Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

The Sign of the Beaver

3.65 of 5 stars 3.65 · rating details · 8,816 ratings · 705 reviews

Twelve-year-old Matt is left on his own in the Maine wilderness while his father leaves to bring the rest of the family to their new settlement. When he befriends Attean, an Indian chief's grandson, he is invited to join the Beaver tribe and move north. Should Matt abandon his hopes of ever seeing his family again and go on to a new life?

Paperback, 135 pages

Published April 1st 1993 by Dell (first published 1983)

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder

The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Best Children's Historical Fiction

63rd out of 415 books — 398 voters

Little Town on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Newbery Medal Honor Books

26th out of 231 books — 175 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 3,000)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Jun 27, 2008 Sasha rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: anyone

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

like 5 likes · see review

May 06, 2010 Aaron C rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 7th-grade, 3rd-quarter

In my book, Sign of the Beaver, Matt an English teenage settler befriends and Indian named Attean. I found this book interesting because during this time the English and the Indians had a relationship that could best be described as fighting.
I couldn’t get over the fact that Matt seemed to be realizing slowly that he wasn’t just bonding with Attean but slowly growing the relationship of a friend. Once Matt started to get to know Attean, through Attean’s father, the boys started to do things toge...more

like 3 likes · see review

Jun 23, 2012 Tima rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: early readers, beginners, 2nd grade

Recommended to Tima by: My 3rd grade teacher

Shelves: read-in-childhood, read-in-2012

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 r...more

like 5 likes · see review

Dec 20, 2012 Collin rated it 1 of 5 stars Recommends it for: NOBODY

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Spoiler Alert!

If you like this book, respect that. I hate it strongly.
This book isn't much of a story. Status quo was not broken, it was changed. No one had a real character arch. The main character and his father build a house in the middle of nowhere. The father leaves and gives main character a musket. Why doesn't he go with his father? Is he smart enough to stay alone with only a gun in the wilderness? How many rounds does he have? The last question is very important. Does main character ne...more Spoiler Alert!

If you like this book, respect that. I hate it strongly.
This book isn't much of a story. Status quo was not broken, it was changed. No one had a real character arch. The main character and his father build a house in the middle of nowhere. The father leaves and gives main character a musket. Why doesn't he go with his father? Is he smart enough to stay alone with only a gun in the wilderness? How many rounds does he have? The last question is very important. Does main character need to preserve his bullets or can he loose his mind and shoot anything that moves and have more ammo? We don't know. Since dad isn't smart enough to tell main character, i would bet he has about 6, the amount that fits in his gun. Daddy leaves and main character mopes around doing nothing exciting. Then a man arrives. He states he is hungry and wants food. Apparently our hero is as "smart" as his dad and lets the man in. The man eats his soup and compliments the musket. HINT HINT WINK WINK. The man decides to sleep here. Our hero hangs up the musket and goes to sleep... BEFORE THE MAN! That man is not trustworthy. You leave him awake and let him do what he want, LIKE STEAL THE MUSKET HE WAS OBVIOUSLY INTERESTED IN! The man (surprise) stole the musket and left. Main character does nothing again (get used to it) and then has a genius idea. Lets climb a tree with a bee hive on it. The bees swarm him and he runs. He jumps into a body of water and hurts his leg. Smarty pants gets dragged out of the water by a mystery man and is brought home.
Our story continues with our hero figuring out the mystery man is a indian and has a son. The man offers a deal. If Hero teaches son to read and write in english, then son will teach him how to hunt. Next is the longest montage ever. These guys have a group of isolated and uneventful events for the next 6 chapters or more.Then, Hero joins the tribe and ditches his family in who knows where and leaves them for dead, almost. Last second he wants to stay, says goodbye to his BFF, son, and waits and wait and wait and waits and waits and AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Anyway, daddy comes home with mommy and Hero finds out the little sister he never knew died. :-) To bad we don't care because no one was relatable and every one was dumb. Son was the only person who had character development, AND HE ISN'T EVEN THE MAIN CHARACTER! He changes from a uncooperative brat to the best friend a dumb boy in the woods left by a dumb father could ever have. Why? Cause he felt like it. In conclusion, the book is a massive montage filled with bad characters and barley any plot. The only reason it is praised and not trashed is because it is historical fiction for 4rth graders. If you place the setting anywhere else, the book would fall FLAT on it's disgraceful face. (less)

like 2 likes · see review

May 09, 2013 Patti rated it 4 of 5 stars

Another opportunity to read one of those books I wished I had read several years ago! I knew it was a good one, but “The Sign of the Beaver” is a wonderful reading experience. It has always has been treasured as a read aloud by elementary teachers, and now I see why. It is a very appropriate read for kids, grades 3-6. It is not long and difficult, but is full of adventure, courage, bravery, raw elements and the challenges of pioneering in the early phase of this beautiful country of ours.

In 176...more

like · see review

May 07, 2013 cait rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, junior-fiction

It’s been a long time since I read this book… But I still like it. It’s still full of the same intrigue, mystery, wonder and adventure of those colonial days. Indians. Guns. Corn. Stubborn pioneers. Greasy traders. Survival. It might be geared at a younger audience, but don’t be fooled—it can hook anyone at any age.

The author is one of my all-time-favourites. The way she weaves words together and wraps life and emotion into her stories…it’s brilliant. Just brilliant. But, of all her books (and...more

like · see review

Apr 19, 2013 Denise Cuenin rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book, clearly geared for young male readers has a lot going for it. The year is 1769 and Matthew has been left in the wilderness of Maine on the family homestead while his father returns to Quincy, Mass to escort this mother, sister and new sibling back. A small cabin has been constructed and garden plots planted. Matt, 12 years old, has been entrusted to guard the site, keep the garden watered and weeded and take care of himself for six to seven weeks. This concept alone is wonderful lesso...more

like · see review

Mar 10, 2013 Connor Stubbe rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: action-adventure

This book is The Sign of the Beaver and it is an action-adventure. The author is Elizabeth George Speare. This book is good if you like adventure and action. It is with Indians and white people. So just keep reading to see what happens.
There is this kid named Matt. His father has left him to go get the rest of his family because his mom is having a baby. So he was left along at his cabin in the middle of nowhere. Now he has to figure out how to get food on his own. Then one day when he went ou...more This book is The Sign of the Beaver and it is an action-adventure. The author is Elizabeth George Speare. This book is good if you like adventure and action. It is with Indians and white people. So just keep reading to see what happens.
There is this kid named Matt. His father has left him to go get the rest of his family because his mom is having a baby. So he was left along at his cabin in the middle of nowhere. Now he has to figure out how to get food on his own. Then one day when he went outside, he heard a noise in the bush. Then a man came out. Matt was confused because his father said that they will be no one around here. But then the man told Matt that it would be nice if he would invite him into the cabin. But Matt did not ask him and he just went right in without asking Matt if he could come in. The man was looking around and he saw Matt’s father’s rifle at the top of the door. Then they both went to sleep.
Matt woke up to a messy cabin. The flour was poured all over the floor. When he looked to see if his father’s rifle was still there, it was gone. Matt got so mad but he did not know if the man took it. Matt then decided to go fishing. He found out that he likes fish.
My favorite part of the book was when Matt decided to go find some honey. He found a honey bee hive and he climbed up the tree to get the honey. He reached in and got some honey, but he made the bees mad. The bees started to sting him so he tried to get down but he slipped and fell to the bottom of the tree. Then he ran to a river and he stayed there but then he got a dizzy and then he felt a hand help him up from the river. He could not see all he could see was a big blur. Then he woke up and he was in his house. Then an Indian walked into the room to give him medicine. Then he realized that it was the Indian that helped him at the river.
At the end of the book, his family comes back. He was kind of worried that they were not going to come. When they came back the baby was not with them. The baby died while coming to the cabin. So it is kind of a happy and sad ending to the story. But at least Matt’s family made it home ok.
I really liked this book. If you like adventure and action book this is the book for you. So pick this book up in the library and start reading it. I know you would like it.
By: Connor Stubbe
(less)

like · see review

Feb 20, 2013 Kirei rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: older-kids

I expected this book to be boring, but it kept me rivetted. Towards the end, I couldn't wait to find out the outcome. Don't read the reviews, or even the Goodreads blurb, because they give away a spoiler.

However......the storyline is about a white pioneer boy who is left alone and helped immensely by an Indian boy. The white boy learns the ways of the Indians and gains respect for them. While the boy did not start out prejudiced, his viewpoint was definitely challenged and changed by his experi...more

like 1 like · see review

Feb 11, 2013 Rob rated it 2 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

like · see review

Nov 25, 2012 Rebecca Thomas rated it 3 of 5 stars

1.) Genre- Historical Fiction

2.) Summary- Matt is a thirteen year old boy who is left alone to tend his family's newly built cabin in the woods of Maine. After becoming injured, Matt is healed and cared for by a couple of Native Americans. In the coming months Matt and his new Native American friend, Attean, build a friendship, each learning a great deal about life from the other.

3.)a.) Area of focus-Character development

3.)b.) The two main characters in this book both undergo great changes and...more 1.) Genre- Historical Fiction

2.) Summary- Matt is a thirteen year old boy who is left alone to tend his family's newly built cabin in the woods of Maine. After becoming injured, Matt is healed and cared for by a couple of Native Americans. In the coming months Matt and his new Native American friend, Attean, build a friendship, each learning a great deal about life from the other.

3.)a.) Area of focus-Character development

3.)b.) The two main characters in this book both undergo great changes and growth throughout the course of the story. Matt's changes are more flushed out and the reader can easily identify with him. Attean, on the other hand, remains fairly stoic and flat, making it harder for the reader to identify with.

3.)c.) Matt begins the book as a bumbling teenage boy left to his own devices in the woods of Maine. He makes stupid decisions, like trying to get honey from a bee's nest. After he meets and befriends Attean, Matt begins to change. He goes from being dependent on the Native Americans to being totally independent and able to care for himself. Matt's changes are evident, the reader can actually get inside his mind and see his evolution. Attean, however, is quite the opposite. While his actions (teaching Matt to trap and giving him his dog when he leaves) speak that he comes to understand and even respect the white frontiersman, the reader never actually gets the chance to get inside his head and see his thoughts or feelings. This approach to character development works well for Matt, but does not draw the reader into the world of the Native Americans as I had hoped.

4.) Curriculum Connections- As a story that deals with Native Americans, this book definitely has a place in modern classrooms. Many different grade level curricula includes social studies units on Indians of North America. This book could be used to demonstrate some of the differences in lifestyle (and perhaps some of the tensions) between white pioneers and Native Americans. (less)

like · see review

Nov 15, 2012 Anna Davis rated it 3 of 5 stars

I remember reading The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare when I was a kid. I really enjoyed it in class, but remember having difficultly reading it on my own. As I recently reread it I enjoyed it once again. I found myself thinking of parallels in the story and history activities I could teach while reading the book. This short novel is about a young boy, named Matt, who is waiting for his father to return. They found a new settlement in Maine, so his father left to bring his wife an...more

like · see review

Oct 25, 2012 Claire Clayborn rated it 3 of 5 stars

The story follows a twelve year old boy by the name of Matt on a journey to becoming a man, fending for himself at such a young age. Matt, the main character, and his father travel to Maine to build a new settlement for their family. After the cabin is built, the father takes off, leaving Matt behind to survive on his own. This situation was only supposed to be temporay, but the duration unexpectedly extended.
While being attacked by bees, Matt is rescued by Attean and his grandfather who is t...more

like · see review

Oct 16, 2012 Ethan added it

The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare, is a book I liked a lot. It was about a boy named Matt who is left alone In 1776, in Maine, because its all part of his family’s plan to move from Quincy, Massachusetts and find a new home. Matt is going to be alone at the new home for about seven weeks without communication with his family. The first week he’s alone, he encounters some things that leave him with no means to catch food other than a fishing pole. After a while, Matt gets bored o...more

like · see review

Jul 23, 2012 Emilia rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: edsl-520

Speare, Elizabeth George. The Sign of the Beaver. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1983.

*Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction Winner

-A boy named Matt must learn how to survive on his own while his father returns for Matt's father and sister. Matt recieves help from Attean an Indian boy along the way.

Themes
-Surviving
-Maturing
-Learning from different groups of people

Activities to do with children
-Matt survives in the Maine wilderness for about six months. Divide the class into small groups and ask t...more

like · see review

Jun 19, 2012 Juan Mateos rated it 5 of 5 stars

I liked Sign of the Beaver because it is very intense, it is about a boy named Matt and a teenager named Attean who become good friends, and because it shows you examples of great writing.

It is very intense.It was exciting because Matt learned how it was to live being a Native American. It was exciting because of the action when Attean’s dog got trapped.Many people did not trust Matt when he went to the feast with the Native Americans.

A boy named Matt and a boy named Attean become good friends.M...more

like · see review

Jun 19, 2012 Juan Mateos rated it 5 of 5 stars

Sign of the Beaver is a great book because it tells about two boys that are from different cultures and meet to become friends, it is very exciting, and it has great descriptions.

The two main characters are from different cultures but become friends. Matt is a young boy who goes with his father to create a cabin for the rest of his family. He is of European descent. He meets Attean who is a Native American who has suffered at the hands of the Europeans in North America. As Matt teaches him how t...more

like · see review

May 30, 2012 Olivia rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-with-the-boy

Gabe and I read this together as a school assignment. It is the story of a 12 (maybe 13?) year old boy and his Dad who leave their home in Massachussetts and head to Maine to claim a settlement. After getting a cabin built, the father leaves his son there alone to maintain their claim while he travels back to MA to pick up the rest of the family. Misfortunes befall the father and family, which procrastinate their arrival at the claim in Maine. The lone boy's life is saved by the local Indians. A...more

like · see review

Aug 26, 2011 Krista rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: to-read-cdb

Speare was the it-thing in children's literature in the late 50s; between 1957 and 1961 she published three books, two of which won the Newbery. Then she took 20 years off.

The Sign of the Beaver was her return, in 1983, and it, too, won awards (a Newbery Honor citation, the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction, and the Christopher Award). But I didn't want to read it because I never liked her other books when I was a kid.

This one I liked, though, which makes me wonder if I would, now, like...more

like · see review

Jun 27, 2011 Jessica rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, fiction, children, middle-grade

I read The Sign of the Beaver a long, long time ago, back when I was in 4th and 5th grade and trying to read all of the titles on the Newbery poster in the school library (for that reason, I was surprised to learn that The Sign of the Beaver has a Newbery Honor and not a Newbery medal, which is what I had "remembered" all these years). A refresher on plot, for those who have forgotten (as I had): Matt is a 12 year old boy from Massachusetts who journeys to Maine with his father in 1769 to settle...more I read The Sign of the Beaver a long, long time ago, back when I was in 4th and 5th grade and trying to read all of the titles on the Newbery poster in the school library (for that reason, I was surprised to learn that The Sign of the Beaver has a Newbery Honor and not a Newbery medal, which is what I had "remembered" all these years). A refresher on plot, for those who have forgotten (as I had): Matt is a 12 year old boy from Massachusetts who journeys to Maine with his father in 1769 to settle on Indian territory. Together, they build a log cabin in the middle of the woods, and Matt's father leaves him there with some rations and a gun, promising to be back in a few months with Matt's mother, sister, and new baby sibling. However, when Matt's gun is stolen during the first week his father is gone, he is unsure how he will survive, until he meets Saknis, a Penobscot Indian chief, and his grandson Attean, who is just a year older than him. In exchange for Matt teaching Attean to read (so that the Indians may learn to read the contracts that white men present them with), Attean teaches Matt how to set traps, and provides him with food. With settlers encroaching on Saknis and Attean's territory, though, it looks like the Indians will move west. Will Matt follow the only friends he's had for months, or wait for his family, who are several months late?

This time around, I read this book for a project I was doing about racist stereotypes of American Indians in children's literature. Having nothing but fuzzy memories about The Sign of the Beaver, I was surprised to learn that most American Indians find its depictions problematic. Of particular concern is the use of the word "squaw," which is considered derogatory due to its condescending usage. Also, the character who most often uses this term is Attean, who is Indian. However, Debbie Reese (of the blog American Indian in Children's Literature) believes that that is the tip of the iceberg when it comes to The Sign of the Beaver. You can read more about her thoughts, as well as others', here: http://americanindiansinchildrenslite...

I certainly agree that whenever someone writes a novel about another ethnic group, particularly one that is always maligned in the media, like American Indians are, there is nearly some amount of bias and stereotype present, no matter the research that has been done. However, I thought that the issue of genocide and scalping was handled relatively well. It is a children's book after all. It certainly wasn't glossed over. However, I realize that I have a lot to learn about American Indians in children's literature and will be following Ms. Reese's blog more closely in future, and reading her recommended titles.

On another note, I was astonished while reading the book that Matt's father left him along for several months by himself in the middle of a forest with no other "settlers" for miles and miles and that he knew how to kill and skin his own animals (not to mention that he did it without being squeamish). Kids grew up a lot faster back then...

Newbery Honor book, among other awards and honors
Ages 9-12(less)

like · see review

Jun 03, 2011 Mr. Stubbart's Classroom Library rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: anyone

Shelves: historical-fiction

This is a historically rich book that takes place during the 1760's just after the French and Indian War. The young main character, Matt, and his father travel up to Maine to turn their land into a farm and to build a home. Matt and his father finish the cabin and Matt is left behind by his father so he can go back to fetch his family and bring them back. This is terrifying for Matt since he will be left alone all winter. Let's just say he has a lot to learn both about himself and about survivin...more

like · see review

Apr 07, 2010 Scarlett Sims rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: children-s, classic, for-school, historical-fiction, leisure, multicultural, native-american

Ok. I had heard various Native American reviewers pan this book for its stereotypical portrayals. I'm still not that great at evaluating Native American literature but I'll list some things that stuck out to me:
1. Usage of the word squaw. I'm pretty sure that's generally not ok.
2. Going off #1, Speare gives the impression that women were not valued in "Indian" culture.
3. I don't think a tribe name is ever mentioned. The Indians are referred to and refer to themselves as "Indians." (from context...more

like 2 likes · see review

Jan 24, 2010 Kate rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: borrowed, read-in-2010

I've loved The Witch of Blackbird Pond since I was about twelve, but I had somehow never read The Sign of the Beaver. A teacher friend outed me for not having read it in front of her whole class of fifth graders, so then I clearly had no choice. And it was good! It's no Witch, but very few things could be. This is aimed at a slightly younger audience, and it's about a boy and rather more action-oriented.

13-year-old Matt and his father have traveled to the Maine wilderness to build a homestead; t...more I've loved The Witch of Blackbird Pond since I was about twelve, but I had somehow never read The Sign of the Beaver. A teacher friend outed me for not having read it in front of her whole class of fifth graders, so then I clearly had no choice. And it was good! It's no Witch, but very few things could be. This is aimed at a slightly younger audience, and it's about a boy and rather more action-oriented.

13-year-old Matt and his father have traveled to the Maine wilderness to build a homestead; then the father goes back to Boston to get the mother and younger siblings, leaving Matt alone. Completely alone. In a cabin in the wilderness. There aren't even any neighbors. Really, it's TERRIFYING, and Speare makes it all very subtle and understated, but - my God, I cannot even imagine. Of course, then a bear comes and eats a bunch of the food, and then Matt gets stung extremely badly when trying to get honey out of a hive. A local Native American chief has been watching him, it turns out, and takes him home to give him some medical care.

Matt is afraid of the Native Americans at first, of course, but he comes to like and respect them over time, and he strikes a bargain with the chief. (The reader is left to suspect that the chief, being a nice guy, was probably going to take care of this poor little boy no matter what, but Matt feels like he's being an adult about the whole thing.) In exchange for food and other help that the chief and his people provide, the chief asks Matt to teach his grandson (around Matt's age) to read. The boy doesn't want to learn, but the grandfather recognizes that if their people are going to survive, they must learn to play by the white settlers' rules. Matt and the boy become grudging friends, and eventually the rest of the boy's family come to trust Matt too.

By this point, Matt's father has been gone way longer than planned, and it's time for the Native Americans to move to different hunting ground. They offer to adopt Matt, and he has to decide whether to go with them or wait for his family, who might never appear. I was honestly unsure of what he would decide while I was reading, which is quite something for a kids' book - usually the plots of even high-quality kids' books are pretty predictable to adults. I won't ruin the ending for you, but it brings up some really interesting issues of the concept of "civilization" in regards to the Native Americans and the settlers, and of the way that prejudices can change, in several directions, over just a generation or two.(less)

like 2 likes · see review

Aug 04, 2009 ci chong rated it 3 of 5 stars

one of the best must-have children's books I've met, one of a whole battalion I met through Calvert School's excellent English program.
not only providing a wonderful experience of American backwoods pioneer and Red indian life,it's a story of love, loyalty and choices between and to, family and friends. one of the simplest, subtlest books focusing on family ties and affection.
Matt is left to look after the cabin he built with his father in the woods, a young boy by himself , while his father lea...more

like · see review

Mar 14, 2013 Nick rated it 4 of 5 stars

Good Reads Review

The Sign of the Beaver is defiantly a great book. It is an exciting and full of adventure. Elizabeth George Speare uses the element of suspense to keep you guessing what is going to happen next. Mixed in with the setting in the Maine wilderness, it all comes together to make a great story. If you been having a hard time looking for an adventurous reading, something that keeps you on the edge of your seat the whole time, this book is defiantly the one for you. I came across thi...more Good Reads Review

The Sign of the Beaver is defiantly a great book. It is an exciting and full of adventure. Elizabeth George Speare uses the element of suspense to keep you guessing what is going to happen next. Mixed in with the setting in the Maine wilderness, it all comes together to make a great story. If you been having a hard time looking for an adventurous reading, something that keeps you on the edge of your seat the whole time, this book is defiantly the one for you. I came across this book one day after my friend had finished reading it. He recommended it to me because I knew I liked the adventure and suspense type books. After taking the time to read this book, it was definitely worthwhile.
The Sign of the Beaver is about a 13 year-old boy named Matt Hallowell and his father, who are settlers in the Maine wilderness. But, Matt’s father was to head back to Quincy, which is located in Massachusetts, to bring back Matt’s mother, sister, and a newborn baby. This means that Matt is left alone to watch over the house. His father leaves him with a rifle, which is later stolen by a stranger, Ben. Matt faces many hardships through this time, trying to plant his own crops and stocking up supplies. After being attacked by a swarm of bees, Matt jumps into the creek below. Luckily he wasn’t unnoticed and was saved by two native Indians. One is a tribe leader by the name of Satkins and the other is a boy named Attean who is thirteen “winters” old. Through out the story Matt and Attean learn a lot from each other. Matt teaches Attean how to read and Attean show Matt the way of the wilderness.
One of my favorite parts in the book is when Matt climbs up a tree in search of honey. Looking for honey, Matt anxiously climbs up the tree. Not caring he sticks his hand the bee hive. Next thing you know, a swarm of bees starts attacking him. Matt’s feels the burn all over his skin, he falls back into the pond which was right below the tree. All of the sudden he is pulled out by what looked liked to be an Indian Tribe leader and his son or grandson.
One thing that’s that I like is Matt’s adventurous attitude, it seems like he is not scared to get into dangerous things. Also, who are these people that saved him. Are the actually Indians? If so, what tribe are they from? Were did they come from? How do we no if they came to help Matt? Questions like these make you wonder!
Another great suspense scene is when Matt hosts an unknown stranger named Ben. You could tell from the start the he was a little suspicious, inviting himself in and asking for dinner. When Matt woke up in the morning he had found the house a mess and his rifle that his father gave him gone. This was his only protection! I liked this scene a lot because it gave a little bit of everything. At first, you think who is this man? Were did he come from? Then you assume he is up to no good.
Attean and Matt decided to visit the beaver dam once again. They run into a bear cub and its mother. Matt is carrying a rabbit he killed with his bow and arrow. To distract the bear, Matt threw the rabbit at the bear and it the bear on its nose distracting it for a moment. Attean quickly shot the bear with his bow and arrow right between the eyes and then again in the shoulder. Eventually the bear collasped to the ground and then Attean stabbed the bear with his knife. This is my favorite scene because it shows Matt and Attean working together. It is a very exciting and surprising scene!(less)

like · see review

Dec 08, 2012 Vlad rated it 1 of 5 stars

"Forgettable" would be the understatement of the century in describing the first 90% of this shlock. There is no conflict or interest in this story until the very end, which rewards us with one of the stupidest "tough decisions" in children's literature history. (No mean feat!)

A white boy, Matt, meets an Indian boy, Attean. While initially reluctant, Attean eventually accepts Matt as a friend. He teaches him how to fish and several other basic aspects of the wilderness. There's no real explanat...more

like · see review

Jun 27, 2012 Karen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 5th-grade-reading-list

I personally found this book enjoyable, but it comes with several caveats.

Firstly, there are some instances where I found the portrayal of Native Americans to be a bit stereotypical. Sometimes something that seemed a bit stereotypical could be excused (it's not just how Native Americans are typically represented to talk, it's how most people learning English talk). But every now and again, it rubbed a bit the wrong way. Overall, though, you have to use those moments as teaching moments and look...more

like · see review

Apr 29, 2009 Jennifer rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: minority-author-or-topic, native-american, newberry-honor, childrens

2.5 stars

This book was a well-written and entertaining boy-coming-of-age-in-nature story in the same genre as books like My Side of the Mountain, Summer of the Monkeys, and Where the Red Fern Grows. However, since it as copyrighted in 1983, and concerns Indians, I couldn't help but be wary of it, especially considering that it is a Newbery Honor book that I remember was required reading for most 4th graders when I was in elementary school. While the portrayal of Native Americans in The Sign of t...more

like 1 like · see review

Apr 22, 2013 Chase Benjamin rated it 4 of 5 stars

The book, "The Sign of the Beaver" by Elizabeth George Speare, is about a twelve year old boy named Matt. Matt and his father have just finished building a cabin for their family in the Maine wilderness, in the late 1700's. Matt's father must leave to bring the rest of the family to the cabin. Until the day his father returns, Matt must try and survive on his own. Matt is brave, but he was unable to protect himself from a swarm of attacking bees. Matt is surprised when he is rescued by an India...more

like · see review

Apr 09, 2013 Jill rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: newbery-honor

Having read and liked The Witch of Blackbird Pond and having read and disliked The Bronze Bow, the probability that I would enjoy this Newbery Honor book was 50/50. Given the subject matter--boy is abandoned by family in the wilds of frontier time Maine--it could easily have been dull. I have to hand it to the author for not only holding my interest throughout the story but shattering the expectation that this would be a yawn fest.

A passage that spoke to me given the dates when I read the book...more

like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 99 100 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
Class of 2014: Book Review	1	3	Mar 27, 2013 08:47pm
Great historical children fiction.	3	5	Feb 23, 2013 04:24am
Class of 2014: Book Review	1	6	Feb 14, 2013 05:47pm

combine
Other Editions (36)

More editions...

Genres

Historical Fiction

251 users

Young Adult

118 users

Childrens

112 users

Classics

47 users

Academic > School

46 users

Adventure

46 users

Childrens > Juvenile

30 users

Adventure > Survival

27 users

Academic > Read For School

22 users

Childrens > Middle Grade

19 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Elizabeth George Speare

I was born in Melrose, Massachusetts, on November 21, 1908. I have lived all my life in New England, and though I love to travel I can't imagine ever calling any other place on earth home. Since I can't remember a time when I didn't intend to write, it is hard to explain why I took so long getting around to it in earnest. But the years seemed to go by very quickly. In 1936 I married Alden Speare a...more

More about Elizabeth George Speare...

Books by Elizabeth George Speare

The Sign of The Beaver: Daily Lesson Guide for Grade 5 : Theme : Friends and Family (Pegasus II)

The Witch of Blackbird Pond and Related Readings (Literature Connection Sourcebook)

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About The Sign of the B...

6 trivia questions

More quizzes & trivia...

title link	preview: The Sign of the Beaver
avg rating	preview: The Sign of the Beaver Goodreads rating: 3.65 (8816 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/207569.The_Sign_of_the_Beaver?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1362166273l/207569.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/207569.The_Sign_of_the_Beaver?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare[/url]

The Sign of the Beaver

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website