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The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Original author: Mark Twain
Retold by author: John Matern

 

Sometime before the Civil War, Huck Finn is the motherless son of a derelict father. Fleeing abuse, Huck leaves home in Hannibal, Missouri, and joins forces with Jim, an adult slave who is trying to avoid being sold to owners in the Deep South.

By misadventure, Huck and Jim find themselves on a raft drifting south down the Mississippi. As they float into the heart of slavery, Huck develops new respect for Jim and realizations about slavery and human nature. After wild, terrifying adventures, the pair is rescued.

This story is loved for its humor, truth, and humanity. Often misunderstood, libraries banned it at first because its hero is a gross, uncivilized boy. Recently it has been attacked by readers who think that it depicts Jim in a negative light.

This brief retelling of America's greatest novel avoids the language that some have found offensive. It also makes clear that Twain respected both Huck and Jim.

Guided Reading Level: M

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