The Sign of the Beaver
By
Elizabeth George Speare
characters
• Matt Hallowell-12 year old boy who is left at a
cabin in the Maine woods
• Attean-14 year old Native American boy who
Matt meets
• Saknis-Attean’s grandfather
• Matt’s family-father, mother and little sister Sarah
• Attean’s family-grandfather, grandmother and
little sister
• Ben-a man that finds the cabin and stays one
night with
Setting
• The Maine wilderness where Matt’s and his
father have just built a cabin.
• The woods and river around the cabin.
• Attean and Saknis’ Native American village
Chapters 1-5
• Matt’s father has left him to go get his mother and sister from
Massachusetts.
• His dad is supposed to be gone for 6-7 weeks.
• Matt’s dad gave him instructions on him to survive and what to do while
he is gone.
• Matt busies himself with chores around the cabin.
• A man named Ben shows up at the cabin, stays the night and steals Matt’s
rifle.
• A bear came into the cabin when Matt was fishing, did some damage and
ate some food.
• He tried to get honey from a beehive but is not successful.
• He is stung by the bees and hurts his ankle.
• Two Native Americans (old and young) help him to his cabin.
• The older Native American comes back and gives Matt some medicine.
Chapters 6-10
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Matt meets Saknis and Attean when they bring him food.
Matt thinks Attean doesn’t like him.
Saknis brings Matt a pair of moccasins and a crutch for his ankle.
They make a treaty: Saknis will bring him food if Matt teaches
Attean to read.
Attean is not happy with the treaty.
The first reading lesson does not go well. Attean wants it to last
only one month.
Matt reads to Attean from Robinson Crusoe, a book of his.
Attean teachers Matt how to make a trap to catch rabbits but keeps
on bringing Matt food from his village.
Attean gets upset over something from Robinson Crusoe.
They go fishing (spearing the fish).
Chapters 11-16
• Seven weeks have gone by and his family has not
shown up yet.
• Attean brings his dog to visit Matt.
• Attean teaches Matt to leave marks while in the
woods so he can find his way home.
• Matt decides to make a bow.
• Matt uses bible stories to teach and entertain
Attean.
• Attean and Matt meet a bear and kill it.
• Attean invites Matt to a Native American feast.
Matt dances, eats and sleeps at the village.
Chapters 17-20
• We learn that the “white man” killed Attean’s mother
and father.
• Matt realizes that ten weeks have past since his father
left.
• Attean’s dog is caught in a bear trap and Matt tries to
rescue it.
• Matt goes to Attean’s village to find him so he can free
his dog but Attean is not there.
• Matt and Attean’s sister free the dog.
• Attean doesn’t come for awhile and Matt is lonely.
• Attean tells Matt that he may not come back for awhile.
Chapters 21-25
• Saknis and Attean visit Matt and Saknis tells Matt that
he must come with them since his family has not
shown up.
• Matt says thank-you but he will wait for his family.
• Saknis gives Matt some snowshoes and maple sugar.
• Attean gives Matt his dog and tells Matt that his people
will not return to this area.
• Matt takes care of creating a store of food for the
winter.
• Matt realizes that it is almost winter now.
• Matt’s family finally shows up.