Tom Sawyer is a book firmly embedded in American culture. It doesn't matter that this book was written well over 100 years ago. Tom is as appealing today as he was then. The mischievous boy rings a chord across time. We all know a child as precocious as Tom. It's the 1840's or so in Missouri along the Mississipi River. Aunt Polly is raising Tom, his half-brother, Sid, and Mary. Even when he doesn't do something wrong, he finds a way to be in trouble.The Adventures Of Tom Sawyer is a great read that has a bit of everything - treasure hunts, murder, romance and a look at what life was like at the time when kids played with dead rats and frogs. Each chapter is a unique adventure that fits into a larger story about the importance of friendship and the idea of freedom.