To Kill a MockingbirdTo Kill a Mockingbird
Score Classic
What it's about
In the small town of Maycomb, Alabama, in the 1930s, six-year-old Scout Finch spends her summers with her brother Jem and their friend Dill, daring each other to approach the house of their mysterious neighbor, Boo Radley. Then their father, Atticus, a lawyer, agrees to defend Tom Robinson, a Black man falsely accused of raping a white woman, and the whole town turns its prejudice on the Finch family. Scout tells the story looking back on the summers that taught her how the world works.
Why it's worth reading
It's one of the most beloved novels in American history, voted America's favorite in PBS's Great American Read, because it's both a warm, funny childhood story and a clear-eyed look at injustice. Atticus Finch is the moral hero generations have grown up with.
You'll love it if you liked
East of Eden
The Color Purple
The HelpGood to know
Many people read it in school; it reads very differently as an adult, and it's worth revisiting. Racist language and attitudes of the era appear throughout, and the trial includes a rape accusation.
By the numbers
- Readers86 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics93 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller97 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving
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Quick answers
Is To Kill a Mockingbird worth reading?
Yes. It's one of the most beloved novels in American history, voted America's favorite in PBS's Great American Read, because it's both a warm, funny childhood story and a clear-eyed look at injustice. It ranks #9 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 94.3 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is To Kill a Mockingbird about?
In the small town of Maycomb, Alabama, in the 1930s, six-year-old Scout Finch spends her summers with her brother Jem and their friend Dill, daring each other to approach the house of their mysterious neighbor, Boo Radley. Then their father, Atticus, a lawyer, agrees to defend Tom Robinson, a Black man falsely accused of raping a white woman, and the whole town turns its prejudice on the Finch family. Scout tells the story looking back on the summers that taught her how the world works.
How long does it take to read To Kill a Mockingbird?
About 8 hours (320 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has To Kill a Mockingbird won?
Pulitzer Prize for Fiction winner (1961).
What should I read after To Kill a Mockingbird?
If you liked it, try East of Eden by John Steinbeck, The Color Purple by Alice Walker or The Help by Kathryn Stockett.