Kerley, Barbara. 2010. The Extraordinary Life of Mark Twain According to Susy. Ill. by
Edwin Fotheringham. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN 9780545125086
Summary
The Extraordinary
Life of Mark Twain (According to Susy) is an out-of-the-ordinary biography
of Mark Twain written from the perspective of his thirteen year old daughter,
Susy. In a biography of her own, Susy
notes her father’s quirks and habits. She records bits of his early years,
including his childhood and days of courting her mother. She also reveals his
work habits and his narcissistic ways. Susy lovingly writes of her father and explains
that people were “just plain wrong about [him]”.
Analysis
The Extraordinary
Mark Twain is written as an informational picture book biography. There is
a clear sequence to the story as it takes the reader through various aspects of
Twain’s life from his daughter’s perceptions. Although there are no typical
features of nonfiction, readers are given many facts about the humorous writer.
Illustrator Edwin
Fotheringham arranged his work in digital media, highlighting various features
of the text with his creative illustrations. Every few pages, there is a small
insert titled “journal” on the outside, which opens to Susy’s biography. This
insert is typed in a handwriting font and displays some peculiar misspellings, similar
to those of an average thirteen year old.
With enticing writing and lively illustrations, the
reader can become transfixed in the life of Mark Twain. Information is
presented in a literary nonfiction format, making it more appealing to the reluctant
nonfiction reader. Information presented is relevant to the storyline, keeping
the reader from being totally engulfed in Twain trivia.
Following the story is an author’s note describing Kerley’s
knowledge of and interest in writing about Twain and Susy. Kerley also includes
a guide for writing a biography, a timeline of Twain’s life, and an extensive
list of sources, proving the book’s credibility. The source list is
conveniently organized by the book’s chronology.
Personal Response
At first read, I had a difficult time following, jumping
back and forth between story and journal entry. After rereading the story
alone, then the journal entries alone, I was able to enjoy the story much more.
I think that after reading this piece, a student may become more interested in the
life and literature of Mark Twain. An interesting take on a biography, The Extraordinary Mark Twain (According to
Susy) would be a great resource for upper elementary students when learning
about biographies.
Reviews and Awards
A 2011 Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children Recommended Book
A
2010 Cybil Award Winner
“A heartwarming tribute to both the writing
life in general and the well-loved humorist--oops, sorry Susy... ‘Pholosopher!’"
–Kikus Reviews
"Kerley and Fotheringham again craft a masterfully perceptive and largely visual biography, this time about the iconnic 19th-century American writer." -School
Library Journal
Connections
Students can compare the work of Kerley and Fotheringham
to their first piece, What to Do About
Alice.
Upper elementary/middle school students can read the works of Mark Twain, including Huckleberry Finn and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.
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