New York Times Bestseller! A School Library Journal Best Book A never-before-published
previously unfinished Mark Twain children's story is brought to life by Philip and Erin Stead
creators of the Caldecott Medal-winning A Sick Day for Amos McGee. In a hotel in Paris one
evening in 1879 Mark Twain sat with his young daughters who begged their father for a story.
Twain began telling them the tale of Johnny a poor boy in possession of some magical seeds.
Later Twain would jot down some rough notes about the story but the tale was left unfinished
. . . until now. Plucked from the Mark Twain archive at the University of California at
Berkeley Twain's notes now form the foundation of a fairy tale picked up over a century later.
With only Twain's fragmentary script and a story that stops partway as his guide author Philip
Stead has written a tale that imagines what might have been if Twain had fully realized this
work. Johnny forlorn and alone except for his pet chicken meets a kind woman who gives him
seeds that change his fortune allowing him to speak with animals and sending him on a quest to
rescue a stolen prince. In the face of a bullying tyrant king Johnny and his animal friends
come to understand that generosity empathy and quiet courage are gifts more precious in this
world than power and gold. Illuminated by Erin Stead's graceful humorous and achingly
poignant artwork this is a story that reaches through time and brings us a new book from
America's most legendary writer envisioned by two of today's most important names in
children's literature. A Bank Street College of Education Best Children's Book of the Year Will
capture the imaginations of readers of all ages-USA Today ★ ★ ★ ★ (out of four stars) ★ Samuel
Langhorne Clemens himself would be proud.-Booklist starred review ★ A cast of eccentric
characters celestially fine writing and a crusade against pomp that doesn't sacrifice
humor.-Publishers Weekly starred review ★ Completing a story penned by arguably America's
greatest author is no easy feat but the Caldecott-winning author-illustrator (and
husband-wife) team proves more than equal to the task. . . . A pensive and whimsical work that
Twain would applaud.-Kirkus starred review ★ The combination of Twain's (often sarcastic)
humor and lessons of life a touch of allegory and Stead's own storytelling skills result in
an awesome piece of fantasy.-School Library Journal starred review ★ Beautifully understated
and nuanced illustrations by Erin Stead add the finishing flourishes to this remarkable
work.-Shelf Awareness starred review drawn with a graceful crosshatched intelligence that
seems close to the best of Wyeth.-Adam Gopnik The New York Times Twain and the two Steads have
created what could become a read-aloud classic perfect for families to enjoy together.-The
Horn Book Artful and meta and elegant-The Wall Street Journal Should inspire readers young and
old to seek further adventures with Twain.-The Washington Post
