Tom is one of the “bad” boys of his home town, St Peterburg, Missouri. Reckless, lazy, maddeningly, inquisitive, he is a poor scholar and a menace to his Aunt Polly. His schemes for avoiding work, school and punishment are quite sublime. In his own world, however, the world of rivers, forests, caves and islands, he is in his element; even something of a hero.
Its careful balance between nostalgia and cruelty, its rich vein of humour and its re-creation of a sunny world where the spirit can be free, have placed this tale of boyhood adventure forever in the hearts and minds of all readers.