Tom Sawyer: thoughts on this book?

[ABQmom]

I've been trying to read some literature that my dc may be required to read in the coming years, esp dd grade 7 next year. I currently am trying Tom Sawyer. I cannot get into this book. It puts me to sleep to try to read it. Is something wrong with me? Maybe I should try to read Huckleberry Finn instead? Any opinions on these two books? I just don't want to make my daughter read something that I don't even like. Our tastes are very similar in literature.

[Stirsmommy]

I have just started Tom Sawyer as dd is going to be reading it for LL starting Friday. I have to say I am not getting into it either. I was wondering if I could cliff note it.:rolleyes: For me it isn't so much the book as I really want to be reading something of my own choosing, kwim? I want to be rereading Jane Eyre. Oh well, if I tell her to do it I had better do it too. Good luck with it.

[Laura Corin]

I love Tom Sawyer. It's a wonderful description of boys' brains and is very funny. I don't think I had ever read it until I did for LL, and I'm really glad I did.

Laura

[KAR120C]

I've been trying to read some literature that my dc may be required to read in the coming years, esp dd grade 7 next year. I currently am trying Tom Sawyer. I cannot get into this book. It puts me to sleep to try to read it. Is something wrong with me? Maybe I should try to read Huckleberry Finn instead? Any opinions on these two books? I just don't want to make my daughter read something that I don't even like. Our tastes are very similar in literature.
I loved Tom Sawyer! All the ridiculous superstitions (and just the sheer number of dead animals that figure prominently in the plot -- DS and I discussed how much more important to the story the animals were than the grownups!!)

Are you using Lightning Lit? The lesson in LL7 that focuses on Tom Sawyer is about subplots, and I can't think of a better book to replace it with... there are so many "episodes", some kind of disconnected and some all strung together but all of them feeding into the main plot so well... It made an excellent lesson here! :)

Have you gotten to the cat taking the medicine yet? or the dog in church? There are some extremely funny parts that are worth getting to before you give up.

I've heard that Huck Finn is a "darker" book -- my mother (the librarian) said DS wasn't old enough yet, but I've not read it myself...

[ABQmom]

There really must be something wrong with me! Or, I haven't given it enough time. I'll keep plugging away at it.

[Michelle T]

I read both several times. Of course, maybe I wouldn't enjoy them now, it's been over 25 years since I read either book.

But I say give it a good shot before you give up!
Michelle T

[magpiegirl]

I'm reading Tom Sawyer aloud to my DS6.5 and we are totally loving it. I think it's one of those books that you have to either be a little boy, have been a little boy, or have been around little boys to really appreciate - growing up with a brother just a year and a half younger and now having a son, I think the "boy mentality" is so right on in this story. There are some totally hilarious parts, as Erica mentioned. As we read the story, I'm having my son "narrate" it by acting out parts with me - this has been easy and fun with this book when it has been difficult with others.

My only warnings are that this book uses the n-word and the word "injun" for indian. I'm choosing to alter or skip over these parts for my six-year-old. Part of the reason that I'm reading books at this level to him is that he really picks up vocabulary easily - I just don't want him to pick up these words! An older child should be able to understand the time period and context, I think.

If you get desparate, you might check out a movie version to get you going on reading it. We've watched the REALLY old one (like from the thirties!) and I know that there is a newer one with Jodi Foster as "Becky" in it that we haven't seen yet. The old one was good and held my son's attention, although he rolled his eyes at the "mushy" parts with Becky and the movie skipped some of the funnier scenes (like the dog in church) although it did manage to get a cat to screech around for the "painkiller" part :)

Melisa

[Susie in MS]

Just reading this thread makes me want to read this book again!
The funny parts mentioned, the cave explorations and time on the island.
I have one son that loved it.
I have two older kids that didn't give it a chance because they heard another lady say that Tom was disobedient, and he was. But that is part of the charm of this book and leads to discussion as to what NOT to do growing up. It was his disobedience that got him into trouble. Just waiting to see what this kid was gonna come up with next was fun!
I agree that I would give it more of a chance. :)

[TracyR]

I'll have to say that my daughter and I both have similar tastes when it come to literature . But everyonce in a while my girls surprise me . We read Robinson Crusoe and I thought for sure they would hate it and find it borning . Only to find out they absolutely loved the story and couldn't wait to hear more each day . So I find just because I don't care for the book doesn't always mean my daughters won't either .
Even if it means for me to read it and find it boring myself .

[Linda...inOwasso]

Sydni,

No, there's absolutely nothing wrong with you. I happen to LOVE Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn, however I can't stomach The Little House Series (which everyone seems to just love!) Taste is subjective -- I don't think there's a "right" or "wrong" opinion here. You either like it or you don't. But if I were you, I would keep a copy on my nightstand for those times when you just can't fall asleep! :)

[Rosie_0801]

I think reading them would kill me, but my hubby downloaded the audio books from Project Gutenberg (I think) and we've really enjoyed listening.
Rosie

[ABQmom]

And, I think I'm actually going to like it. It just took me SO long to get into it. I usually know within the first 2 or 3 chapters where the book is headed and whether or not I'm going to like it. I got to the graveyard scene and murder last night, and my interest was definitely peeked. I read for 45 minutes without getting sleepy!! Thanks to everyone who encouraged me to continue with it. I was getting ready to turn it back in to the library!

[katilac]

I'm glad you decided to stick with it.

It's impossible to read ALL of the classics, so of course there's a certain amount of picking and choosing. But I do think some books are worth struggling through, enjoyable or not, and I include Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn on that list - - particularly for American students. Huckleberry Finn can wait for high school, though; it's definitely a deeper, more troubling book, even though it's lighthearted on the surface.

[Kathie in VA]

My dd (13yo, 7thgr), started this book last week for Lightning Lit 7. She was funny. She said, "Mom, I actually like this. I didn't think I would. It started in a really interesting way. I like this writer." (all from the first chapter)

So here I am, realizing that in order to really discuss this with her I need to read it also. Thanks for the encouragement to just read it. Hopefully I'll get to start tonight or tomorrow.

[magpiegirl]

I love it that people reading this thread were encouraged to give this book another try. About the "disobedience" in the book - it's been great reading it aloud to my DS6.5 who can be quite mischevious himself at times. We talk about right and wrong and the consequences of Tom's actions in every chapter - it's really been a great story for teaching! I was suprised, too, how much my DS hates Tom's brother Sid - another good lesson here in how pointing out other's bad behavior all the time can also be an unattractive trait in a person. The only parts that DS rolls his eyes at are the parts about Becky Thatcher - he's in that "girls are gross" stage right now, lol!

Melisa

[KAR120C]

I read for 45 minutes without getting sleepy!! Thanks to everyone who encouraged me to continue with it. I was getting ready to turn it back in to the library!
Yay!!! Glad you're enjoying it!