Trouble begins at 8

One thing I didn’t do on my vacation is post book reviews. Oops. Some were written…they just didn’t make it on to the blog. Here are the first two, both read for one of my book groups.

The trouble begins at 8: a life of Mark Twain in the wild, wild West by Sid Fleischman

Mark Twain, the beloved author of such classics as A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, Huckleberry Finn and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, is well known in American literature. How did he become a writer? This biography details Twain’s life as a young boy in Missouri, his adventures (and misadventures) along the Mississippi River and American West, and his life as a distinguished author and speaker.

An excellent biography written for students in fourth through eighth grades, the book includes many photographs and pictures which help to illustrate the life of one of America’s greatest writers.



The extraordinary Mark Twain (according to Susy) by Barbara Kerley; iIllustrated by Edwin Fotheringham.

This picture book biography is a fascinating read. Included along with the text are excerpts of Susy’s – Mark Twain’s young daughter – observations of her father. This book is sure to inspire a child to write her own biography of a special person in her life.