Book 3-Sign of the Beaver

Speare, Elizabeth George. The Sign of the Beaver. New York: Dell Publishing, 1983. Print.

12-year old Matt is left to survive on his own until his father returns with the rest of his family. Until then, Matt is busy collecting food, making alterations to the cabin like filling the spaces between the logs with clay, collecting firewood, and preparing for his family’s arrival. One day, Matt’s curiosity gets the best of him when he is severely stung by a swarm of bees. This occurrence leads to a uniquely bonded friendship between Matt, a white boy, and Attean, a 14-year-old member of the Penobscot tribe.
This young adult story compares the cultural differences between two groups that learn to accept each other. Spears, an outsider, explores the themes of friendship, survival, fear, and courage as the two boys become friends and make some difficult life choices. This 1983 written novel is contemporarily critiqued with stereotypes and historical inaccuracy. I stand by this story as an adventure worth reading. This effective story evokes conversation of topics that children are being faced with in their daily lives, and is a strategically important book when used in discussion to combat prejudice.