(Book Cover compliments of titlewave.com)
Bibliography
Kerley, Barbara. The Extraordinary Mark Twain (According to Susy). Illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham. New York:NY. Scholastic Press. ISBN 0-545-12508-1
Plot summary
Thirteen year-old Susy Clemens secretly writes a biography on her famous writer father Samuel Clemens (aka Mark Twain) to show that he is more than just a humorist.
Critical Analysis
Kerley’s fresh biography on Mark Twain brims with anecdotal Clemens family life as seen through the eyes of his 13-year-old daughter Susy. Told in two voices, Kerley as the research narrator and Susy whose excerpted words are contained in an inserted diary format complete with her original misspellings and frankness, the rich primary sources unobtrusively support the cheerful, whimsical book. The included timeline of Mark Twain’s life offers additional linear organization to the book while Susy leads the reader through her Papa’s quirks, character traits, family life, and writing behaviors.
Rotheringham’s distinctive full-spread digital artwork spill color and swirling ink pen designs across the pages creating depth and flamboyant panache. Susy’s seven inserted journal pages invite the reader to peruse the lines of candid, but loving observations about her Papa. The author notes on Susy and her Papa reveal touching details about their relationship, and the additional instructive page on how to write an “extraordinary biography” may send readers off with pen in hand to start observations on unsuspecting relatives.
Reviews and Honors
“Kerley's conversational, quotation-rich narration effectively complements Susy's insights, and the result is an affectionate portrait of Twain as writer and family man.” –Kirkus starred review
“Students will enjoy the sparse but rich text, Susy’s diary inserts, and bold illustrations in digital media; they will definitely learn something new about the American icon that is Twain as well.” - Library Media Connection starred review
2010 CYBILS Nonfiction Picture Book Award
NCTE Orbis Pictus Recommended Book
Best Children’s Books 2010 -- Publishers Weekly
Best Books 2010 -- School Library Journal
Best Books for Children and Teens 2010 -- Kirkus Reviews
Best of 2010: Books for Young Readers -- Washington Post
Oregon Book Award Finalist
Texas Bluebonnet Award nominee Connections
Using the “Writing an Extraordinary Biography” handout in the back of the book and “Susy’s mini-diary” as a model of sorts, have students to write a short biography on someone they know well utilizing observation, research, interesting examples, and lively details. Allow students to creatively illustrate and bind the biographies. (For a printable page, go to www.barbarakerley.com/teachers.html. )
Read more picture books on famous writers:
Walt Whitman: Words for America (Kerley) ISBN 9780439357913
Pablo Neruda: Poet of the People (Brown) ISBN 9780805091984
Louisa: The Life of Louisa May Alcott (McDonough) ISBN 9780805081923
The Journey That Saved Curious George: The True Wartime Escape of Margret and H.A. Rey (Borden) ISBN 1-57542-266-2
The Boy on Fairfield Street: How Ted Geisel Became Dr. Seuss (Krull) ISBN 978-0375822988
Using databases, research additional facts about Samuel Clemens and his life on the Mississippi River in the 1800s. For older readers, share some of Twain’s short stories and host a celebrated frog-jumping race (with crickets instead) if you dare.
