Hey there, Toombow Kids readers! I’m so excited to be back with you after this long absence. I really missed writing these columns, but between school going well and my other activities, time flew by! Anyway, I’m back to share a new story with you. Today, I’m going to take you on a journey to the land of Uncle Sam, as they say, with The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, written by Mark Twain and published in 1876!
This book, my friends, is like a golden nugget that still shines after 150 years! Just imagine, smack dab in the middle of the 19th century, in a rural America of the South, where days pass by quietly to the rhythm of rivers and cornfields. It’s in this kind of setting that we meet Tom Sawyer, a funny and energetic boy. Tom is like fireworks, an electric bundle of energy! He reminds me a bit of my little brother who never stops moving around and doing a hundred things at once… Always in search of adventure, he spends his time exploring all the secret corners of his village, playing pranks at school, and challenging the adults. Since he’s an orphan, he lives in a village in the South of the United States called St. Petersburg with his Aunt Polly, his half-brother Sid, and his cousin Mary. Often with them is Jim, a black boy who works for Aunt Polly.
What’s cool is that we learn a lot about the time, how Americans lived on a daily basis in the 19th century in this region, why there were sometimes big disputes between people, social differences, and so on.
I find the author Mark Twain’s style very funny; Tom’s pranks made me laugh because they are well thought out and especially because he doesn’t care whether others will like them or not. The characters are super endearing, even though I must admit I have a soft spot for Huckleberry Finn. His story is really sad, and it made me think a lot about the fate of orphans. Plus, he always remains kind to everyone despite life’s trials, and I think that’s a great example to follow! I love the moments of complicity between him and Tom. The long walks along the Mississippi River, the hide-and-seek games in the woods, the chase scenes, the old games—all of it made me feel like I was traveling back in time while reading because there was a great sense of “adventure,” and the descriptions were very well done.
However, be careful, I’m telling you, don’t be fooled into thinking that everything is rosy because it’s not true. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer deal with super deep and serious subjects like inequalities, racism, and the risks of war. I won’t tell you too much, especially if you’re going to read it (which I hope you do), but there are passages that made me want to cry for the characters. You think to yourself, “why does this happen to him?” And I must admit that it’s rare for me to feel that way while reading a book; usually, it’s more when I watch a series or an anime. By the way, even if you’ve already seen the Tom Sawyer anime, I still recommend reading the novel because there are a lot more details in it and things that you don’t see at all in the episodes.
So, I hope you enjoyed this “Isma’s advice” and that it will make you want to read or reread this story. For me, Tom is incredible: he’s an orphan, but he never complains. He’s brave, and he touches me. Seeing him go through life’s trials like that, I can’t help but think of all the children who have lost their parents. I don’t know how I would react if I found myself in that situation…
Well, I’ll leave you now; it’s time for me to go to my theater class! If we do some improv, I’ll try to imitate Becky Thatcher. She’s the girl Tom is in love with, who is beautiful, kind, intelligent, sweet, and I like her a lot! See you soon for a new reading recommendation!