The Sign of the Beaver is a children's historical novel by American author Elizabeth George Speare, which has won numerous literary awards. It was published in February 1983, and has become one of her most popular works.
The idea for this book came from a factual story that Elizabeth George Speare discovered in Milo, Maine about a young boy who was left alone for a summer in the wilderness and was befriended by a Native American, named Attean, and his grandfather. The novel has been adapted into a television film titled Keeping the Promise.
Video The Sign of the Beaver
Plot
The Sign of the Beaver tells the story of a 12-year-old boy, Matt James Hallowell, and his father, who, as early settlers, together build a log cabin in the wilderness of 18th-century Maine in North America. Matt is left alone to guard the cabin and his family's claim to the land while his father heads back to Quincy, Massachusetts to pick up his mother, sister and their new baby and bring them back to the cabin. Matt learns how to survive and deal with difficult situations without the guidance of his father. Still alone, Matt gets the help from a Native American named Attean. Attean and his family help Matt survive until his father comes back. But when his family seemed to disappear and don't return, Attean asked Matt to join the Beaver tribe and move north, is Matt really going to abandon his family in order to join the Beavers?
Maps The Sign of the Beaver
Awards
- 1983 Josette Frank Award (won as prize)
- 1984 Christopher Award (won as prize)
- 1984 A Booklist Editors' Choice (won)
- 1984 Horn Book Fanfare (won)
- 1984 Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction (won as prize)
- 1984 An American Library Association Notable Children's Book citation
- 1984 An American Library Association Best Books for Young Adults citation
- 1983-1984 Young Hoosier Book Award (nominee)
- 1989 The New York Times Best Book of the Year
References
Source of article : Wikipedia
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