Lee, Harper. To Kill A Mockingbird. Harper, 50 Anv Ed., 2010. ISBN: 978-0061-743528.Genre/Subject: Mystery, Adventure, Racism
Ages: 12 and up
Plot: A six-year-old girl named Scout Finch lives with her twelve-year-old brother, Jem and her father, Atticus in the town of Maycomb in the deep south of Alabama. The year is 1932 when the Great Depression is at its height. Atticus is widowed, but he is a lawyer in a very poor town. His family is prosperous despite the rest of society. One hot summer, Jem and Scout meet a young boy named Dill, who is visiting only for the summer, and he is their neighbor. Finally Jem has another boy with whom he can relater, as he often tries to leave Scout behind when handling adventures. Dill becomes curious about a the house on thier street. Jem tells the story about the Radley Place, that is it owned by Mr. Nathan Radley, who has a brother named Arthur who never comes outside. Jem has nicknamed him Boo Radley, because he is like a ghost, and no one ever sees him. Scout gets a dress for her first day of school, and she does not like the idea of school. She often gets into fights with boys who speak badly about her father, Atticus. With the poor boy at school, Boo Radley, and the black man named Tom Robinson, Scout and Jem seem to learn not to judge people by how they appear. Atticus is working on a trial to defend a black man named Tom Robinson, who is accused of sexually assaulting a white woman. Jem takes a trip with Atticus across the line into the black neighborhood, to visit the Robinson family. Through his own experiences he sees the black community as friendly folks, whereas he views the white community as racist people, especially when many of the white vigilantes try to hurt his father because he believes in justice and a fair trial. Jem and Scout see the differences in the community. When Calpurnia, the black cook, takes them to a black church, the children are greeted with respect and love. At the trial, Jem and Scout see that their father has proved that the accusers are lying. However, an all-white jury convicts himIn the white community, there are white men who try to bring harm on Jim and Scout. At this moment, when a strange man grabs Jem, it is Boo Radley (the towns maniac) who saves them. .
Review: This book is very important to understanding racism and prejudice in the Great Depression era. The fact that the story is told from the point of view of a young girl is a great way to have
The children see their father, whom they love and respect stand up for justice, and this is a strong message to send to tweens. A great novel that represents history of a divided society in the 1930s, and can educate the young about tolerance and justice. This book may inspire reader to learn about history. Although the book carries heavy material, such as talking about a rape--that never happened--the book is full of adventure, and mystery. Finding out the mystery of Boo Radley will keep readers engaged, and they will learn about history at the same time. There are strong characters which will also be believable for readers. After the trial, Jem has doubts about justice, and when Boo Radley saves Scout, she vows to treat with more respect and have sympathy for others.
Awards: Pulitzer Prize
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