1. Lieth Assad
Sign of the Beaver Summary
The book that I have been reading is about a kid named Matt who gets stranded in the woods
while his dad goes back to thier old house to get his daughter, wife and their new baby. Matt
gets some gifts from his dad like his dad’s gun and a silver watch to tell him the time. When his
dad leaves a couple of days Matt finds out that this new life is better because he can do his
chores on his own time and not have to keep hearing corrections of how to do them. His dad
also told him to tie notches on sticks to also tell the time his dad was gone. The first few days
were not very hard because he kept saving food that his dad had and did not have to worry
about hunting any food for some time. After that he had to start hunting some food to eat. His
surroundings helped him hunt and sneak around the woods. He had a pond with fish where he
could go fishing or just hunt. Matt is a little sad that he won’t be having company for some
time. He also had to get used to his father’s gun.
One day a man came to Matt’s cabin to eat. Matt felt uneasy about this man but he
thought what his father would do if he were in this situation. So, he let this man named Ben in
his house to eat. After his dinner Ben examined the cabin. Then he pretty much just invited
himself to sleep the night at Matt’s cabin. The next morning when Matt woke up to see his
father’s rifle missing. It wasn’t on the shelf or anywhere else in the house. Matt knew that the
minute Ben stepped in the cabin that he had his eye on that gun. One day he saw a bee hive
with honey in it. So he climbed the tree to get some honey. As soon as he touches the honey
they start swarming all over him. He runs away from them and jumps into the pond. He starts
drowning and then he feels a strong hand pull him out of the water and carry him to the cabin.
The next day he sees an Indian man and boy in his cabin. The man is giving Matt medicine for
the bee stings and the boy looks like he doesn’t want to be there. When Matt introduces
himself he finds out that he man is the boy’s grandfather and his name is Saknis and the boy’s
name is Attean.
After he is well enough to walk and speak, Matt speaks to Saknis. Saknis tells him that
he wants to make a deal. The deal is that Matt teach Attean how to read and write and in
exchange they will hunt food for Matt. Matt agrees and the lessons start that morning. He
decides to read his only book Robinson Crusoe to Attean. Attean didn’t seem too into the book.
So Matt skipped some parts and went straight to the parts with the most action. Eventually
Attean started liking the book and paying more attention. Sometimes they even went hunting
together and Attean taught Matt many useful stuff in the woods. For example he showed him
how to set up traps to kill animals and also some plants that he can use to help him. They
became friends very fast and did things better when they were together. Robinson Crusoe kept
getting more interesting and eventually they ended it. Matt became a little bit scared that
Attean’s grandfather might prevent Attean from seeing Matt because they weren’t paying
much attention to learning.
One day while Matt and Attean are hunting they find a bear that is attacking them.
Thinking quickly Matt throws the rabbit that he caught that morning earlier to distract the bear
and Attean kills it. It was scary, but they got over it pretty quick. Later that evening Attean came
to Matt’s cabin to invite him to the feast at his village so they can eat the bear meat. Matt
accepts the invitation and they both walk together to the village. It was a long walk, and when

2. they got there it was dark. Matt was happy that he finally got to see Attean’s village. Right away
they started serving food and Matt started eating his bear meat stew. It was so good that he
ate a second bowl of it. After they ate, everybody started doing this dance and Matt decided to
join in. Someone taught him how to the dance and he started dancing. After a while he got
really drowsy when Attean noticed and lead Matt to sleep in one of the wig wams. The next
morning when Matt woke up as soon as he stepped outside Attean rushed him away from the
village as fast as he can because he said that his grandmother and his grandfather were fighting
whether Matt should come to the village or not. He said that his grandfather won but Matt had
to leave right in the morning. Attean also said that his mother and father died when he was
younger and that’s why he lived with his grandfather and grandmother.
One morning Saknis and Attean came to tell Matt that Attean won’t be coming to see
Matt anymore. Saknis said that Attean has to find his Manitou before the yearly deer hunt
starts. He also asks Matt to come with them on this hunt. Matt really wants to but he is afraid
that his family will come and he will not be there. He sadly tells them that he cannot and Saknis
slowly shakes his hand and leaves with Attean beside him. Many days later Attean comes to
Matt’s cabin to see if he changed his mind. Matt tells him that he didn’t change his mind and
Attean gives him gifts from his grandparents. His grandfather got Matt snowshoes for the snow
season and his grandmother gave Matt some sugar because it is hard to get when it is snowing.
Matt is patient for some while and then one day he saw his dad and family. He helps them
inside and they all start talking and having fun. Matt and his family lived happily ever after.