I Am Scout — Charles J. Shields

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