Mark T-W-A-I-N!: A Story About Samuel Clemens (Creative Minds Biography)

Collins, David R.

ISBN 10: 0876148011 ISBN 13: 9780876148013

Publisher: Carolrhoda Books, 1993

Profiles the eventful life of Samuel Langhorne Clemens, who used his colorful experiences as a riverboat captain, adventurer in the Wild West, and journalist to create unforgettable books--including The Adventures of Tom Sawyer --under the penname of Mark Twain.

About the Author:

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From School Library Journal:

Grade 3-6-Similar in content to Robert Quackenbush's Mark Twain? What Kind of Name Is That? (S.&S., 1984), this biography features short chapters and an attractive format. Collins's tone is admiring and familiar, consistently referring to Twain as "Sam." The man's bad habits, financial losses, and personal bitterness in later life are mentioned, but the emphasis is on his successes and trademark sense of humor. The book's anecdotal style will appeal to readers, but the absence of documentation is an unfortunate weakness. Occasional direct quotations and the existence of a bibliography do not suffice, particularly since the author ascribes feelings and motives to Twain's actions. Nevertheless, the text provides an engaging, well-organized account of the writer's life, with stories about his childhood that allude to the autobiographical elements in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Carey's static pencil drawings are more formal in style than Quackenbush's cartoon illustrations. Although generally well written, Collins's title offers nothing substantially new on a subject easily researched elsewhere.
Sandy Kirkpatrick, Benicia Public Library, CA
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

• Publisher: Carolrhoda Books
• Publication date: 1993
• ISBN 10: 0876148011
• ISBN 13: 9780876148013
• Binding: Library Binding
• Number of pages: 64
• Illustrator: Carey Vicky