Huck Finn is a young boy living in southern Antebellum society. He runs away from his home and his abusive, alcoholic father and travels along the Mississippi River, where he meets Jim, a runaway slave whom he used to live with. The two travel the river to try to reach Cairo, a free state. The novel follows their adventures together, and also notes Huck’s moral progression; at first he is leery of helping a runaway slave, as society has defined anyone who does so as a sinner, but through their adventures, Huck connects with Jim and starts to think of him as a friend. Although this novel has been widely criticized because of its perceived use of racial stereotypes, I believe that the message of the story as a whole overpowers the criticism. This book is a little difficult to understand, so I would recommend it for readers over age 13 who are interested in a satirical story about racism and morality in southern Antebellum society.
-Freya (Teen Reviewer)