Classics ClubhouseThe Adventures of Tom Sawyer for Kids
A whitewashed fence, a midnight graveyard, three runaway pirates, and a cave that hides a secret.
The story
Tom Sawyer is the trickiest, bravest, most exasperating boy in the little river town of St. Petersburg, Missouri. He can talk his friends into painting a fence for him, and make them pay for the privilege. But one midnight in the graveyard, Tom and his best friend, Huckleberry Finn, witness something terrible, and watch an innocent man take the blame.
What follows is the best summer anybody ever wrote down: a pirate hideout on Jackson’s Island, a funeral with a surprise ending, a courtroom, a haunted house, buried treasure, and a cave where Tom and Becky Thatcher get lost in the dark.
Our retelling keeps Twain’s humor and heart, told by our family with our kids chiming in along the way. Each episode runs about 30 minutes.
The episodes
Four episodes, arriving Tuesdays and Fridays.
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Part 1
The Fence
Tuesday, October 6
The greatest chore escape in history, and a midnight secret too heavy to carry.
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Part 2
The Pirates
Friday, October 9
Three runaway pirates, a storm on Jackson’s Island, and the strangest funeral the town has ever seen.
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Part 3
The Trial
Tuesday, October 13
Tom tells the truth when it counts, and a haunted house hides a box of gold.
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Part 4
The Cave
Friday, October 16
Lost in the dark, a brave night on Cardiff Hill, and the treasure at last.
Talk about it
A taste of the discussion questions in the free family guide:
- Tom made painting a fence sound like the best job in the world. Was he being clever, tricking his friends, or both?
- Tom was terrified to tell the truth in court. What gave him the courage?
- Huck had no home and no rules. What made him the truest friend in the whole story?
For grown-ups: This story is more serious than our first. Part 1 includes a crime in a graveyard at midnight, told quickly and never graphically, and later episodes have frightening moments in a haunted house and a cave. Our version also leaves out language from 1876 that’s hurtful today. If you have a sensitive listener, preview Part 1 first.
Get the free family guide
Discussion questions for every episode, vocabulary, hands-on activities, and an illustrated map of St. Petersburg where kids can find every adventure. Free: just tell us where to send it.
Free, and we never share your address.
About the book
Mark Twain was the pen name of Samuel Clemens (1835–1910), who grew up in Hannibal, Missouri, the real town behind St. Petersburg. He took his pen name from a riverboat call meaning twelve feet of safe water. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer was published in 1876 and is in the public domain; our retelling is original, written and recorded by our family. When your kids are ready, read the real book together.