Monday, September 28, 2009

The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare



1984 Newbery Honor

Left alone to guard the family's wilderness home in eighteenth-century Maine, a boy is hard-pressed to survive until local Indians teach him their skills.

Comments by Ms. Lacson's 5th grade class
Travis B., Madison W., Meridith C., Angela, Emily U., Victoria, Codie S., Bayleigh B., Dean M., Emily G., Kalley L., Tristan M., Tadd W., Taylor M., Megan E., Maddy C., Emily S.. Parker K., Ben A., Jacob C., Alexis S., Logan B., Laney T., Sarah S., Jacob C., Ryan A-W., Tevin W., Lauren, Sidney W., Olivia T., Zimri, Kyle C., Conner R., Caroline C., Sam C., Sean G., Hannah S., Travis O., Alexander A., Kaitlyn S., Summer F., Abigail W., Madi A., Caroline C., Kaden, Nick L., Josh S., Claire E., Jamie T., Kaitlyn W., Josh, Robert L., Grace F., and Rylie R.

52 comments:

Nebbie Library said...

It is about a boy named Matt. His father leaves to go get the rest of the family and matt feels scared. He meets a man named Ben and he steals his gun. Then he meets an Indian boy named Attean. Now you should go read the book.

It was amazing! I think if you have a chance to buy it you should.

4 stars

by Travis B., 5th grade

Nebbie Library said...

Sign of the Beaver is about a boy who has to take care of the cabine while his dad goes to get the rest of the family. At first he was scared, then after awhile he liked it. One day a bear comes into his house and gets rid of all the things that he has to make his food taste good. Then one day, he wanted to get some honey from a bee hive up in a tree. He took a piece off and bees chased him. Then he tripped into a river and two Indians took him out. Then he had a good time. One day in December the chief asks if he could go with them and Matt still is waiting for his family so he said "no" and his family came back.

It was a very good book and I hope other people could read and enjoy it, too.

4 stars

by Madison W., 5th grade

Nebbie Library said...

A boy named Matt is left in the forest for months. While he is in the wilderness he meets Indians. Matt gets scared but his family finally comes home.

It was good but not great. I think it's just because I'm not into those types of books.

2 stars

by Meridith C., 5th grade

Nebbie Library said...

Matt's father left Matt alone in the wilderness to bring back the others. One nice day, Matt went fishing and a bear attacked the cabin so now he has no syrup, flour, or salt. This guy named Ben took Matt's rifle so he can't hunt, only fish. Attean's grandfather saved Matt's life. He got all the stingers out.

I think this book is good and someone else should read it.

4 stars

by Angela, 5th grade

Nebbie Library said...

Matt and his dad find a great place to live in Maine. Matt's dad leaves Matt alone in the wilderness to go get his mom and sister. Matt has to learn to survive for such a long time alone. Finally, his parents get back and he is so happy to see them.

It was really realistic and detailed.

4 stars

by Emily U., 5th grade

Nebbie Library said...

A boy named Matt is left alone in a log cabin by himself. One day he sees an Indian and becomes friends with him. He taught him how to read. They did almost everything together. One day the Indian leaves and Matt's parents come back.

I thought the book was very interesting and good. I recommend it to everyone.

3 stars

by Victoria, 5th grade

Anonymous said...

Matt's dad leaves to go get Matt's family. His dad takes longer than 7 notches so Matt starts to worry. Finally Matt's dad comes home with his family.

I thought the book was very interesting and funny. I really liked it.

4 stars

by Emily S., 5th grade

Anonymous said...

I thought that The Sign of the Beaver was really good. I would definitely recommend it to other people that like reading. It was a book that you can really just sit down and start reading because it was so good.

My favorite part is that when Matt earned the Indian's respect.

by Kaitlyn W., 5th grade

Anonymous said...

It is about Matt teaching Attean how to read and speak English. Attean was supposed to learn from Matt but Matt was learning from Attean -- how to hunt, how to trap animals. Matt learned from Attean to make traps, arrows, and bows.

It has like pictures of adventure and hunting.

4 stars

by Josh, 5th grade

Anonymous said...

My favorite part of the book was when Matt helped save Attean's dog. He went to Attean's house to get help and Attean's sister came with them. They traveled until they reached the dog and helped him out of the trap.

I think that the book was a very interesting book because it was about a white boy and Indians getting along.

4 stars

by Maddie C., 5th grade

Anonymous said...

A 12 year old boy named Matt gets left alone while his dad got the rest of his family. Matt is positive that his father will come home so he turns down living with the Indians. He has been waiting several months and wonders if his father will come home.

It was different than any other book and was excellent.

4 stars

by Megan E., 5th grade

Anonymous said...

I liked the book because I like Indians, and the way they lived. My favorite part was when they killed the bear and Matt got to go to their village. Matt learned their signs and had very good survival skills. It had a happy ending when his family came home.

I loved it and would recommend it to the whole world

4 stars

by Robert, 5th grade

Anonymous said...

The book was very entertaining and interesting. I loved when Matt's family came home. I thought it was the most exciting part of the book and when Attean gave him the dog and all those presents. I'm going to recommend it to my little brother in 3rd grade. I'm sure he will like it.

I loved the book because of Attean's and Matt's relationship in the story.

4 stars

by Bayleigh, 5th grade

Anonymous said...

I loved the book. I thought that it was very interesting. And I like how Attean and Matt get along so well. And I liked when Attean's dog came in and I felt really sorry when the baby dies. That was really sad. And those are some reasons I like The Sign of the Beaver .

3 stars

Taylor M., 5th grade

Anonymous said...

Matt's father goes out of town to fetch the rest of Matt's family. Little does his father know what they are yet to lose. But Matt finds friendship in the strangest of people.

It was exciting and I loved it.

4 stars

Tadd W., 5th grade

Anonymous said...

It was about a boy, and his ather goes to get his wife and daughter. The boy was alone at their cabine. He makes friends with the Indians. At the end, his family came back.

The book was great because at the end his family came back.

4 stars

by Tristan M., 5th grade

Anonymous said...

A 13 year old boy stays to protect his cabin while his father goes to get his family. He finds Indians that are really good friends. It has been 7 weeks since his father left. The Indians are going to move north and they ask Matt to go with them. Should Matt leave his cabin?

I think that it is the best book that I have ever read because I love Indians and nature.

4 stars

by Kalley L., 5th grade

Anonymous said...

A young boy named Matt is left in the wilderness alone. While his dad is gone, a man comes over for dinner and during the night he takes Matt's Dad's rifle. Then when trying to get some honey from a bee hive, Matt gets stung badly but is rescued by two Indians named Sakins and Attean. Matt and Attean have many adventures together, but when Attean's tribe has to leave, Matt is unhappy. Matt's dad comes back, and now Matt is really happy.

It was a very historical book and it was also really interesting.

3 stars

by Emily G., 5th grade

Anonymous said...

Sign of the Beaver is about a boy named Matt. His dad left to go get the rest of the family so he had to spend about nine long weeks alone in the woods. But he is not alone after he finds Indians and he became friends with them and then his family returns.

I think this book is very good since Matt and the Indians become friends.

4 stars

by Dean M., 5th grade

Anonymous said...

This book is about a boy named Matt whose dad leaves him in the wilderness. Then he meets an Indian named Attean and they become friends and Matt feels welcome to his tribe. Next, Attean's grandfather asks if Matt wanted to live with them and move north but Matt said "no". Finally, Matt's mom, dad, and sister finally came but the baby didn't make it. After that he told what happened when they were gone.

The book was a great book, but there were some parts I disliked about the book. It was still a good book though.

3 stars

by Tevin W., 5th grade

Anonymous said...

This is a story of a young boy surviving in the wilderness. When the boy tried to get some honey the bees started to get angry at Matt. Then they started to sting him with the poisonous needles and they didn't stop until he got to the river. The boy ran as fast as he could and fell in the river and then an Indian came and helped him out of the water. So the Indian pulled the needles out and then he became friends with the Indian boy.

It was okay because of Attean making the book a lot cooler to read.

2 stars

Ryan W-A., 5th grade

Anonymous said...

I think Matt will hate most of his neighbors. I also think that the bear is going to come back and Attean. If I could, I'd make Attean kill the mean old bear and [Matt would] get the rifle back.

It was amazing because how Matt and Attean became friends.

4 stars

by Jacob C., 5th grade

Anonymous said...

Sign of the Beaver was about a boy that was left alone. He soon finds a new friend, Attean the Indian boy. Attean is not very excited at first but then they start to get into the book that Matt was teaching him.

It was great because I was excited to see what happened to Matt during the book.

4 stars

by Sarah S., 5th grade

Anonymous said...

Matt and his father went into Maine and made a cabin and left their family behind. So Matt's father went back to their home in Quency to get the mother, Matt's sister, and the new baby. Then one day an Indian boy named Attean comes to his cabin. But then Attean moved his village. Matt waited a long time for his family and finally they came.

It was a good book but it just didn't grab my attention very well.

2 stars

Laney T., 5th grade

Anonymous said...

Matt's father goes to get his family. So Matt was all alone and meets an Indian named Attean. Then they go to Attean's island to see his tribe. After that they fight a bear to get to Matt's cabin. Then a couple of days later Attean goes hunting and never sees Matt again. Then his family returns.

I like this book because Matt and Attean become friends.

3 stars

Logan B., 5th grade

Anonymous said...

Matt's dad leaves to get the family. So Matt's all alone to survive when some Indians show up and help and teach him to hunt, fish, and cook. The Indians ask him to go with them. He says no. His family comes back and everything is ok.

It was interesting to find out what happened to Matt.

2 stars

Alexis S., 5th grade

Anonymous said...

A boy named Matt is left by his father to stay and live in the wilderness for awhile. His father left to get the rest of the family from Quincy. He meets Indians and one is his age and comes almost every day to learn to read and write. Attean (the Indian boy) teachers Matt to live off the wild and to live like the Indians. And they ask him to come on a big hunt and live with them. Does he stay or leave?

It was really good because it had action and it had good parts instead of the same old boring the whole time.

4 stars

Jacob C., 5th grade

Anonymous said...

Matt, a boy from Quincey, and his father move to Maine. Matt's father gives his son a rifle and a watch. Matt's father says, "I'm going to Quincey." Later, Matt gets stung by a bee and two Indians take him to his cabin. The two Indians pluck all of the bee stingers out of him and give him medicine to heal.

I liked it because Matt's gun gets stolen by Ben and he has to survive with no weapon and fish.

4 stars

Ben A., 5th grade

Anonymous said...

At first a kid named Matt is all alone in his cabin while his father goes to get the mom, sister, and baby. One day he meets an Indian boy named Attean. His father wanted Matt to teach Attean how to read. Then Matt was invited to a party with the Indians. A couple of months later Attean and the tribe were on a big hunt and moving away but Matt didn't go. In a couple of days his parents came. Then he told them all about what happened.

I thought it was the best book ever. It was awesome. Things like how to teach you about the wilderness. It is really good.

4 stars

Parker K., 5th grade

Anonymous said...

A twelve year old boy Matt is left alone in the wilderness so his father can go get his siter, mother, and the new-born baby. He runs into some indians while his father is gone. He has to decide whether to go with the indians, orwait for his father through the winter.

I thought the book was very good because I wanted to see what would happen to Matt while he was in the wilderness.

4 stars
by Alexander A., 5th grade

Anonymous said...

First, Matt's father leaves to go get his wife and family, while Matt is alone in the wilderness. Next Matt finds out that it is very hard to live in the wilderness all by himself. Last, he meets the indians (Attean) and they get along and help Matt survive.

I liked the book because it was full of excitement, drama, action, and survival, which is my favorite.

3 stars

by Sean G 5th grade

Anonymous said...

Matt is alone with indians. He learns about the indians while his father is away. Matt needs the indians help to survive the winter.

It is the best book I ever read in my life because I wondered what would happen. It kept me on the edge of my seat.

4 stars

Sam C

Anonymous said...

This is about a boy named Matt. His dad and he go to Main and build a cabin on land. Then dad goes home to get the other family members, and Matt stays alone. After the first few weeks, it gets really weird.

I loved it because it was a thriller to me. I was on the edge of my seat.

4 stars

Conner R

Anonymous said...

In the book, The Sign of The Beaver, Matt is left at home alone. Matt also meets an indian boy named Attean. They become friends, and kill a bear! Matt wonders when his dad will return.

I thought it was pretty good because it grabs me and was interesting.

4 stars

Zimri

Anonymous said...

The Sign of The Beaver is a wonderful adventure. A 12 year-old boy is left alone in the wilderness. He meets native Americans. They become friends, and it is an adventure.

It was an amazing adventure.

4 stars

Lauren

Anonymous said...

The Sign of the Beaver is about a young man who's father leaves him alone in Maine to go get the rest of his family. He has to survive alone in a cabin in the forest. After a few days of being in the forest, a man comes and Matt invites him inside. The next morning, the man was gone and so was Matt's rifle. Then an Indian came and Matt had just gotten attacked by bees and the Indian cared for him and healed him. Matt and the Indian's grandson meet and they have many adventures.

I think the book was ok. It wasn't great but it wasn't bad.

2 stars

by Travis O., 5th grade

Anonymous said...

Sign of the Beaver is about a boy named Matt. His father left him alone in the cabin, so he could go get the rest of the family. While he was alone he met a few people. One was a thief (Ben) and an Indian family. The Indian's were Marie (sister), Attean (brother), the grandparents and the dog. One day, they left to go hunt and then Matt's family returned.

I thought it was a good book because Matt met some Indians and they were actually nice.

3 stars

by Hannah S., 5th grade

Anonymous said...

Matt is a twelve year old boy. His father leaves him in the wilderness so he can get the rest of his family. As Matt is alone, he fends for himself and he meets members of the Beaver tribe. Matt becomes friends with the Indians and they invite Matt on a hunt, but they will never return. What should he do? Should he stay and wait for his family or go on the hunt? The chois is his!

It was a very good book because it is full of adventure and hair-raising thoughts.

4 stars

by Caroline C., 5th grade

Anonymous said...

Sign of the Beaver is about a kid in the wilderness all alone. When bees attack him and an Indian Chief and his grandson save him sill he ever learn to trust them? When they ask him to move with them, what will he do

It is the best book I have ever read because it kept me on the edge of my chair

5 stars - best book ever

by Kyle C., 5th grade

Anonymous said...

Matt's father left him alone in the wilderness to go get the rest of the family. He tries to get some honey, but bees sting him, and the Indians rescue him. He becomes friends with the Indians. Attean shows Matt how to make traps and other useful things, but they leave and Matt's family comes.

I liked it because there were Indians and you kind of learned what it was like back then. It was also good because you got to see how they made all of their stuff.

3 stars

by Olivia T., 5th grade

Anonymous said...

It is where Matt is alone in the wilderness. Indians came to help Matt and help him survive. They ask him to be a part of their tribe and he says "no." Then one winter day his family shows up.

It was great because it was the kind of book I would read any day.

4 stars

by Sidney W., 5th grade

Anonymous said...

This book was about a boy named matt. His dad went back to his old town to get the rest of his family. He left Matt alone in the forest. He meets Indians and became their friend. Then his father comes back and Matt is very happy.

I thought this book was good because it had very good detail and good explanations.

by Grace F., 5th grade

Anonymous said...

Matt's family leaves but Matt stays home. They said they would be gone for seven weeks but when Matt puts the seventh notch on the seventh stick, and he realizes that they haven't come back. Read to find out what happens.

I thought it was a great book because it shows life without family and living on your own.

4 stars

by Kaitlyn S., 5th grade

Anonymous said...

One morning my dad was leaving me in charge of the house. My dad was going to get my mother with the baby. We ran out of food so I went to get some honey out of a hive I saw. But then I saw Attean coming and he helped me. Then I started to read Robinson Crusoe to Attean. But when it was time for Attean to leave. He said, "My dad is coming." They went inside and the next morning I saw my dad. They went inside and I said, "Where is the baby?" It did not make it.

this book was good because of all the detail and the Indians.

4 stars

by Rylie R., 5th grade

Anonymous said...

The Sign of the Beaver was an excellent book because it had so much action in the book and it was exciting. I really liked the part about the dog and how Matt saves him.

It was a great book. I was really excited to find out what would happen next.

4 stars

by Jamie T., 5th grade

Anonymous said...

Matt's father has to go get his family in Quincy. Matt has to stay alone in their new house in Maine. While his dad is gone, he meets a boy named Attean, and Indian. When they move away, Matt's parents come back and they're all safe.

I thought it was interesting because Matt is alone in the wilderness and has to survive.

4 stars

by Claire E., 5th grade

Anonymous said...

A boy named Matt and his father go and claim land in the woods. Matt's father is going and getting the rest of the family. While he is gone, Matt is in charge of the cabin. But he loses his rifle and while fishing a bear robs his food. Then he meets Indians: a chief and his grandson. Matt and Attean have plenty of adventures.

I liked it because it shows how you can survive even when you have nothing.

4 stars

by Josh S., 5th grade

Anonymous said...

Matt's dad leaves. Then Matt has to wait for his dad and mom to come back. A little later, he tries to get honey and falls and an Indian helps him. Then the Indians move south for the winter. Last, his family comes back.

It was pretty good but not great

2 stars

by Nick L, 5th grade

Anonymous said...

The Sign of the Beaver is about a boy named Matt that meets an Indian named Attean. Mtt's father leaves for a long time and he told Matt to count sticks for how long he was gone.

I liked it because you can read it and it's almost like science.

3 stars

by Kaden, 5th grade

Anonymous said...

A boy named Matt goes out to the woods to wait for his dad. While he stays in the cabin and meets an Indian boy about his age named Attean. He learns about the Indians and their culture. By the time it is time to leave for the Indians, the chief asks if he wanted to go with him but Matt says "no." Then while he waits a few more days his family comes and they start living their new life.

I thought it was good because it was adventurous and dramatic( a little) so I would highly recommend it.

4 stars

by Caroline C., 5th grade

Anonymous said...

The Sign of the Beaver is about a boy named Matt and his father leaves to go get his family. His father says it will take him 7 weeks to get back. Then one day he meets Attean. They become brothers and Saknis (Attean's grandfather) invites Matt to come with them on the most important trip of the year. But he says no.

I thought it was a really great book because it really made me think about what was happening.

4 stars

by Madi A., 5th grade

Anonymous said...

Matt is a boy in the 1700's who is alone in the forest while his ather goes to get their family. Matt is robbed by a man named Ben and does not have a rifle. He befriends the Indians, who help him live. They offer Matt to go with them when they move, but he refuses. Finally, his father, mother, and sister come home.

It was a good book because it had some action and it was realistic.

3 stars

by Abigail W., 5th grade