July 10th

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer


There is nothing like being immersed in a great story!  Your imagination running wild from the first letter of the first line to the final period.  Reading is one of the most popular pastimes and for good reason.  It isn’t every day a dragon flies through your village and whisks you off to a distant island full of pirates, brave knights, and beautiful palm trees heavy with coconuts.  Unless, of course, you are reading a book!

Thousands and thousands of amazing tales have been told from the dawn of time. The greatest storytellers have always had a way of igniting one’s imagination and bringing them deep into the story and helping kids and adults alike see a wonderfully, fanciful world apart from the one they live in.

In this series, The Classics Club, all of the books we cover were written at least 100 years ago! That’s right…100 years! Over the centuries, children from around the world have been entranced by the very same stories, characters, and magical worlds you are about to discover.

Perhaps, many of these stories entertained your parents and grandparents when they were your age. Maybe you have already read some of these classic tales as well! If not, you are in for a real treat!

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

By Mark Twain

(Published in 1876)


“Although my book is intended mainly for the entertainment of boys and girls,

I hope it will not be shunned by men and women on that account.

For part of my plan has been to try to pleasantly remind adults of

what they once were themselves, and how they felt and thought and talked,

and what strange enterprises they sometimes engaged in.” 

...Mark Twain


Very few authors have managed to successfully grab and take hold of the imaginations of children and adults the way Mark Twain did with The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

Twain, whose real name is Samuel Clemens, was born in 1835 in the tiny hamlet of Florida, Missouri. When he was around five or six years old, his family moved to Hannibal, Missouri. The town of Hannibal is the inspiration for St. Petersburg, the village Tom Sawyer and his pals, Huck Finn and Joe Harper, would spend their youthful days causing mischief and going on adventures!

In The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, you are transported to St. Petersburg-a small and somewhat quiet town located along the banks of the Mississippi River. The story takes place in the 1800’s, before the Civil War broke out.

Tom is an imaginative and adventurous young boy who lives with his mean-spirited half-brother Sid, sweet cousin Mary, and his stern, but kindhearted Aunt Polly. The precocious Tom and his best friend, Huck Finn, wile away the days causing mischief and playful trouble around town. That is until Tom and Huck witness the murder of Dr. Robinson in the graveyard!

After the wrong man is accused and jailed, Tom steps forward to testify against the man who actually committed the crime. Injun Joe-the real murderer-is sent to jail, but escapes and plans his revenge on Tom.

If this story sounds like something you would like to read, I encourage you to head on over to your local library and check the book out. As an alternative to just “renting” the book for a bit, you can add it to your personal collection by purchasing the book at a bookstore or online. Classic books never go out of style!

A great place to start with these classic tales is the book series, Classic Starts. Classic Starts books are easy to read and understand for readers, like you, who are just launching into the fabulous world of reading. They are a perfect introduction to the most amazing stories, tales, and adventures you are sure to read, love, and cherish!