Mark Twain for Kids: His Life & Times, 21 Activities
Acknowledgments The trouble ain't that there is too many fools but that the lightning ain't distributed right MARK TWAIN THE MOST PLEASANT TASK that any author faces is acknowledging the help he has received I should begin by thanking those who have contributed to my work on Mark Twain but their number is so great that I cannot name them all Instead Ill merely men tion the people most directly involved with the present book Gerilee Hundt who first suggested it my agent Julie Castiglia and my editor Cynthia Sherry whose enthusiastic support has been unflag ging'm also grateful to Monica Baziuk who is responsible for the book's beautiful design and Linda Gray the book's able copyeditor Very special thanks also go to Barbara Schmidt and Kevin Bochyn ski who read drafts of my manuscript and were ever on hand as they always are to answer questions and provide encouragement Since this book is for children I think it appropri ate to mention that my interest in Mark Twain goes back to the sad moment my grandfather Alma Ras
mussen died and bequeathed to our family a big set of Mark Twain books From the time I was eight years old until I went to college I felt privileged to have those books grace a shelf in the bedroom I shared with my brother Those books advanced my interest in literature and ensured that Mark Twain would always have a special place in my heart To any parents reading these words I cannot overstate the importance of book ownership in your children's education Had my grandfather not left us his books you would not be holding Mark Twain for Kids in your hands right now Thank you
Time Line 1835 Samuel Langhorne Clemens later known as Mark Twain is born in Florida Missouri on November 30 1836 Texas proclaims its independence from Mexico 1837 Victoria becomes queen of Great Britain 1839 Clemens family moves to Hannibal Mis Sour1 1846 48 United States Mexican War 1849 California gold rush begins 1853 Sam works as a printer in eastern cities 1857 1861 Sam pilots steamboats on the Missis sippi River 1859 Gold is discovered in western Nevada
1860 Abraham Lincoln is elected president 1861 1865 Civil War 1861 Sam goes to Nevada with his brother Orion 1862 Sam becomes a reporter in Virginia City 1863 Sam begins using Mark Twain as his pen name 1864 Sam moves to San Francisco 1866 Sam goes to Hawaii 1867 Sam sails to Europe and the Holy Land on the Quaker City The United States buys Alaska from Russia
