Sign of the Beaver

The Sign of the Beaver

By Elizabeth George Speare

By the Newbery medalist for The Witch of Blackbird Pond and The Bronze Bow.

With an introduction by Joseph Bruchac.

Although he faces his responsibility bravely, thirteen-year-old Matt is more than a little apprehensive when his father leaves him alone to guard their newly built cabin in the wilderness. When a renegade white stranger steals his gun, Matt realizes he has no way to shoot game and no way to protect himself. It is only after meeting the resourceful Indian boy Attean that Matt begins to discover new ways to survive in the forest. And in getting to know his friend, Matt also comes to understand the heritage and way of life of the Beaver clan, and their growing problem in adapting to the white man and the changing frontier. 

Elizabeth George Speare's compelling survival story is filled with wonderful detail about living in the wilderness and the relationships that formed between white settlers and Indians in the 1700s. Now with an introduction by Joseph Bruchac. 

"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