A Brilliant Streak: The Making of Mark Twain

by Kathryn Lasky, Barry Moser (Illustrator)

In this beautifully illustrated biography, Mark Twain’s adventures as a young boy come to life. Before Samuel Clemens became a famous author, he enjoyed one of the longest childhoods in history. From playing hooky in Hannibal, Missouri, to piloting steamboats on the Mississippi River, Mark Twain’s adventures as a youth influenced his entire life and figured prominently in his writing. Focusing on the first half of Clemens’s life, this book will be enjoyed by longtime Twain devotees--and by those who seek a colorful introduction to the ever-popular author and his works.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, History, Picture Books

41 pages, Hardcover

First published April 15, 1998

About the author

Kathryn Lasky, also known as Kathryn Lasky Knight and E. L. Swann, is an award-winning American author of over one hundred books for children and adults. Best known for the Guardians of Ga’Hoole series, her work has been translated into 19 languages and includes historical fiction, fantasy, and nonfiction.

Reviews

[Emilia Grunden · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well-written, beautiful summarization of Samuel Clemens' as Mark Twain, Josh, and America's most beloved author.

[asiya | アセヤ (free palestine) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such an informative book!!! But, the author was very persistent on certain unrelated topics and unnecessary agendas, so I think there should have been a lot of censoring of those parts. A LOT of text for a picture book, and too short for a biography.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very interesting story of Samuel Clement's early years and how he got his name when he officially became a writer... Mark Twain's childhood was full of adventure and mystery.

[AMY · Rating 5 out of 5]

Biography picture book; Kind of long for elementary school but contains lots of background for the stories and life of Mark Twain. Recommended for gifted 5th or MS level.

[Mckinley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Heavy on text in this picture book.