The Sign of the Beaver - by Elizabeth George Speare

About the Book

Matt is a little apprehensive when his father leaves him alone to guard their newly built cabin in the wilderness. But when he meets the proud, resourceful Indian boy Attean, Matt discovers new ways to survive in the forest. And in getting to know his friend, Matt also begins to understand the heritage and way of life of the Beaver clan.

Book Synopsis

In this Newbery Honor Book, a thirteen-year-old boy struggles to survive on his own in the wilderness of eighteenth-century Maine.

When Matt's father leaves him on his own to guard their new cabin in the wilderness, Matt is scared but determined to be brave and prove that he can take care of himself. And things are going fine until a white stranger steals his gun, leaving Matt defenseless and unable to hunt for his food.

Then Matt meets Attean, a Native boy from the Beaver tribe, and soon learns that people called the land around him home long before the white settlers ever arrived. As Attean teaches him more about his own culture, Matt must come to terms with what the changing frontier really means.

Now with an introduction by critically acclaimed writer Joseph Bruchac about the historical context and the relationships between Native peoples and white settlers in the eighteenth century.

Review Quotes

"Matt joins other memorable characters, Kit, Julie, and Karana, finding his inner strength and values in a changing world in this well-written and fast-reading story." - School Library Journal (starred review)

About the Author

Elizabeth George Speare was born on November 21, 1908, in Melrose, Massachusetts. Among her wonderful works are two Newbery Awardwinning novels, The Witch of Blackbird Pond and The Bronze Bow. In 1989 she was given the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award for her substantial and enduring contribution to children's literature. Elizabeth George Speare died in 1994.