"The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn," first published in the United States in 1885 and considered one of the greatest works of American literature, tells the story of a boy's travels along the Mississippi River and his friendship with a slave named Jim.
More than 130 years later, Mark Twain's classic has been rebooted with a distinctly modern, Southern California flavor with writer Tim DeRoche's new novel, "The Ballad of Huck & Miguel."
DeRoche sets his version along the Los Angeles River. Huck once again has an abusive father, Pap. But this Pap rails against the so-called Mexigrants, who he fears are taking away U.S. jobs. Huck manages to escape his father and finds a new home with two wealthy women who employ an immigrant named Miguel, who is in the country illegally.
An unfortunate twist of fate forces Huck and Miguel to flee and make their escape along the L.A. River, where the threat of danger looms around every bend.
KPCC's Alex Cohen spoke with DeRoche and illustrator Daniel Gonzalez about the project.
Interview Highlights
Huck and Miguel emerge from a tunnel along the LA River.
This book comes out at a time when immigration is one of the most hotly debated issues in America. What do you hope readers will take away from this book on that front?
But Huck's perspective changes and the book shows how young minds can change...
