A Dog's Tale
This is a story narrated by a dog named Aileen Mavourneen. She declares herself a Presbyterian and is proud of the values that her mother, a Collie, had instilled in her. She's keen to do her mother proud when she's taken to a new home. Aileen is loved by the lady of the house, her 10-year-old daughter, the baby, as well as the various helpers around the house. Aileen goes on to have a pup of her own and all is well until winter. On a cold day, a wood fire triggers an accident in the nursery. Aileen is alone with the baby in the room.
As the flames engulf a curtain hanging around the baby's bed, Aileen's first instinct is to run. However, she remembers her mother and turns back to save the baby. She drags the baby to safety. Unfortunately, the master of the house does not see it that way.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Huckleberry Finn first appeared in Twain’s The Adventures of Tom Sawyer as Tom Sawyer’s friend. This book primarily focuses on Huck, with Sawyer accompanying him on his escapades. Set in Missouri with the Mississippi river as the backdrop, Huck’s adventures begin right after he and Sawyer amass a large sum of money from their previous adventures. Huck is under the care of Widow Douglas and her strict sister, Miss Watson, who seek to “civilize” Huck. Feeling restricted, Huck and Sawyer come up with an elaborate plan to escape. Whilst escaping, Huck’s drunken and abusive father appears, dragging Huck away and confining him to his cabin. Huck, who’s had enough of his drunken, irresponsible father, escapes again but this time leaves no trail. Everyone presumes Huck dead. Huck travels from town to town and city to city, encountering pirates, con artists and inadvertently witnesses a feud between two rival neighbours. Through his adventures, Huck learns more about society and how it functions when it comes to racism and religion, making it a dramatic book perfect for adventure lovers.
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
Most of us remember a story where a school boy named Tom was asked to paint a fence on a lazy Saturday morning. He really didn’t want to do it. He made it out that it was an adventure. He pretended that painting a fence was a privilege. “Does a boy get a chance to whitewash a fence every day?” he asked. Soon enough, Ben was painting the fence, while Tom was eating an apple instead.
Meet Tom Sawyer. He’s smart, adventurous and loves to get into a fight. He lives with his aunt Polly and her son Sid. His friends are Huck Finn and Joe Harper. Together they run away to find treasure. Do they find any? Oh, and Tom loves Becky and wants to. . . Read the book!
Tom Sawyer is an American classic. Written by Mark Twain in 1876, it is a must read for every school boy (and school girl).
