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.


The Sign of the Beaver a great book for everyone   October 26, 2003
 9 out of 10 found this review helpful

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.


One of the gretest books I've ever read   September 23, 1999
 8 out of 9 found this review helpful

A boy named Matt is left alone for over a month. While Matt is out hunting one day, a bear atacks his house. When he gets back every thing is mangled. Matt is trying to live off of fish, when he remembers about the bee tree. He climbs it and takes some honey. The bees start atacking until he finds water to hide in. He is rescued by an indian boy and his grandfather. From then on the indians bring Matt gifts of food medicines and other nececaries. In exchange matt teaches an Indian boy (Attean) how to read. At first Attean rejects to everything Matt tries to teach him, but as time moves on Matt and Attean and Matt do become friends. Matt reads Robin Curusoe every day and Attean teaches Matt something new about the forest every day. I will leave the rest for you to find out about on your own, bust is an outstanding book.