"Tom Sawyer" is a popular children's novel written in 1876 by Mark Twain. It tells the story of a young boy growing up in a small town on the banks of the Mississippi River and all the mishaps he gets into and the adventures he has. It has been said that Mark Twain based the book on many of his own escapades in the town where he grew up, Hannibal, Missouri.
Twain also wrote many other books which are now children's classics. These include "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" and "The Prince and the Pauper," which centers around an impoverished young boy named Tom Canty who lives with his abusive family in London. One day Tom switches clothes with Prince Edward, the son of King Henry VII, who looks remarkably like him. As a result, the palace guards end up throwing the real prince out in the street, and both boys must convince everyone of the truth before Tom Canty is crowned King of England.
"Black Beauty" by English author Anna Sewell came out in 1877 and tells a story completely from the horse's point of view. The plot centers around Black Beauty, a young horse growing up in the English countryside. The story reads like an autobiography and tells of all his adventures, his other animal friends, his experiences on the streets of London and all the different owners he comes into contact with during his lifetime.
"Little Women," by Louisa May Alcott first appeared in 1868 and tells the tale of four sisters, Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy March as they grow from children into young adults during the Civil War. It follows the girls' escapades at school and in their community and also follows the friendship of the family tomboy, Jo, with the young neighbor Teddy Lawrence. The author reportedly based the book on her own childhood experiences.
"Grimm's Fairy Tales" is a collection of German origin fairy tales published in 1812 and written by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, also known as the Brother's Grimm. Although written for children, the book was criticized when it first came out as not being suitable for children due to the violence in some of the stories, especially when it came to punishing the villains. Some of the more popular stories in the book include "Rapunzel," "Hansel and Gretel," "Cinderella," "Little Red Riding Hood," "Sleeping Beauty," "Snow White," "Rumpelstilskin" and the "Golden Goose."