Explore the wild world of the southern United States in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. These books are known for their adventurous spirit and their portrayal of the southern reaches of America. Each novel can be enjoyed separately, or together. While Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has become more popular than the first novel, the two build upon one another and are a fascinating examination of mid-1800s southern culture. Both titles have been adapted countless times for film, stage, and television.

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer–Tom Sawyer is an orphan living with his aunt in St. Petersburg, Missouri. A mischievous young man, Tom spends his time playing pranks on other children, skipping school to go swimming or adventuring, and flirting with Becky, the new girl in school. The novel is full of Tom’s adventures with his friends, the mistakes he makes, and the ways he gets himself out of trouble at every turn. Tom’s adventures are trailed with thinly veiled sarcasm and criticism of Southern ideals, religion, and racial relations.

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn–Huckleberry Finn is a young boy living in St. Petersburg, Missouri, along with his friend Tom Sawyer. The duo had acquired a lot of money from their adventures together. Huck is kidnapped by his estranged father in an attempt to steal his fortune, but Huck cleverly escapes and begins a new adventure assisting Jim, a runaway slave who wants to eventually buy his family’s freedom. The two take an adventure down the Mississippi River toward freedom, with many side adventures along the way as they meet other travelers. Mark Twain’s most well-known adventure novel is filled with his signature wit, sarcasm, and critique of the moral values of the mid-19th century.