To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel written by Harper Lee, who was born in Alabama in 1926. The story takes place in the fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama, during the 1930s. It’s told from the perspective of Scout Finch, who recalls events from her childhood as she grows up with her brother Jem and their sister Dill.
The novel centers on Atticus Finch, a widower and lawyer; his children Scout and Jem; and their African-American housekeeper Calpurnia. The story deals with themes like racism, social class, and gender roles.
The book was published in 1960 and immediately became popular among readers. It was adapted into a film in 1962 which won three Academy Awards.
Because of its use of racial epithets (the n-word), To Kill a Mockingbird has been banned from some schools and libraries in the United States since it first came out.
In 2007, The Guardian newspaper conducted an online poll asking British librarians to name the “Best Novel of the 20th Century.” They chose To Kill a Mockingbird as number one on their list!
