The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
Acceptable with guidance. Age: 12+. A Catholic review of this book for parents.
Our review
Tom Sawyer is a boy who loves tricks and adventure in a small town by the Mississippi River. One night he and his friend Huck see a man get killed, and Tom has to be brave and tell the truth. The book is funny, but it has a scary villain and some ugly old words, so it is best for kids about twelve and up. This is a great American novel and the Cardinal Newman Society list carries it. The heart of it is good. Tom speaks up in court to save an innocent man even though he is afraid. Parents need to frame three things: the racial slurs of the 1840s setting, the way Twain pokes fun at church and Sunday school, and the boys' charms and superstitions, which are played for laughs.
For parents
Read aloud from about ten, skipping or explaining the slurs. Independent reading from twelve, which matches Common Sense Media's 12+. Before you start, tell your child that the book uses the N-word and the name 'Injun Joe'. Say plainly that these words wound people made in God's image and that we do not use them. Common Sense Media notes a knife murder seen by two children and men who drink whiskey until they pass out. Wikipedia notes the boys smoke pipes to look grown up. Ask: why does Tom break his oath and testify? Was that the right thing to do? Talk about the Sunday school scene, where Tom trades for Bible tickets he did not earn. Twain is laughing at show without substance. Ask your child what real love for Scripture looks like. Plugged In notes that a nude figure in an anatomy book is seen in the story, so be ready for that page. The dead cat wart cure and other charms are jokes about superstition. Tell your child that Christians trust God and do not use charms.