Looking for an author, help please!

[UrNotWutUOwn]

I remember when I was a kid I read a series of books that I really enjoyed, but I can't remember the author or any of the titles. They are written from the perspective of a young boy living in (I think) late 19th century America. The boy has a brother named (I think) Tom who is very smart for his age and uses his intelligence to swindle his brothers and friends out of their money. He also sometimes uses it to help people in his town. I remember vaguely some of the plots from the books: one was about a boy who got lost in a cave & Tom helped the townspeople find him, one was about Tom teaching another boy in the town how to fight and then betting on his fights, one was about Tom helping solve the mystery of a train robbery, one was about their family being the first in town to get an indoor toilet and Tom charging the neighbor kids to see it, etc. If anyone remembers reading those books and knows the author or any other info, please post a reply. Thanks.

 

[novella]

Off the top of my head, it sounds a lot like The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain. Is that possible?

 

[UrNotWutUOwn]

No, it's not Tom Sawyer. The books I read were a series of books, and I don't think they were very well known.

 

[UrNotWutUOwn]

I posted this thread here before I realized that there is a Book Search Sub-Forum. Is there a way to move this thread there myself or does a moderator have to do that?

 

[Halo]

I've moved this for you.

 

[Occlith]

The Great Brain by John D. Fitzgerald

 

[UrNotWutUOwn]

Wow, thanks a million Occlith!! I wasn't very optimistic about someone knowing what I was talking about from my description, but you got it! I plan to buy all of the Great Brain books soon now. While checking Amazon.com I saw that Fitzgerald also wrote 3 nonfiction books about his youth that I hadn't known about. I had also forgotten that Mercer Mayer was the illustrator for the Great Brain books. I remember loving the Little Critter books when I was 2-3. Anyways, thanks again Occlith, and anyone with kids, have them read the Great Brain books - they will love them!