To Kill a Mockingbird

To Kill a Mockingbird was written by Harper Lee in 1960.  This was Harper Lee’s only book that she wrote and published until Lee came out saying that she wrote a book called “Go Set a Watchman.”  This book will be published in July of 2015 and is reviewed at http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24817626-go-set-a-watchman .  To Kill a Mockingbird is about the lives of two children (Scout and Jem), their father (Atticus) and a friend (Dill) who lives in a city in Alabama during the 1950’s- 1960’s where racism still was strong.  The father, Atticus, was a lawyer who defended a black man accused of raping a white woman.  This caused Scout and Jem to be in danger because the town’s people didn’t like that Atticus was defending a black man.  The children’s lives were saved by an unlikely person.  The theme of the book is accepting people the way they are.  Atticus gives advice to Scout that she should see things from other people’s point of view before she makes judgments.

Scout, Jem. and Dill enjoy summer vacation together by investigating a house that Dill is obsessed with.  Dill learns who the house is owned by and that his brother, nicknamed Boo, lived at the house but hasn’t been outside in many years.  The next summer, the three children decide that they will make believe using Boo’s story.  The three children, on Dill’s last night of his summer vacation, went to Boo’s property and were shot at by the homeowner.  There have been many mysterious things that have happened over the last few years such as presents left in a tree, a blanket is slipped over Scout while she watched a fire at a neighbors house, and even pants that Jem lost when he was shot at were hung over the fence.  Atticus, a well known lawyer, agreed to defend a black man who was accused of raping a white woman.  Atticus was able to provide information that showed that the black man did not commit the crime he was charged with.  During the trial, Scout and Jem sat in the black people section.  This caused them problems not only at school with the children there but also with the townspeople.  There was an incident that occurred where one of the children was injured and they were saved by a very unlikely subject.  Scout figures out that she needs to listen to her dad and his good advice- to accept people the way they are.

When I read this book, I felt as if I was back in time and living Scout’s life.  It was interesting to read about children’s thoughts on racism and how cruel people were back in the 1950’s.  I believe that someone who can appreciate history would like this book as it shines some light on not only what happened to black people during this time but also to white people who helped or befriended black people.  There was some violence in this book although nothing that I believe a person can’t handle.  I thought this was a very interesting and well written book.  It was a book that I could not put down and I constantly wanted to read just another page. Excellently written so that it makes you think about what life was like for many of the people in the book as well as keep you on the edge of your seat with what will happen on the next page of the book.

Book Review by Breanna S.