To Kill a Mockingbird is one of the most widely read novels in American literature. It's also a perennial favorite in highschool English classrooms across the nation. Yet onetime author Harper Lee is a mysterious figure who leads 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 is 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" bestselling biography "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" or "Go Set a Watchman "will appreciate this glimpse into the life of its fascinating author, which includes photographs of Harper Lee, her family, and the film version of "To Kill a Mockingbird" starring Gregory Peck."I Am Scout" is a 2009 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.