I Am Scout

A biography of the author of To Kill a Mockingbird and Go Set a Watchman—adapted for young readers by the New York Times–bestselling author of Mockingbird. A 2009 Bank Street Best Children’s Book of the Year To Kill a Mockingbird is one of the most widely read novels in American literature. It’s also a perennial favorite in high school English classrooms across the nation. Yet the author Harper Lee was a mysterious figure who lead a very private life in her hometown of Monroeville, Alabama, refusing to give interviews or talk about the novel that made her a household name. Lee’s life was as rich as her fiction, from her girlhood as a rebellious tomboy to her days at the University of Alabama and early years as a struggling writer in New York City. Charles J. Shields is the author of the New York Times bestseller Mockingbird: A Portrait of Harper Lee, which he has adapted here for younger readers. What emerges in this riveting portrait is the story of an unconventional, high-spirited woman who drew on her love of writing and her Southern home to create a book that continues to speak to new generations of readers. Anyone who has enjoyed To Kill a Mockingbird will appreciate this glimpse into the life of its fascinating author. “Readers will come away with the sense not only that they know the writer of [To Kill a Mockingbird,] but also that she is someone that they would quite like.” —The Bulletin “An absorbing and easy narrative style.” —Kirkus Reviews “A fascinating look at the unconventional Lee.” —Booklist “A surprisingly fascinating read.” —School Library Journal “A page-turner.” —ElleGirl