matt got accepted by the Beaver Tribe family. The story problem is will Matt depart with the Beaver Tribe or wait for his parents to return in the life threatening winter? I recommend that you read this historical fiction because it will open the adventure inside you. It will be the best book you'll ever read. Read it.

Kiera's Awesome Review
This book you will love! Matt, a young adventurous kid, is left alone in a cabin in Maine's wilderness about 100 years ago. He is left alone, because the father needs to go get the rest of the family. When Matt woke up, about a week later he meets Indians! They soon become awesome friends! After a long time, he and the Indian boy, Attean, become friends, too! The Indian tribe asked, "Do you want to stay with us, or will you wait for your parents?" Will Matt's parents ever come home? I said, "I recommend you read this ecstatic, dazzling, and adventurous book!" It will blow you away! It is almost the greatest book I have ever read! You will probably love it. Go read it now! Gavyn's Favorite Book Ever Do you know one of my favorite books? It is Sign of the Beaver. There is a boys named Matt (the boy that got left alone over 100 years ago). Matt's dad left Matt alone in Maine's forest with a muzzle loader, a few gold coins, and a watch. After a few weeks, Matt was running out of food, so he found a bee hive and tried to get some honey. He got stung. Then two Indians (a teenager and a chief) helped Matt heal. After a while he got know the Indians. One of the Indian's name was Saknis (the Indian chief) and the Indian teenager's name was Attean. Matt and Attean killed a bear together. Matt went to the Indian tribe. Attean said, "White boy help kill bear.'' Matt didn't feel good going to the Indian tribe. The day came when Attean had to go find a new hunting ground! Matt said, "I have to stay for my parents.'' Will Matt's parents come back? I recommend this book for anyone that likes adventure.
Madison's Magnifacent Reiew
Sign of the Beaver was a great book,and this is how it begins! 12 year-old Matt,the main character, is left to house sit the cabin he helped his father build in Maine's wildernes about 100 years ago, the setting. While Matt's father is gone to get the rest of the family,he gets his life saved by an Indian chief and his grandson,the Beaver Tribe. Later on, he makes some pretty good friends with the Native Americans,and he becomes a skilled hunter. By now, it's way past due for his father to have returned, and he begins to worry. Will his father ever come back? He makes himself busy by doing things to make the cabin cozier for when his loved ones returned. He also got some heart wrenching news from his Indian friend, Attean. The Indian tribe is moving to Canada! Now Matt has to decide whether to depart with his Indian friends or stay and wait for his family. "I recommend this book to anyone who loves adventure and survival. To anyone who loves devolving a great passion for one another. Read it. I know you'll be happy that you did. I sure was happy I read it," I say.

Let me just start off by saying that if I were to use one word to describe this book, it would be epic. Sign of the Beaver really did have those moments where you raise your eyebrows and say "Wow". Another aspect of the book they nailed was the part of character development. With the main characters of the book, you can really see a difference with them between the beginning of the book, and the end of the book. It's just great to see that this is present in the story, as it adds so much to the characters. The big problem I do have with this book, though, is that it feels sort of generic. Sign of the Beaver felt a lot like Hatchet with the main character, the plot, and the resolution, but I fell that Hatchet just did it a little better. In conclusion, Sign of the Beaver was a good book, but just felt generic.

I love all of Elizabeth George Speare's books for children. She has an amazing ability to create emotion with words. I came across this book because I was looking for books for my boys that were well written and would give them strong characters to emulate and would be full of adventure and excitement. But, I also needed a book that wasn't too long. I wanted to create in them a love for reading and show them that there are excellent books out there. My boys were 12 and 9 when they read this book. I read it too. We all loved it. It's a great book for children, youth and adults. It is also a great book to read aloud as a family. I would highly recommend this book to anyone.

I admit that I wasn't sure of this book at first. We read it as a read aloud for homeschool, but my eight year old really enjoyed it! For the first time in awhile he looked forward to us reading daily and was very disappointed when we reached the end since that meant the story is over! We are getting ready to read The Witch of Blackbird Pond by the same author and we can't wait!

Though I thoroughly enjoyed the storyline and the main character’s humbling journey into manhood, I know it was precisely stories like this that made me believe Indians only spoke a dialect of broken English. As a child, none of the novels I read portrayed Indians as intellectual people. Unfortunate, but at least this novel acknowledges they had fluency in their own language, strong community bonds, and depth of wisdom about the land they dwelled upon.

I'm absolutely certain that you will like The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare because its set in the wilderness. Matt's father had to leave him alone at the cabin. While his father is gone, he has to take care of the crops and the cabin. In my opinion, it was lively to read because the main characters become friends.
Matt and Attean became friends by hunting and fishing together. Attean said that his fishing hook was better than his and when they killed the bear Matt threw a rock in the brush of the forest so Attean could shoot it. Attean gave Matt his dog before he had to go on the great hunt.
I also liked it when Matt didn't just teach Attean. Attean taught Matt to hunt the indian way. Attean teaches Matt how to find his way back home from the indian village. Also, Attean showed Matt how to make bows and traps out of roots.
Read this book if you like books set in the wilderness and in the 1800s. It's easy to pick up the book, but it's hard put it down.

You should buy The Sign of the Beaver because it has a good setting. If you like books about survival you will like this book. Mat survives while waiting for his father to come with his sister and his family. But there are other things happening. Like an Indian that appears out of nowhere and saves him from a swarm of bees. But will Mat survive the wilderness even with the Indian's help? Read it to find out!

Wonderful story to learn about early America in a very personal way on the experience of white colons and native Indians through the eyes of a young man Matt and his encounters in the wild America.

A friend recommended it for our son now 10 and we love it.
The new vocabulary challenged us and the use of dictionary was part of the whole journey. Suspense , adventure , humor , and very detail oriented on the way young people might have fair for their survival as well as the cautionary approach they took about one another...

Emotions did build up until the end!:)

The sign of the Beaver takes place in the 1760`s in Maine when the Native Americans lived in New England.This book great historical-fiction novel about a boy who’s parents left him alone in the wilderness of early Maine in their log cabin. Matt the main character goes through many challenges throughout the couple of months that he is alone in the wilderness. Along the way Matt encounters an Indian “as they call them,” and everyone is afraid of the Indians because they are “scary.” Also, Matt meets a supposively nice man named Ben, but Ben leaves Matt’s cabin taking something with him. Eventually, Matt and the Indian get to be very good friends and Indian takes Matt to meet his tribe. The sign of the Beaver is a well written novel, and i would recommend to any young reader who likes historical fiction or a short very interesting book.

"Matt stood at the edge of the clearing for some time after his father had gone out of sight among the trees. There was just a chance that his father might turn back, that perhaps he had forgotten something or had some last word of advice. This was one time Matt reckoned he wouldn't mind the advice, no matter how many times he had heard it before. But finally he had to admit that this was not going to happen. His father really had gone. He was alone, with miles of wilderness stretching on every side."

Right from the beginning, The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare grabs my attention with its suspenseful phrasing and promise of adventure. The same lonely, almost fearful feeling that surrounds Matt in this opening paragraph also captures me: I find myself identifying with twelve-year-old Matt as he is left alone in the Maine wilderness to await his father's return. And how long is this wait? Well, it is long enough for Matt to develop some interesting friendships, question his personal views on race and prejudice, and learn to survive independently in a dangerous wilderness barren of modern supplies. Simultaneously, he begins to wonder if his father really will make it back with the rest of the family before the dead of winter.

Matt's adventures begin when he decides to get honey from a tree one morning. Being a strong-willed, brave, and persistent boy, Matt ignores the possibility that his raid might not go well because of the bees; and, unfortunately, the bees do attack. But unknown to Matt, he has been observed by two Indians since his father left many weeks ago. The first is Saknis, a kind but stern Indian Chief of the nearby Beaver Tribe. The second is Saknis' grandson Attean, a boy who hates white men as much as he loves nature and his dog Aremus (Aremus means "dog" in Attean's language). Luckily, Saknis and Attean save Matt from the angry bees. And, in return for their medical assistance, Saknis tells Matt to teach Attean how to read and write:

"'Attean learn,' he said. 'White man come more and more to Indian land. White man not make treaty with pipe. White man make signs on paper, signs Indian not know. Indian put mark on paper to show him friend of white man. Then white man take land. Tell Indian cannot hunt on land. Attean learn to read white man's signs. Attean not give away hunting grounds'" (31).

Matt is surprised by this proposal and Attean glowers, scowls, and stalks away. Yet, both boys know that they must reluctantly do as the influential and powerful Saknis requests. Therefore, a friendship is forced to develop between grumpy Attean, who is disdainful and hateful towards all white men, and puzzled Matt, who does not understand this Indian boy yet wishes for his company. Over many months, Matt and Attean grow close through tramps in the forest, getting attacked by a bear, and a mutual exposure to both of their cultures. It is a slow but sure process by which both boys begin to respect each other's qualities, abilities, and race.

Because of such vivid personality traits displayed by Matt and Attean, Speare makes me feel like Matt and Attean are real, tangible people whom I clearly visualize and understand. It is almost as if their interactions are of an everyday occurrence in 2009 rather than the late 1700s, a time that I can barely comprehend because it is so far away. Because of this connection, my like for each character causes me to appreciate this novel even more. I especially enjoy how Speare develops the friendship between Matt and Attean, since it reveals that people can get along, interact, help each other in times of need, and form friendships despite their differences of race or opinion. Since this theme strongly applies to today's society, where racism and prejudice are rampant, it is encouraging to see conflict resolve between Matt and Attean.

As you might have guessed, The Sign of the Beaver is a historical fiction novel, and it portrays an interesting look into the lives and practices of Indians during the late 1700s and early 1800s. A unique thing about this story, however, is that the characters of Matt and his father, and Attean and his grandfather, are based upon real individuals. While visiting a fishing camp in Maine many years ago, Elizabeth George Speare explored the small town of Milo and found a historical volume entitled The History of Milo. From this account Speare learned that in 1802 a man named Benjamin Sargent and his fourteen-year-old son Theophilus came to Maine to settle. After Benjamin and Theophilus finished building their cabin, Benjamin left to retrieve the rest of their family while Theophilus remained behind to guard the cabin and tend to the garden. When a nearby Indian chief heard that Theophilus was alone and running low on food, he left his son Ateon with Theophilus and provided well for both boys. Obviously, Speare was intrigued by this true account and decided to turn it into a children's novel. While some of the plot turns throughout The Sign of the Beaver are based upon real events, most of this story is filled with creative imaginings of what could have happened to Theophilus and Ateon, whom Speare renamed Matt and Attean.

In most historical fiction stories, the setting is important and heavily influences the plot. In the case of The Sign of the Beaver, it is no different. This story takes place in the far northeast United States which is now known as Maine. During the late 1700s, an influx of European settlers migrated north to expand their colonies, and the territory of the Native Americans was gradually overtaken. Thus, Matt and his family come upon Maine, and Matt is left alone with only words of advice from his father. I found it especially fascinating how the vast wilderness of Maine is so powerful in how it interacts with Matt. At first, Matt is intimidated by the forest and cannot understand it. He feels towards it like he feels towards Attean and his Beaver tribe. And, the forest does not provide for him like it does for Attean:
"[Matt] stopped short at sight of the cabin. The door was swinging open at a crazy angel, one hinge broken. Across the doorsill some white stuff dribbled, like spilled flour...the cabin was a shambles, the stools overturned, the shelf swept bare, the precious molasses keg upside down on the floor and empty...with a sinking heart he realized what had happened. He remembered the thrashing in the underbrush. It had to be a bear" (20).

But, because Matt realizes that his only hope for survival is the advice that Attean has to offer him, Matt accepts the valuable ideas on how to work with, how to respect, and how to gain from the forest in which he lives:

"In a corner leaned the old flour sack, overflowing with nuts he had gathered, hickory and butternut, and even the acorns he had once thought proper food only for squirrels. On the shelf ranged birch baskets filled with dried berries and the wild cranberries he had discovered shining like jewels along the boggy shores of the pond" (120-121).

Here, Matt has finally learned to benefit from nature--to survive in something that used to intimidate and frustrate him. He also has learned to survive next to something that he used to not understand: the Beaver Indians. Towards the end of this novel, Matt snatches up any sort of idea Attean or his family might provide:

"Attean was amused when Matt kept stopping every few feet to watch what the women were doing. Matt was filled with curiosity...there were so many things [he] wanted to learn. He observed carefully as two women pounded dried kernels of corn between two rounded stones, catching the coarse flour on a strip of birchbark. He marked how they spread berries on bark, so that the sun dried them hard as pebbles. He admired the baskets made of a single strip of birchbark, bent and fastened at the corners so tightly that water could be boiled inside. "I must remember that," he resolved" (99-100).

And, Matt does remember it: he implements everything he learns from the Indian. This attitude exhibited by Matt brings up the reality that his survival is completely dependent upon his acceptance of something foreign to him. Furthermore, I could not help but notice how, as Matt's appreciation for nature and the Indians increases, Speare's description of the world by which he is surrounded grows more beautiful. The rough "thrashing in the underbrush" turns into "wild cranberries" that shine "like jewels along the boggy shores."

Speare's writing style definitely plays a strong role in The Sign of the Beaver because she is so descriptive of her characters and the world that surrounds them. First, I like how even though The Sign of the Beaver is narrated in third person, the perspective of Matt is made very clear: this allows me to understand him more because I hear his thought process. In addition, I like how Speare's style allows me to feel that I am side-by-side with the characters throughout the book. If I were to close my eyes right now an image would come to mind of Matt and Attean rambling through the woods, and I could also vividly see Matt's cabin and the rows of corn he planted. Finally, despite the general excitement of this story, there is an occasional part that is funny and made me laugh. For example, one day Attean takes Matt fishing and shows him how to use a spear to catch fish. When Attean tells Matt to "do same", Matt can hardly say no:

"He would just look ridiculous, Matt knew before he started. He waded in and stood up to his knees, looking down into the sliding water. Presently a fish darted past. He jabbed at it hopelessly. He was sure his stick actually touched the slippery thing. He lunged at it, lost his footing, and went down with a splash that would scare off any fish for miles around. When he came up dripping, he saw Attean watching him with a horrid grin" (47).

The image this passage creates is humorous because I can easily picture Matt flailing in the water while Attean smirks to the side. The humor is subtle too because of the undercurrent of competition and suspicion between both boys: Attean and Matt are each waiting for the other to slip up.

All its survival, humor, and exploits make The Sign of the Beaver an exciting read for book lovers of all ages; and I, a college-aged student, absolutely loved it. There is so much adventure throughout the storyline and interesting details about Indians and how they survived in the wilderness that I am sure it would especially appeal to young children who are intrigued by such a life. If you are the type of individual who wants to learn ways to survive in a wilderness--whether it be to tramp through a forest and not get lost, or to fish with a spear--then the Sign of the Beaver will hook you from beginning to end.

References:
Speare, E. G. (n.d.). The Survival Story. Milo Historical Society. Retrieved October 2, 2009, from [...]
Speare, E.G. (1983). The Sign of the Beaver. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.

I read this book aloud to my children and we all loved it! It is an exciting tale of life on the frontier from a young boys perspective. It was a story of friendship and survival. I don't see how this book could possibly harm anyone. Reading some other reviews written,they paint an ugly picture of what it was about. There were things that were reality back then that were sad and unfortunate but why make like it didn't happen? The Native Americans in this book were heros. It was great to see how skilled they were in making tools and surviving in the woods. What is wrong with that? I highly recommend this book. My 9 and 8 year olds were hanging on every word and couldn't wait to read again. (Perhaps the environment that the reading took place wasn't good for some of the other readers. I can't figure it out. We never saw the movie either.) It was a great intro to study of native americans. We built a teepee and made bows and arrows and have an even greater respect for the indians. It was a wonderful book that sparks the imagination and truly give the reader a love for the Native American way of life.

The "Sign of the Beaver" is a book that appeals to young readers that enjoy adventures. This book is about how a boy sees Native Americans in a positive light. The boy is a Thirteen year old boy who moves to the Maine Wilderness with his father to grow crops to maintain themselves. They both build a cabin to stay in, but the father soon leaves to get the rest of the family. While the father is gone Matt (the boy) has many adventures being alone.
This is a great book for people that love the outdoors. If you're one of those people I suggest you should check this book out. You will easily relate to the adventures and to the characters.

Elizabeth George Speare specialized in historical novels foryoung people. "The Sign of the Beaver" is a classic tale of survival in the wilderness, as Matt must fend for himself while his family is gone. An excellent tale of friendship and learning between Matt and the Indian boy Attean, "The Sign of the Beaver" keeps the action going from start to finish. The novel doesn't flinch from facing the fact that the Indians are going to lose the battle for dominance of the land, but neither does it disrespect their culture. I like "The Sign of the Beaver" even better than "The Witch of Blackbird Pond," which has always bothered me a bit because the ending is a little too contrived (every girl ends up happily married, with no loose ends) and the picture of the Puritans is too cold. Any young reader with a hunger for adventure and learning will enjoy "The Sign of the Beaver."

Speare did a great job here of giving a story that is very easy to believe. Matt and his father go into the wilderness of Maine as early settlers. After building a home and clearing land, they started their crop. Matt's father left him for six weeks to tend the homestead while he went back for the rest of the family. Matt wasn't quite equipped for the task, but through difficult circumstances he finds himself being helped greatly by an Indian family. A boy about his age slowly becomes his friend as Matt slowly fits into the Indian culture. I'll not give away the ending, but you will be surprised to see how Matt finally gains respect of the Indians. Your kids will enjoy this book!

The book Sign of The Beaver is about a kid who’s 13 years old whose name is Matt. His family went to Maine and Matt was living all by himself. After a while, Matt was found by a Native American called Ben and the rest of the book talks about all their adventures. I would rate this book a 4 out of 5 stars because what i like about this book is when he was meeting new people. Also, I imagined everything in the book because the author wrote with a lot of descriptive words. I would recommend to everybody.
- David Moore, Emek Hebrew Academy

This book is captivating and impossible to put down even now as I approach age 30. As a girl I found it spellbinding, the kind of book that makes your own world and time dissolve around you and casts directly in the life and time of the characters. It is far to rare that an author can weave that kind of story. Elizabeth George Speare certainly has that gift. Don't hesitate to buy this for the children in your life. Also by E. G. Speare be sure and check out The Witch of Blackbird Pond and one of my all-time favorites, Calico Captive. Enjoy and keep a clock nearby as you're surely going to lose track of time while reading this book.

If you like adventure books than Sign of the Beaver written by Elizabeth George Speare is for you.
Matt and Attean are the main characters of the story. Matt's father went to go get his family in Massachusetts and leaves Matt in the woods in Maine. While in the woods Matt meets Attean the Indian. Will his father ever come back? Is he going to live with the Indians? Well you have to read it to find out.
We give it 5 stars, because it is a very good adventure book. I recommend it for our friends who like books that are exciting.

This book is about an Indian named Attean and a young boy named Matt. Matt's father leaves him in charge of the cabin and field crops while he goes to get Matts's mother, sister, and baby brother. We thought that the beginning was pretty boring, but as we read along, we really started to like this book. Attean teaches Matt how to hunt and live off the land. Is Matt able to handle that much responsibility on his own? Does his family ever return home? We give the book four stars!! We recommend this book to our class because it always kept us wondering what would happen next.
Book review by: Joey and Juan

"The Sign of the Beaver" is about a young boy named Matt and an Indian named Attean. Matt's dad leaves him alone at the cabin so he can go and get the rest of their family. Do you think that Matt will survive on his own? Do you think that Matt and Attean will be friends? How does Matt survive without his father? You will have to read this adventurous book to find out. We give the book five stars because we really enjoyed reading it.
Book review by: Jacob and Dylan

"Scorpions"
Have you ever heard of the book "Scorpions", written by Walter Dean Myers? If you like action you should most definitely read this book because it is the best book you will ever read!! It takes you on many twist and turns throughout this book. To hear the horrifying things that happen during this book we highly suggest that you read it. This book is about a guy named Randy who went to jail because he was in a gang. When he went to jail he tried to make his younger brother Jamal take his spot. Jamal got in a fight with a gang because he didn't want to be in it anymore. We recommend this book to you because we think you should read this amazing story. We give the book five stars!!!!!
Book review by: Kiana, Kristin, and Gabriela

"Holes"
If you like adventure books about camp then "Holes" by Louis Sachar is for you. In the city, this boy named Stanley Yelnats was sent to Camp Green Lake in the dessert for all his bad deeds. This book is aobut what happens to Stanley while he is at Camp Green Lake. What will Stanley do? Will he have a hard time at the camp? Will he struggle with the other kids? To find out about this book we suggest that you read it. Our group gives this book 4 out of 5 stars. We would recommend this book to our friends because it truly shows friendship between two boys.
Book review by: Andres, Yeremy, and Steven

What a delightful book. It is about a young lad that is left in the Maine woods to fend for himself while his father goes back to their home to gather up his family (wife, daughter and unborn child). The lad, age 12, learns to take care of himself with hunting, farming, clothing....and relationships with the Native American's. For any child ( or adult) who is interested in the outdoors and the challenges that await... this is the book for you. As an adult, I totally enjoyed the book as I love survival kinds of things and learned some skills that I had not heretofore known. This would be the kind of book I would share with my children!

I can't even remember the first time that I read this book, its been so long.
It is a story about white settlers moving into Indian territory, back when Indian territory was most of this country. Two boys, a Native American and a white boy, become friends through a mutual need to learn what the other knows. Perhaps not a perfect portrayal of Native American life, but a nice story about how people who are very different, can learn to value the differences between them. Plus, I've always loved stories of how to live in harmony with nature, and survive.

This lovely book is a great book to show children tolerance between cultures. It is a study of how one boy sees the Native Americans in a positive light. Matt is able to experience friendship, loyalty, and acceptance. I was touched at how the grandfather showed love towards Matt. Also, Attean's final gift to Matt shows how much he thought of Matt-generosity and sacrifice. It is interesting for its historical perspective too, as the work of the Native American woman was shown in this book!! A highly recommended read.

The "Sign of the Beaver" is good book that especially appeals to young readers who have a since of adventure in there lives. This book is written really well. Matt is the main character in the book and him and his dad travel by themselves and find somewhere to live, after the get thing set up, Matt's father must return east to bring back his mother, sister, and newborn baby. He leaves his son, Matt, which is somewhere around 13 years of age to care for the place while he is gone. His dad sat out on a journey to go get the rest of his family, at first the journey was only suppose to take about a little more than a month Matt has to keep the crops growing and the house in order. He has to learn to fend for him self because he soon runs out of supplies after his father leaves. He learns many hard lessons while his father is away, but he also makes a lasting friendship. When Matt is totally out of supplies he meets Attean and his Grandfather who help him out. Has almost run out, Matt meets Attean and his grandfather, Indians who befriends him. Attean's shows Matt how to hunt and how to survive and Matt teaches him how to read. As time goes on the cultural gap between them is demolished. The Sign of the Beaver is an excellent example of frontier life and the struggles that were faced back in those days. I would recommend this book to people of all ages; this book teaches that ethnic background and language can't come between friendships. This is an awesome book!

one thing i remeber about summer reading lists for school, was that they tried to pick the most boring, shoot yourself in the foot, educational reads they could find. almost as if to make people(kids) hate reading? I mean how many kinds will voluntarily sit down and read a book any way? Dosen't it make more sense to make everyone read 1 book that they like, instead of several ones that they can't stand?

Anyway.. sorry about my tirade. lol. this was the book for my 4th grade reading least. It was a refreshing delight to learn that a school had actually picked a interesting book. It was nicely written and managed to keep me awake. It is educational without knocking you out. Imagine that. I defintely recomend. This is one book i am glad i was forced to read!

A student chased me around the library for a full year, begging me to read this book. Thank goodness I finally broke down and read it! Now, I chase students around my classroom, begging them to read this book. (I don't know why it's such a hard sell; it's an amazing story.)

I like The Sign Of The Beaver because there is so much mystery. There's mystery about the forest with Ben coming and Matt gets help from native Americans, also if Matt's dad will come. I really like the way there is not just mystery there is also adventure. I also like how Matt is brave,friendly,helps others,and respects others. As well I like how Matt does everything to keep his dad's cabin in best shape.

I did like this book. I liked that it has a happy ending and that there is good friendship. I didn't like the sad parts, though.
This book is about a boy, Matt, that is left alone. His father built a cabin with Matt. Then Matt's father goes back to their real home to get his mother, sister, and new baby that Matt hasn't met. Warning, spoiler alert: Matt makes a new friend, Attean, and they are like brothers. I gave this book 5 starts.
Written by G.

Speare gives a realistic picture of the edgy but generally humane interactions between the Native Americans and the European settlers. SOTB is unstintingly honest but not depressingly so, and is interesting in its description of life in those days. And it gives many interesting details about life as lived in earlier and simpler times. I enjoyed reading it to my kids and they seemed to enjoy it too. Recommended.

I originally read The Sign of the Beaver in the third or fourth grade, and I found it a nice rainy-day read but not particularly special. Now that I'm in college and have re-read it, I am surprised at just how thoughtful it is. To appreciate it, I think you have to get past two things:

1) This is a book for children. It's not nearly as gritty as it could be and perhaps should be. However, Speare manages to artfully sidestep more adult topics while still appealing to basic human nature and emotions that people feel at any age.

2) The Indians are rather stereotyped with their "white man speak with forked tongue"-esque exchanges. But while the dialect may be ill-advised, you can see Speare researched Indian life well. The attention to detail is off-putting to very young readers, but it makes the book quite credible.

Perhaps the best thing about The Sign of the Beaver is that it isn't sugarcoated. A white man whom Matt felt he could trust just because of his skin color betrays him, and although Matt does his best to try to teach Attean to read, Attean never really learns. I myself enjoyed the bittersweet ending: Matt realizes his responsibility to his own family and continues to wait alone for them, as December comes and Attean and his tribe move west. At its best, the book recalls Joyce's Dubliners as it asks us to recognize our own limitations and unfulfilled expectations even as infinite possibilities beckon to us. At its worst, it's a quicker-paced but just as dated throwback to Matt's favorite book, the oft-referenced Robinson Crusoe. But "Sideways Stories from Wayside School," it isn't.

Very good children's book. Recommend for 3rd grade (audiobook) to middle school. Also great as a family read aloud. It written from the perspective of a 12 year old boy and gives an idea what his life was like in the early stages of our nation but with conflicts and challenges that young boys today can relate to. It is a good way to illustrate and supplement American history lessons. Best of all their is action and entertainment to keep a young mind interested. Highly recommend.

Although he faced his responsibility bravely,thirteen-year-old Matt was more than a little scared when his dad left him alone in the wilderness to guard their newly built cabin in the wilderness. When a renefade white stranger stole his gun, Matt knew he had no way to shoot game and no way to protect himself. It was only after meeting Attean when he started learning how ot survive in the wilderness all by hiself. Then later on he got to meet and understand the Beaver clan of the land across the big creek. So then on out until his parents came he Matt was able to survive in the wilderness all at his lonesome. The main reason why I rate this book 5* is because of Elizabeth G. Speare's breath taking writing style. But duh she s the authour of the award Newbery Award for both "The Witch of Blackbird Pond" And "The Bronze Bow." I mean her and Gary Paulsen are the two greatest writters ever especally compared to those long "Harry Potter" books.

My fourth graders (advanced group) love this book. I assign only a chapter or two at a time but they read ahead. Why, I asked. Because it is sooooo good and we wanted to read more. This book is great for boys or girls. It is also an excellent read for those working on the Core Standards of Literature.

This book was a great suprise for me. A young native boy teaches another "white" boy (living on his own) how to hunt without bullets or rifles, fish without a man made hook, make a bow and arrow, and so much more. A wonderful friendship grows between the boys in a time when friendship of this nature was frowned upon. A wonderful story. This book will be even more exciting for the child who loves the outdoors. We adults will learn quite a thing or two as well.

I think this book is for an a half star's because:
ther is a big lot to it I love it, it cant be betrr I love the ending
it's so good I hope you like it .

From Tiger 9/25/2016 8:43 p.m.

The Sign of the Beaver is an absolutely wonderful book! We read it out loud when my oldest was 8 and this is the kind of book you never want to put down. It is full of adventure and lessons. Even my younger children would stop to listen while we read. I would definitely recommend this book!

I'm reading this book with my fifth grade class right now. They literally cheer when I say that it's time to get out the book! I use this book to explore the ideas of prejudice in society. Children use the examples of the characters to see that prejudice can be overcome and friendships formed between people who are very different. And besides, the book is exciting!

The Sign of the Beaver is an adventure where the main character, Matt, has to deal with a few unexpected surprises in the forest of Maine, where he and his father have built a cabin to live in. First, Matt's father has to travel to Quincy, where Matt and his family used to live, to bring his mother, his sister, and a new baby, back to there Maine territory, but he doesn't arrive when expected. Then an unexpected stranger appears hungry for stealing. Finally, Matt is ambushed by a whole hive of bees. What will happen to Matt? Will he die alone in the forest? Will he have to suffer of hunger, thirst, and injury until his father arrives with his family? This book has all the answers.

I would like to start of by say this book was very likeable. It had every basic thing a book needs. A beginning, a middle, an end, problems, and solutions. This books storyline is also very well written and detailed. Even though this book was great and quit thrilling, it could've used some more of that "thrill" from time to time. It also could've used some of the situations as a bigger part in the story.

I strongly recommend this book for people ages eight and up, considering there are a few semi-violent parts in the story that may scare young children (bear attack, etc.).i encourage people to read The Sign of the Beaver. 4 ½ stars.

Imagine being a twelve year old boy, trying to survive alone in the Maine wilderness. In The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare. Matt and his father build a cabin in the woods. Matt's father must leave to get the rest of the family. Matt conflicts with nature to survive. A Native American came and he was helping Matt to build arrows and other stuff like arrows and a bow. The Native American was an Indian chief whose grandson was named Attean. Matt and Attean became friends and the Native Americans helped Matt survive.
I enjoyed the book because Matt was in the outdoors and he was not ever bored. He would not just sit around all day and do nothing. Was always goes out side and explores places he has not been before. And when I was reading I got in the book and I just wanted to read more. Matt and his Dad built a cabin for their family and I thought that it was nice that they were helping their family. If I could change one thing in this novel it would be that I would wont the book to be longer.

This wonderful book teaching tolerance, acceptance and understanding and the value of dependence on one another is a required reading book in 6th grade in our schools. The children enjoy the book and learn a great deal about survival in the woods! Excellent page turning adventures between an Native American Indian and a boy.
Evelyn Horan - teacher/...

I am seven-years-old and I read this with my mom. I highly recommend it because it makes you feel like you are really in the forests of Maine. My favorite characters were Matt and Attean. I also loved Attean's dog. It is a very good book if you want to learn about how Native Americans survived in the forests long ago. I loved reading about Attean's village. There are words that kids may not understand in this book, so younger kids might want to read with a parent.

"The Sign of the Beaver" is a book that my children and I enjoyed; they are boy and girl, 8 and 10.

The story is about a boy named Matt whose family is moving to the 'wilds' of colonial Maine. His dad and he have gone out ahead of the rest of the family to prepare a clearing, plant some crops and build a small cabin. Matt's dad then leaves him behind while he returns to Connecticut to retrieve the rest of the family which includes his wife, the baby they are expecting, and his daughter. While Matt's alone, he has a few life defining experiences; amongst them an encounter with a trapper who steals from him, and a tribe of nearby Indians. In particularly, he struggles to have a relationship with a Native American boy named Attean, who is a couple of years his senior.

TALKING POINTS:::
The book is an award winning chapter read that is written at nearly the 5th Grade level (AR 4.9)

I thought the value of the book was that it directly addressed the 'myth of white guy superiority'. Speare used both examples from DeFoe's "Robinson Crusoe" and some of the adventures of the boys to demonstrate how ridiculous it is to assume that newcomers would understand an environment better than the natives who grew up with it. In DeFoe's case, she ridicules his precepts and roundly shows how the man's prejudice was hurtful.

The other concept I like was that the book tried to show children that most of the time it is individuals who can behave badly, and not groups. Although it could be argued that by making it clear that the Europeans were 'grabbing up' the land without consideration of the people who already live there, that they were in fact behaving badly as a group.

All this said, I think the pacing suffered on account of the complexity of the ideas that the author was trying to get across. And certainly her choice of grammar made the book, in my experience, an exceedingly difficult read-aloud.

Pam T~
(booksforkids-reviews)

The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare tells the tale of a young boy, Matt, who, when left on his own, befriends an Indian named Attean. The story tells of their adventures in the Maine wild while they learn and help each other. The friendship between Attean and Matt earned this book our three star rating; we enjoyed the formation of their friendship.
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One student: As an 11 year old reader and a girl, I couldn't connect strongly to the book. I also had trouble reading through their use of animals for survival as I found it "gross and upsetting".

Student: I also found it a slow read as it took some time to get to the excitement.

Student: It would be a stronger book if Matt's family were able to meet Attean and the other Indians as they were such as important part of Matt's summer alone.
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If you like themes of survival, hunting, and friendship this book would be a good read for you. If not, look around for another book!

I LOVE THUS BOOK! It's great for anyone to read. I like it because it's a book that like if I went the library I wouldn't look for this because I don't know it but now that I've read it I would recommend this to anyone! Download it you will be eager to finish it

The sign of the beaver inspired me to not be afraid and to use my resources. It in inspired me to go with my instincts. This is a great read aloud for 4th graders. If you are learming about pioneer times this is a great book to read.

I think that this book was a good use of my money. it was filled with some very useful information. it had my 12 year old daughter's eyes glued to it! not a while after she first read it, she took some of the many things that she learned from this book, she took a stick that was bendable, and scraped off the bark (with a pocket knife) and tied some yarn onto it very tightly! overall i am very pleased with this book.

I'm reading this book with my 3rd grade class. Although the vocabulary is difficult and I often need to stop and define words, the children are captivated by the story. The book helps us to picture what life was like for the settlers when they first arrived and how the Native people had to react to the many changes the settlers brought about. The vivid descriptions of survival in the woods are exciting and informative. We're studying Indigenous people and this book is a perfect connection.

Great Read for children learning about pioneer life and early Native Americans. As a parent I enjoyed reading along with my son and following the adventures of the two characters all the way to the end.

We liked this book because it is an action-packed book full of adventure. It is a nice mix of survival and friendship. We had a hard time understanding the vocabulary, but we think it was a very great book over-all.

The Sign Of the Beaver

In the book The Sign of the Beaver. I read about a pre- teenager who's dad left him to live on his own. But when Matt the pre- teen get use to living on his own. He was surprised to have company by a stranger named Ben. Ben was a nice person to me I don't know about Matt. To me Matt should have been grateful that he has someone to talk to. The reason why I say this is because when Ben appeared Matt barely talked at all. Then later when Ben left a few days later Matt was running out of food. The strangest thing happened, because when Matt actually ran out of food three Indians popped out of no where and had food in there hands to give to Matt. Matt was surprised just like I was because I was expecting that Matt was going to have to starve to death. Another strange thing is when Matt lost one of his boots that his mom gave him for Christmas. When the next day came the three Indians showed up again and had brand new shoes hand made by them and they gave them to Matt. Matt described the boots more comfortable then the white man shoes. But Matt felt bad because he didn't have anything to give in return. So he gave one of the Indians "Attean" a book, but he couldn't read it. So Matt and the Indian made a deal that Matt will teach Attean to read a book. Matt was grateful that he has company and to teach someone how to read.

Some good parts about the book is that the Indians cared about Matt. Like when Matt needed boots or food. Also how Attean kept Matt company when he needed the most.

Another good part about th e book is that Matt volunteered to teach Attean to read and how to speak English. Also Matt and Attean became very good friends so Attean ask Matt if he wanted to join the tribe. Matt declined, but that was pretty nice of Attean to ask Matt if he wanted to joined the tribe. Another good part of the book is that Matt made a friend while he was in the woods. That was surprising to me because I though Matt was going to be a lonely boy that will grow up hoping that his father will come back for him, but I was wrong about that.

The bad parts about the book is that his dad left him to grow up by himself until his dad comes back. Also that he is separated from his family. That is bad because he should be able to see his family. Also his dad never taught him how to hunt properly.

So this book is a pretty good for people that like to read about people helping people and how they become friends toward the end of the book. Also how they taught each other different things.

My son was required to read this in his 5th grade classroom. Every day, he came home excited to tell me more of the story. For him, it was a very exciting book, and he would gladly recommend it to others.

The book "The Sign of the Beaver" is the best book i've ever read. It is about a boy named Matt who is left alone in the woods waiting for his dad to come with his mother and sister. Over a course of a couple months the boy has a few hardships he had to over come. One of them was when a guy names Ben came and stole his rifle so he had to live off of other sources since he couldn't hunt. After getting tired of fish he decided to try and get honey from a bee hive. he was stung many times. Two indians, Saknis and Attean, found him and took him to his cabin and gave him medicine for a couple days. After Matt was better he made a deal with Saknis to teach Attean to read white mans language. After so many times that Matt and Attean were together they finally became friends and part brothers in time.

I bought this book to use as part of our home school curriculum, for my son this year. I had to read the book in order to teach it. I was very impressed with the story and I felt it taught many important life lessons. It was a very touching story and I found myself unable to put it down. It's not just a kid book, but a heartwarming story for the whole family. I can't wait for schooling to start on Tuesday. I know my son is going to love this book as much as I did. I am also using the teaching guide for this book, by Teacher Created Materials. I highly recommend using them together if your going to teach the book as part of any curriculum.

We are grade 4 students in Beijing. Our teacher read this book aloud and we found it interesting because of the adventures Matt and Attean had together. We liked the way Matt grew to understand the customs of the Native Americans.

We recommend this book to other 4th graders, especially those who like the outdoors or survival stories.

One student did not like the book because she found it uninteresting. She doesn't like books that are related to the outdoors.

This book is an amazing book that you would want to read more about. This book does have a bad ending, though the middle section, which is the most important part, is good. Once you start to read this book, you can never stop. A lot of the questions in the book remain unsolved. A huge part of <Sign of the Beaver> is a review of the book <Robinson Crusoe>. This would make you think back to that book and you would see how much Robinson Crusoe have on that desert island.
Joseph Han

We first checked out this audio-tape out from the library when my son was 7. He loved it on that first long car trip, and we have checked it out 3 more times since then. Today, I bought it on the store.com for our trip this summer.
If you have a boy (or girl) who likes to listen to stories, this is a great one. As a Mom, I like that the boy learns to survive, works hard, and shows respect for others and their culture......a great role model for young kids today.

I have used Sign of the Beaver as a read aloud just about every year I have taught! I teach 4th grade, and have always had great reviews from my students. The text and vocabulary are advanced for some fourth graders, so it is a terrific way to expand their vocabulary and knowledge without having frustrated readers. I have collected a class set over the years, allowing every child to read along. I highly recommend this book!

This book was a really good book it makes you want to read chapter after chapter it is a really interesting book with intence parts. Some of the parts have lots of details,Though some of the parts have writting errors. This book contains a lot of history in it too. But some parts are exaggurated. This book takes place in the woods where some Native Americans lived. I really like this book although the ending was sort of sad. But I will tell you this is a really good book. To the author I suggest you fix the typing error.

I read it with my 12, 10 and 7 years old children. We loved it. The children got a greater appreciation about the Native American's respect for nature. They learned that economic progress has had its consecuences. We live in the West, so my children learned about the environment of the east (big forest, the autum in the east, etc.) This book is also about friendship, respect of differences and appreciation of people with different backgrounds. This book can be used as Historical fiction.

I had to read this book as an undergraduate for my childrens literature class and enjoyed the story line and special friendship between Matt and Attean. I was drawn throughout the entire book to see Matt's transformation and the adventures he shared learning and growing with Attean. I would recommend this to any child or adult to read.

This is fairly short, which appeals to younger readers, and it is not too scary, and it has likable boy characters. And there's settlers and Indians. All of which adds up to an irresistable brew for most children.

The story is memorable, and it's a good stepping stone to other self-relaince novels (our favorite is "My Side of the Mountain," but there is also "the Matchlock Gun" ...and many others.

My Side of the Mountain (Puffin Modern Classics)
The Matchlock Gun

Well-written, of course. It won a Newbery in 1983, and you can see some Newbery-must pieces in the plot:

1) white people have to be rescued from their own folly
2) white people are not to be trusted (stealing a gun, killing Attean's parents)
3) native Americans are wholly skilled, decent, responsible, and noble, and wise
4) question, question, question your religious teachings, your parents' values, and the concept of property. Unless you are native American. Refer to #3.

Other than that, we're fine with this great story. It's for kids.

This book is about A boy named Matt who builds a cabin with his father and then his father leaves him alone to pick up the rest of his family. Now Matt is alone and puts marks by every day that passes.Then Matt meets an indian named attean and they become friends. Now Matt is teaching Attean to read and write and Attean is teaching Matt how to survive on his own. then time goes by and his dad never returned so Ateean is asking Matt to head north with the beaver tribe and Matt does not know if he should go with Attean or wait for his father.

This book is by far one of the best books I have ever read! When I read it I felt like I was in a cozy cabin or a welcoming wigwam. It's a great book to read over and over and over again etc. The book talked a lot about the famous book Robinson Crusoe. I'm reading that now it's also fabulous. So, I truly recommend this book!!!

Good. Not the most interesting book in the world but worth reading. It is different than most books. Not extremely easy, not extremely hard. I like the fact Mat needs to survive, and it makes you wonder when - or if - his family will get back.

I read this book in 5th grade and i thought it was a pretty good book it was an incredibly detailed and was a book that you could look forward to reading.I think you would enjoy it but if you dont really love to read or to read storys like Sign of the Beaver or books about indians and settlers then you would find this dull(which i dont think you will). If you read it i hope you like it.

The Sign of the Beaver depicts the experiences of 13 year old Matt. Matt is a native of Massechusetts now commissioned to protect and preserve their families new land in Maine while his father returns to bring the rest of his family to the new land. Through a series of events, Matt receives unexpected friendship from a neighboring Penobscot tribe and a young boy named Attean. He learns how to adjust to his new home and survive even the toughest of situations.
This is a well-written book that is exploding with adventure and emotion. It is book that many children today can relate to as many of them are faced with the responsiblities of an adult at very young ages. The Sign of the Beaver also reveals how first impressions can be reevaluated and friendships can be formed amidst the greatest adversity. I believe this book would be great for any reader, but especially the middle school reader.

An eye-opener into the game of "How many ways can you." A great read for middle schoolers about 13 year old boy, Matt. Adventure, survival, First Nation folk (Indians), culturalization, and a scruffy, old dog set in early Maine.

This book was used for curriculum in our son's fifth grade class. Our son has social challenges. He could not understand the nuances in this book with regard to relationships, symbolism, etc. He became very frustrated and we started seeing behaviors. Once this book was finished, his behaviors went away. It was really distressing for us as parents to see how much he was struggling. It was more clear in hindsight that the book caused the behaviors. This is certainly a beautiful work of literature, but I do not recommend this book for classrooms that include learning disabilities unless the teacher can really help the student understand the book. This book may be ideal for students who are typical in their social thinking, but it is too challenging for kids with social disabilities.

I am an admirer of many of the Newbury Award winning books, but not The Sign of the Beaver. I enjoyed reading this book until I came to the part where the author inserted a conscious-rasing treatise where Matt, the main character, had a personal and troubling epiphany about the noble savage as a negative stereotype. I like books that are honest and true to themselves, and avoid preaching the woes of social evils. If you are going to write a story of historical fiction, do so. If you are going to write a story about consciousnessr rasing, do that. More and more authors today are slipping in their personal messages of activism or angst about social issues into their stories. The author obviously feels bad about the noble savage metaphor and motif. I also agree with the reviewer who opined that this book was stereotypical, but what isn't today?

I'd luv this book so much I'd almost cried almost I just wanted to say that I luv this book so much I know that the author ment to say that about sign of the beaver is its all about the character s and that I have to say that it is awesome

This is such a great book!! Imagine the difference in the life of a 12 year old boy now and then. Young Matt struggles to survive in the wilderness of Maine and proves himself worthy of the Indians' respect along the way. Very adventurous!

We listened to the audiotape of this book and my children - ages 5, 8, and 10 really enjoyed it! For that matter - I enjoyed it myself! There was lots of adventure and at the end both boys showed a lot of maturity and it was a great springboard for some discussion with my oldest - a 10-year-old son. I recommend reading/listening to it with your .

to me this book was ok. i like funny books but there was little humor in this. if your thinking of getting this book i would recommend reading a few chapter [ you can usually do that online] before because some people just love this book, and some people hated it. this book was informative but i resented how the women and girls were called squaws.

This book was one of the most BORING books I've read in my life! Its about some boy in Maine and his dad leaves and he waits 7 weeks for him. Some indian boy, Attean meets him, and they become friends. HAVE ALOT OF CAFFINE IF YOU READ THIS BOOK!

The voice reading Sign of the Beaver was pleasant and easy to listen to. Since I was not listening to the whole book in one sitting, it was difficult to find where on the CD I left off. It would be more efficient to have the track for each chapter labeled on the CD.

This book is filled with historical inaccuracies, so I would not recommend using it as teaching material for your child. In addition to this, it is utterly and completely racist. It supports incredibly negative stereotypes about American Indians and his highly offensive, to say the least.

This is by far one of the worst books I have ever read. one star is the lowest I could go but I would give it negative ten. I was forced to read this atrocious book in the 4th grade, 4 years later I am still repulsed. Who really wants to read about a boy and a indian tribe. ...

My child started having problems in school and came home in tears after being assigned to read and watch sign of the Beaver a fictional history that perpetuates negative stereotypes of Native Americans as well as misleads and romantisizes the colonial period. This book has detrimental effects on Native Children and as an educator I can not recommend purchasing such a book, unless the teachers plan on having deep discussions and critical thinking assignments involved on a daily basis after each reading.

I would however recommend "We are Mesquakie We are One" by Hadley Irwin still slightly romantisized, it give a Native point of View on removal and west ward expansion. The combination of these two books might be a great critical thinking lesson for students.

I read this book in spanish class (i am fluent, so I understood everything) and this book bored me to death. I was not able to pay any attention while reading this book. It lacked a lot of good action.

This book is a classic example of a non-Native person writing about native culture as if it never really existed and is now extinct. This is a terrible book for children to be exposed to and should not be allowed in the classroom as a teaching aid on Native culture. Racism and Sexism suck- teach your children the evils of it and the pain it causes others.

this book is a total snoozer! my class had to read it and it was the most painful thing i've ever done. the plot is so used and old! plus it was the most boring thing i've ever read. when we finished it i ripped it in half and threw it away. don't bore your brains out by reading this awful book.