3Published in 1876, "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" is an endearing tale of boyhood mischief, young love, and adventure written by iconic American writer, Mark Twain. Twain's story is about a young boy named Tom Sawyer, growing up alongside the Mississippi River in the 1840s. Tom, an orphan living with his Aunt in the fictional town of St. Petersburg, Missouri. Tom has several adventures (often with his friend Huckleberry Finn) and engages in mischievous pranks, in an attempt to avoid going to school. Mark Twain's book embodies many social criticism of the time as a shrewd assessment on human nature contrasted alongside Tom's boyhood innocence. "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" is a playful coming of age story that shows the importance of friends, family, and courage.