Book Review

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A Boy Alone

This book is about a boy named Matt, who lives in the 1700s. He is thirteen years old. He and his father had journeyed to a claim in the Maine wilderness, and built a cabin. His father then leaves to bring the rest of Matt's family to the claim.

"Seven weeks." he tells Matt. "Every day, make a notch on a stick. Make seven notches per stick. When you get to the seventh stick, you can start looking for us."

So Matt's father leaves, leaving a gun and a pocket watch. And Matt is left. Alone.

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The Thief

One day, as Matt is getting ready for supper, a strange man comes. He says he was kicked out of his village, and would like to spend the night. He lays down and sleeps on the floor. Then, in the morning he is gone. And so is Matt's gun.

Now, Matt has no way to hunt. He must fish. There will be no more meat.

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The Indian

One day, Matt decides to get some honey from a bee's hive. As he tears a piece of wood off the entrance, the bees attack. Dazed and bitten, he plunges into a pool to protect himself, and nearly drowns. But suddenly, he feels himself being lifted up by strong arms, and carried back to his cabin, where he instantly falls asleep. When he wakes up, he finds he has been rescued by an Indian. The Indian makes him an agreement. If Matt teaches the Indian's grandson, Attean, to read, the Indian will bring Matt rabbits, deer, and other meat. Matt agrees, and Attean's schooling begins.

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Matt Learns

After some lessons, a sort of friendship forms between the two boys, and Attean teaches Matt the ways of the forest, how to set (Indian) traps, how to move silently through the forest, and how to make a bow and arrows. Finally, when his parents still do not come back, and winter is closing in, Matt must make a decision—a decision that will demand sacrifice.

http://www.youngzine.org/article-u-write/book-review-sign-beaver

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