Purists may howl, but these heavily abridged and retold versions are skillfully done. The vocabulary is simple, the syntax is straightforward, and there is enough sly wit in each to encourage new readers to seek out the originals later--though they'd be better served to just wait. Illustrated with black-and-white drawings, the telescoped plots too often seem over rushed. Afterwords and discussion questions are appended.

Gr 4-7-Even those who dislike adaptations will find much to admire in this retelling of the pranks, adventures, and fun of Tom Sawyer, a boy growing up in a Mississippi River town in the early 19th century. The reteller includes the most memorable adventures: from Tom's sly trickery with the whitewashed fence, cleverly manipulating everyone to do his work for him, to his and Huck Finn's grave-robbing episode, and Becky and Tom's scary night lost in the cave. The most memorable characters are here, too, from Aunt Polly to Injun Joe. This nicely realized adaptation manages to retain the flavor of the original without the old-fashioned style of expression. Quality is retained: the story is not Disney-fied and doesn't feel dumbed down. Pen-and-ink illustrations help interpret the action. A series of thought-provoking questions are appended, along with an afterword on the benefits to children of reading adapted classics.-Connie Tyrrell Burns, Mahoney Middle School, South Portland, ME Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.