A book arrived in my office today that probably should go into every Missouri school that caters to kids 9-12 (and maybe even older). It proclaims itself a “ramble-scramble” biography of Mark Twain. 

“The Trouble Begins at 8: A Life of Mark Twain in the Wild, Wild West” by Newbery Medalist Sid Fleischman looks like more fun than many average biographies. In his short preface, Fleischman writes that Twain “is in the DNA of every modern American writer. He loosened up the language for us. He gave us our unique sense of humor.”

The author brings new appeal to an oft-told story and doesn’t talk down to kids. (Although I wonder whether every 9 year old will understand some of Fleischman’s humor/sarcasm. In another part of the preface, he writes: “When I was the young writer of a novel, The New York Times reviewed my comedy with the news that I was no Mark Twain. I was astonished. I had already had myself fitted for a white suit….”)

The rest of the book is beautifully produced, with glossy pages, artwork and stories of Sam Clemens from his birth in Florida, Mo., through the school years and his “war with formal education” to his adventures in California. There’s an “afterstory” about his writing – this is a biography about Clemens and how his adventuresome youth and young adulthood would shape his humor and writing. Now, if kids read it and then fearlessly tackle ‘Huck Finn,’ that’s a real accomplishment!