Excellent book. Very well written. This book was semi-autobiographical, and the character Dill- the next-door neighbor boy who came to visit on the summers was actually based on Her friend, Author Truman Capote.
This book expores more than the civil injustices of the south during the 1930's- it explores prejudices everywhere and simple biases in everyday life.
Not so much a book for junior high student- a rather ham-fisted oversimplification for the shortsighted, that, and to not know that Ms. Lee was female is a bit more of a clue as to the mind set of the reviewers as well.
I suggest you re-reads this one with an open mind and this time without the help of a Classics Illustrated. It's a great book with incredible lessons to be learned throughout.
Harper Lee has distinguished herself with one novel, in my opinion, as a writer of merit above even that of Hemingway and Steinbeck.
