Classic Starts Audio

Gr 3—5—Mark Twain's classic is reworked for young readers in this abridged version. The adaptation stays true to the original story's episodic quality, with each chapter detailing one of Tom's adventures. However, Martin Woodside's retelling omits some episodes, including the famous scene where Tom attends his own funeral. Other details are also altered for a younger audience. Archaic words are replaced by language that is readily understandable. Certain details are sterilized, such as changing Tom's interest in smoking to a fondness for chewing gum. As a result, this version doesn't capture the spirit of Twain's work. The complexities of Tom's character are abandoned in favor of producing a mediocre tale of boyhood high jinks. The narrator does a passable job, although the choice of a woman to read the book is questionable, and she makes Tom sound very young. Her soothing voice falls short in conveying action and excitement. Character voices are performed irregularly, and there is inconsistent pronunciation of some names.—Amy Holland, Hamlin Public Library, NY