The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare is a very good book. It is about a boy named Matt who moves to Maine from Massachusetts with his father in the 1600s. His father goes back to get his mother, sister, and a newborn baby Matt hasn't even seen! One day Matt is climbing a bee tree to get honey when the bees attack! He runs towards the river and jumps in. He is pulled from the river by an old indian chief named Saknis. Saknis nurses him back to health. Saknis signs a treaty with Matt saying that Matt should teach his grandson, Attien, to read. Matt agrees. So Matt semi-teaches Attien to read. He tries to explain things like "A is for arm" so Attien can understand. Matt shows a page from Robinson Crusoe to Attien. Attien thinks white men are morons for printing "arm" all over the page- he thinks each "A" stands for arm. Matt decides to read Robinson Crusoe to Attien. But they explore the forest more than they read. I like the way Elizabeth George Spear brings you into the story and makes you feel like you are there, right in the action. I didn't think the book was long enough. If it was longer it would have been great! I learned from this book that courage is not skin deep. I also learned what it was like to live in the wilderness of Maine in the 1600s. I learned what it was like in an indian village in the 1600s. I recommend this book to people who like very intruguing books, books that can take you to another place, books that can take you to another world or another time in history. Review by Jacob Gilden, Mr. Seely's 4th grade, Duniway School, Protland, Oregon

The book "The Sign of the Beaver" is the best book i've ever read. It is about a boy named Matt who is left alone in the woods waiting for his dad to come with his mother and sister. Over a course of a couple months the boy has a few hardships he had to over come. One of them was when a guy names Ben came and stole his rifle so he had to live off of other sources since he couldn't hunt. After getting tired of fish he decided to try and get honey from a bee hive. he was stung many times. Two indians, Saknis and Attean, found him and took him to his cabin and gave him medicine for a couple days. After Matt was better he made a deal with Saknis to teach Attean to read white mans language. After so many times that Matt and Attean were together they finally became friends and part brothers in time.

If you have seen The Sign of The Beaver in your library pick it up and read it because it's jammed pack with adventure. It's about a boy named Matt that has been left behind to guard the family cabin while his father goes back to Quincy, Massachussetts for the family. The Beaver tribe chief and his grandson, Attean, help save Matt from a swarm of bees, Will he live or will he die? The two boys go on a trail and are confronted by a bear. Will they get out alive? Read the book and find out and have a great time reading it!

As a long time reader of Mr. McManus, my first run-in with this hilarious author was back in the days when I'd steal my dad's Outdoor Life and Field and Stream magazines to sneak away and pour over Mr. McManus' columns. I'm all grown up now, and don't have to steal my dad's magazines. I'm much sneakier now. I buy the books on the pretext that I'm getting them for my husband, then I read them instead. Mr. McManus, you are a delight!! Please write more!

I rareley laugh out loud when I read. While reading this I laughed so hard I teared, snorted, screamed and possibly had a brief out of body experience. The first book of Pat's I read made me laugh. Every time I read a new book or reread an old one I just thought it got funnier and funnier. I can't wait to review them all. The more you understand how he writes the funnier it gets. To some of the folks I know, I can't even mention his name for fear that they will explode with laughter. This book talks about the terrible crime wave which left a whole town with ...news. Also discussed are topics such as Beards, Laziness, Pipes, secret junk food clubs, fishing, life-saving techniques and imagining you're eating roast beef. Sure if you hunt and or fish or camp-it would help you laugh at these stories, however my own grandmother thinks he's hilarious and does none of these. You can't go wrong either way. Even if you have never killed a poor defenseless Avid! Ha! You've got to laugh. If you like trouble, then buy this book!

If you are looking for a cure of the everyday problems of society, then this is the cure you seek! Spend a few minutes with Pat, Eddie, Rancid, Troll, and all the cast of characters that rumble through Pat's childhood and grownup life, and feel better for it! This book, as well as Pat's other books, is an impressive piece of humor writing.

this book gives a basic overview of the worlds religions, but i found it a bit frustrating to read. in my opinion, anyone wishing to read the basic facts of each religion out of curiousity alone, will find that certian excerpts are highly opinionated. the section on buddhism, one part of it is titled, "the appeal of buddhism in the west", this is not problem, but do we need support why "people can live good lives only when given new life by jesus christ, otherwise they are powerless... and ...unable to escape the cycle of sin and death...." one other example is in response to a zen buddihist excerpt which the authors says, "this thinking is pushed to the absurd, it is useless to seek rational answers to them, the tension they produce must be borne to the utmost...." there are many other statments like these peppered throughout this book. on the other hand it does have some good information making it a useful introduction to the many religions. maybe the best thing would be a more appropiate title for the book, so that people who would like a nuetral yet informative approach will be better informed.

This is a very informative, "chunky" book. Excellent pictures and charts! A book worth having!

I am enrolled in a masters program where this is an assigned text for an elective. After having been force-fed literally hundreds of readings from hundreds of books - this book stood out as the only text that I purchased. It is a fantastic, impartial, overview which includes great illustrations and charts. It is equally rewarding to read straight through, only the parts that interest you or as a handy reference.

I really enjoyed reading Ella Enchanted. It was a very good book. It is about a royal girl named Ella, who had a problem. When she was born a fairy gave her a gift the gift of obedience. Ella hates this gift. It is always getting in her way.
When her mother dies she is devistated. She can't tell anybody about the curse.
She finds friendship with a young prince. Her father decides that it would be better if she went to boarding school with her two fathers friend's daughters.
The girls find out that Ella is obedient. But they do not know why. She decides to run away.
She ends up with her father and he has decided to marry the woman. She is not pleased. But her guyfriend wants her to marry him. What about the curse? You have to read the book to find out!

I'll start with the books I haven't read. Because I haven't read "Dear Mr. Henshaw" and "One Eyed-Cat" I had to give this collection only four stars though I'd love to give it five. "Dear Mr. Henshaw" was part of my elementary school library. Everyone was demanding that I read Mr. Henshaw, but there were so many other books to read so I never got around to it. I had never heard of "One Eyed-Cat" when I was young, but from what I hear it is worth the read.

Scott O'Dell is one of my all time favorite authors. I have read "Island of the Blue Dolphins" a million times and would read it a million more. It is the story that first drew me to the Native American culture and his other works were equally enticing. The story of Karana's survival alone on the island of her birth and the life and family she makes for herself there is magnificent. Her neverending yearning for her people, but continuing love for the home she makes creates a bittersweet ending when she leaves for her people. It is made even more sad when in his author's notes O'Dell revealed that her people never made it to their new home and that is why they never sent for her. Scot O'Dell writes an alluting tale of a woman who must survive on her own. I would heartily recommend any book he has written.

Elizabeth George Speare is not far behind on my favorite author list. I also read "The Sign of the Beaver" a million times. It is a wonderful story of a wary friendship between a teenage white settler left to care for their new home while his father goes to fetch his mother, sister, and the soon to be born baby and a teenage Indian who has inherited the bitterness of his culture to the white man. Together they teach each other what is needed to know to survive in the other's world. Another bittersweet ending, this is a wonderful story about how two radically different people can learn to respect the other and what they have to offer. "The Witch of Blackbird Pond" is the story about a girl from the Caribbean who is tossed into her own survival story when she must live with her Puritan relatives. Here, her culture of clashes with the rigid structure of the Puritan people who consider her a hopeless sinner. They radically distrust her and it comes to a head when she is accused of witchcraft. The only drawback of this story is that it helps to understand the Puritans and it is my experience that their history is learned in highschool when one is just a tad old for her works.

This book is very informative and well written. It describes all of the killings, the trials, and the outcome of the trials of both Caril Ann Fugate and Charles Raymond Starkweather. It begins by giving you a reporters view of the crimes and the manhunt for the murderous couple. It also has one chapter just about the confessions of Charles Starkweather. A very good read. I would highly reccommend this book to anyone who is interested in this story about a couple on a rampage.

When the little Thai girl, Rainu, unwittingly breaks the beaver dam, Lars' first reaction is to speak out in anger. Fortunately, Lars quickly learns, that when he exlains problems calmly and listens to others, he not only finds solutions, he makes valuable friends. Problem-solving and friends are just what is needed when Rainu's precious statue is stolen from her locker. Catch Him With Dragons is a jr. mystery that involves the forging of unlikely freindships. As a teacher I liked it, because it has a multi-cultural theme, deals with problem-solving, and the characters are quite credible, kids who want to do right, but sometimes make mistakes. This book is a great read-alone for 3 graders. The blank pages for kids to draw their own illustrations, makes Catch Him With Dragons extra fun.

Charlie The Tramp is a terrific story about a beaver (Charlie) who wants to pursue his boyhood dream of becoming a tramp. He says that tramps just tramp around all day, enjoy the good life, and sleep in fields with daisies (or in a barn if it rains). His parents are haltingly indulgent of his dream, while his grandfather harrumphs around with "That's what it's like these days... little beavers want to be tramps..." comments. He eventually "comes of age" one night as a trickling stream keeps him awake and he spends the night building a dam. The next day as his parents are looking for him they find the dam/pond. They wonder who built it and comment that it looks like the sort of pond that Charlie's father would make... only he is certain that he didn't make it. Charlie wakes up and says that he made it and is heartily congratulated for a fine job of building a dam. Even grandfather admits "That's the way things are these days... more and more tramps become beavers." There is some gender stereotyping (mother races home to make flapjacks for all) but other than that, it is a quality children's book. There is a strong family message and asserts that children should be allowed to chase their dreams. For if they were given the proper guidance in their childhood, they will make good choices and do the proper thing. It was one of my favorites as a child and it is a shame that it is out of print.

Gone Beaver was given to me as a Christmas gift last year, and I'm just getting around to reading it. I'm sorry I took so long! This is a great book. The author conveys a huge amount of information about life in the mountains, and at the same time tells an engrossing tale. I'll probably finish it tonight, so I can't talk about the ending yet!

This was the required text for a 2003 graduate Biostatistics course, so you should already know the basics. If you don't, buy the Study Guide and Solutions Manual to help you out.

WE ARE NEW BOATERS TO LAKE MICHIGAN AND THIS HELPED US FIND PLACES TO BOAT TO. THE PICTURES ARE GREAT, REAL LIFE PHOTOS, RESTURANT INFO AT PORTS ETC. THE ONLY THING I DONT LIKE IS THE PRICE, BUT JUST GET OVER IT AND BUY IT.