Description
The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain is presented in this illustrated and abridged children's edition, specially adapted to introduce younger readers to one of the author's most entertaining classic stories.
Tom Canty is a poor boy growing up in the crowded streets of sixteenth-century London.
Prince Edward, meanwhile, lives behind palace walls as the celebrated heir to the English throne.
Their lives could hardly be more different.
Then the two boys meet and discover something extraordinary – they look almost exactly alike.
What begins as an innocent decision to exchange clothes quickly changes both of their lives. Tom suddenly finds himself inside the royal palace, surrounded by servants and courtiers who believe he is the prince.
Edward faces an even more shocking experience.
Dressed in Tom's clothes and unable to convince anyone of his true identity, the young prince is forced to experience the poverty, hardship and injustice endured by ordinary people outside the palace walls.
As both boys struggle to return to their real lives, they begin to understand worlds they had never known before.
Mark Twain combines adventure, mistaken identity, humour and social commentary in a story that explores justice, empathy, inequality and the enormous difference between appearance and reality.
Why You'll Love It
- Child-friendly adaptation of Mark Twain's classic
- Abridged and simplified for younger readers
- Recommended for ages 8–12
- Part of the Wonder House Illustrated Classics collection
- Features Prince Edward and Tom Canty
- Fun identity-swap adventure
- Historical setting in sixteenth-century England
- Explores the contrast between palace life and poverty
- Strong themes of justice, empathy and social inequality
- Includes engaging full-page illustrations
- Includes review questions for reading comprehension
- Excellent introduction to Mark Twain
- Suitable for classroom and independent reading
- Hardcover format ideal for children's libraries and collections