Tom Sawyer

An American classic, this book brings back the joy of youthful energy in a small town. Tom lives with his Aunt Polly, half-brother Sid, and cousin Mary in the quaint town of St. Petersburg, just off the shore of the Mississippi River. Because it's a close-knit place, everybody knows how Tom Sawyer is a mischief maker who often plays hooky from school, sneaks out at night, plays pranks on people and receives 'lickings' from his aunt regularly. His partner in crime and best friend is the social outcast - Huckleberry Finn. These two boys are sharp and clever, usually getting away with their shenanigans, except for when the annoying Sid tattles on them. As punishment for skipping school to go swimming, Aunt Polly assigns Tom the chore of whitewashing the fence surrounding the house. Tom manages to wittily con the neighborhood boys into completing the chore for him. With his usual antics, Tom attempts to catch the eye of Becky Thatcher, a new girl in town, and persuades her to get "engaged" by kissing him. But their romance collapses when she learns Tom has been "engaged" previously to Amy Lawrence. Shortly after Becky shuns him, he accompanies Huckleberry Finn to the graveyard at night, where they witness the murder of Dr. Robinson.