The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and the Undead

Gr 6—8—Borchert's adaptation of the classic tale offers very little in the way of new twists and turns. All of the memorable moments and characters of the original story are here—Huckleberry Finn, Aunt Polly, Becky Thatcher, Injun Joe. Readers follow them through the well-known story. That is actually the strength of the book. Unfortunately, credit for great storytelling goes to Twain. Borchert's introduction of zombies, which are called the "Zum," is his major contribution to the novel, and he fails to give sufficient background about them. They are introduced sporadically and with little lasting effect. The concept for the book is an interesting one, but the author fails to stray very far from the trusted script of Twain and take advantage of uncharted waters.—Greg Stone, Oak Mountain Middle School, Birmingham, AL