THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER

THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER by Mark Twain

I recently read aloud Tom Sawyer to the family. There may have been some eye rolls at times and there may have been some groans, but when it was all said and done, this book scored above average with us, especially for my son who gave it a 4.5 out of 5. He truly enjoyed the boyish adventures and having a male figure at the heart of the story.

Tom Sawyer is a boy that we can all relate to in some way but probably pray never lives in our house! (I have the same feelings about Ramona Quimby. ) He is what I would call a prime example of being "all boy" with an extra scoop of orneriness thrown in.

An orphan, taken in by his Aunt Polly, Tom is always on the lookout for a grand adventure. Anything from running away for a few days to hunting for treasure to trying to steer clear of Injun Joe, Tom does. He's not above lying and being a bit conniving, but it comes back to bite him in the end. Tom (and his friend Huck) shows us the struggles of boyhood, at first shirking responsibility, but when it really matters coming through, even when his very life is in danger.

This really is a fun read overall. The writing in the book can be a little complicated to decipher, so be prepared to stop and answer questions as you go along. We found the thread of the story to be evident and able to be followed even if the kids (mainly our youngest) may not have understood every word said.

HEADS UP- We do have to discuss a couple of things. Tom Sawyer is a book that does use the word "n**ger" in it. It gave me an opportunity to talk to my kids about what a terrible word that is, what it means, how it was used in the past, and then as we came to the word, I substituted a more appropriate word.

-There is a bit of lighthearted romance that may be a turn off to boys at certain ages. -

There is murder that occurs. It is not gory, but it should be mentioned in case you have a sensitive child.