Kerley, Barbara. 2010. The Extraordinary Mark Twain (According to Susy). Ill. by Edwin Fotheringham. Scholastic Press. ISBN 9780545125086.
2. Plot Summary
Susy, Mark Twain’s 13-year-old daughter, used a journal to create her own biography about her father. Kerley uses this biography to create a kid-friendly story about Mark Twain through the eyes of his daughter. Susy says she wants the world to know more of Mark Twain than just his humorous side. Kerley uses her interpretation of Susy’s story combined with journal excerpts on small pages that are titled “journal” and are written in script-like handwriting. These pages are quotes from Susy and are made even more realistic with the inclusion of her spelling errors. The story is followed by an author’s note, advice on creating a biography for children, and a timeline of Mark Twain’s life.
3. Critical Analysis
The Extraordinary Mark Twain (According to Susy) is based on a subject that could be considered drab - a story about a person writing a biography. Kerley has turned this into an interesting, humorous and entertaining subject. Susy has a unique perspective for Twain’s biography including quotes from her journal as a 13-year-old. Kerley has used information about Twain’s life from multiple sources including the original manuscript of Susy’s biography about her father (the book, Papa, is an alternative source for those that do not have access to the original manuscript), Biography of Mark Twain, and a variety of other books about Mark Twain.
Edwin Fotheringham created digital illustrations that are humorous, eye-catching and appropriately aligned with the story. The story starts and ends with Susy using an oversized pen. This sets the mood for the silly yet informative story the reader will indulge in. Each page includes curvy lines to represent action or speaking on behalf of the characters of the book that adds whimsy to the illustrations. The text is written in a large variety of fonts and colors which create a fun reading atmosphere. All of the quotes are listed in quotation marks and bolded which emphasize Susy’s direct input into the story. Although this is fun and whimsical, some of the words and fonts are difficult to read at times.
One of the most fun parts of this book is finding a segment of Susy’s journal on the page you are reading. Her journal segments are included on smaller pages which add a three-dimensional feel to the book. Her misspellings and heart-felt writings are amusing and touching. This is a well-organized and entertaining story about the extraordinary Mark Twain coupled with inviting and unique illustrations.
4. Award & Review Excerpts
Publishers Weekly Best Children’s Books Award Winner
School Library Journal Best Books of the Year Award Winner
California Book Awards Nominee
Texas Bluebonnet Award Nominee
“Adding dynamic flair to the limited palettes of each digitally created scene are curlicues representing words, which emanate wildly from pen tips, pages, and mouths. Author notes about Susy and her father, a time line of Twain's life, and tips for writing an "extraordinary biography" complete this accessible and inventive vision of an American legend.” -- Publishers Weekly Review
“Though a story about someone writing a book sounds a bit static and it sometimes is Kerley manages to bring Susy and her famous father to life using plenty of household anecdotes. With a restrained palette and a fine sense of line, Fotheringham's stylized, digital illustrations are wonderfully freewheeling, sometimes comical, and as eccentric as Susy's subject.” -- Booklist Review
“The text flawlessly segues into Susy's carefully recorded, sometimes misspelled, details of his character, intimate life, and work routine during his most prolific years. Digitally enhanced illustrations, colored with a Victorian palette and including dynamic, inventive perspectives, tell volumes about the subject by way of Fotheringham's technique of drawing lines that represent Twain's impatience, mirth, smoking habit, love for family and cats, storytelling, pool-playing, and truth-pondering.” -- School Library Journal Review
5. Connections
- Invite children to use the advice on creating a biography at the end of the book and start a biography about someone in their family.
- As part of a history discussion, ask children to choose other biographies they are interested in reading. Recommend the following titles:
- Fleming, Candace. 2011. Amelia lost: the life and disappearance of Amelia Earhart. Schwartz & Wade Books. ISBN 9780375841989
- Holzer, Harold. 2011. Father Abraham: Lincoln and his sons. Calkins Creek. ISBN 9781590783030
- Reef, Catherine. 2011. Jane Austen: a life revealed. Clarion Books. ISBN 9780547370217.
- Schroeder, Alan. 2011. Ben Franklin: his wit and wisdom from A to Z. Ill. by John O’Brien. Holiday House. ISBN 9780823419500.
- Read a variety of biographies about Mark Twain and compare the differences in perspectives of life. Relevant titles include:
- Blitt, Barry. 2011. The adventures of Mark Twain by Huckleberry Finn. Ill. by Robert Burleigh. Atheneum Books for Young Readers. ISBN 9780689830419
- Sonneborn, Liz. 2010. Mark Twain. Chelsea House Publishers. ISBN 9781604137286
