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The Sign of the Beaver Review


The Sign of the Beaver  Manufacturer: Yearling
Author(s): Elizabeth George Speare

ISBN: 0440479002    EAN: 9780440479000
Binding: Paperback
Pages: 144
Reading Level: Ages 9-12

Average Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Retail Price: $6.50
Online Sale Price: $6.50
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  • Language Arts
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?


User Submitted The Sign of the Beaver Reviews


November 27, 2008
A Realistic Picture of Pioneer Days Without Being Mawkish or PC
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.

September 24, 2008
Sign of the Beaver Book Review
I rmember reading this book as a child, so when I found it again as an adult, I knew I HAD to have it again.

July 3, 2008
Perpetuates Stereotypes
As a fourth grade educator, I would never introduce this book to my students as anything else other than an example of popular culture that perpetuates stereotypes of Native Americans. Attean and other Native American characters speak in broken English, giving the reader the impression that these characters are inferior to their White counterparts. The terminology used is highly offensive (squaw)for both Native people and for women. The relationship that Attean has with girls in his tribe as well as with animals is unrealistic and down right inaccurate. Joseph Bruchac and Michael Dorris are two authors which do an excellent job of writing from the Native American perspective.

May 1, 2008
One of the greatest literary adventures of my childhood.
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.

March 8, 2008
Sign of the Beaver-CD
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.

February 29, 2008
Great read aloud!
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!

September 14, 2007
Beautiful story
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.

June 5, 2007
The choice
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.

May 30, 2007
Fantasict
You will think this book is fantastic because it's really interesting to see how the indians live.The beginning of the book starts out kinda of slow but it starts getting really good after the indians save Matt from the bees.My favorite part of the book is when the indians start to like matt because this is the part of the book when Matt starts to learn how to start hunting and becomes friends with Attan

April 18, 2007
you will love this book
You will love this book because this book is an adventurous book. if you like books that envolve the olden days then you will love this book.you will want to read about what happens when the boy sees the hidden beaver signs and when the boy finds out that the indians saved his life.this book showws what could realy happen


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