To Kill a Mockingbird: A Graphic Novel

by Harper Lee, Fred Fordham

Overview

“This gorgeously rendered graphic-novel version provides a new perspective for old fans but also acts as an immersive introduction for youngsters as well as any adult who somehow missed out on the iconic story set in Maycomb, Alabama.”—USA Today

A beautifully crafted graphic novel adaptation of Harper Lee’s beloved, Pulitzer Prize–winning American classic, voted America's best-loved novel in PBS's Great American Read.

"Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird."

A haunting portrait of race and class, innocence and injustice, hypocrisy and heroism, tradition and transformation in the Deep South of the 1930s, Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird remains as important today as it was upon its initial publication in 1960, during the turbulent years of the Civil Rights movement.

Now, this most beloved and acclaimed novel is reborn for a new age as a gorgeous graphic novel. Scout, Jem, Boo Radley, Atticus Finch, and the small town of Maycomb, Alabama, are all captured in vivid and moving illustrations by artist Fred Fordham.

Enduring in vision, Harper Lee’s timeless novel illuminates the complexities of human nature and the depths of the human heart with humor, unwavering honesty, and a tender, nostalgic beauty. Lifetime admirers and new readers alike will be touched by this special visual edition that joins the ranks of the graphic novel adaptations of A Wrinkle in Time and The Alchemist.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062798183
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	10/30/2018
Pages:	288
Sales rank:	31,278
Product dimensions:	6.30(w) x 9.40(h) x 1.20(d)
Lexile:	GN690L (what's this?)

About the Author

Harper Lee was born in 1926 in Monroeville, Alabama. She is the author of the acclaimed To Kill a Mockingbird and Go Set a Watchman, which became a phenomenal #1 New York Times bestseller when it was published in July 2015. Ms. Lee received the Pulitzer Prize, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and numerous other literary awards and honors. She died on February 19, 2016.

Fred Fordham is an artist and author of multiple acclaimed graphic novels. He most recently adapted and illustrated the graphic novel versions of Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World ("Brilliant. A book that will keep your bedside light burning long into the night." —Guardian) and Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird ("Gorgeously rendered.” —USA Today). He has also designed and drawn several other comics and produced illustrations for The Phoenix, the Guardian, Aces Weekly, Delcourt, and others. He currently resides in London. Find Fred online at fredfordham.com.

Hometown:

Monroeville, Alabama

Date of Birth:

April 28, 1926

Date of Death:

February 19, 2016

Place of Birth:

Monroeville, Alabama

Place of Death:

Monroeville, Alabama

Editorial Reviews

09/17/2018
This thoughtfully crafted interpretation of Lee’s classic reintroduces readers to the Finch family: scrappy, outspoken Scout; her daring older brother, Jem; and Atticus, their defense attorney father and the book’s moral compass. Decades-old tensions ramp up in their small Southern town when Atticus defends a black man accused of raping a white woman. Even the local recluse, Boo Radley, isn’t free from the repercussions of the trial. Fordham visually establishes the world of Maycomb County—with all its unspoken laws pertaining to race, class, and family—with a sure hand. What stands out, upon seeing Scout and her entourage of free-ranging children in all their ragtag physicality, is that a world of children exists alongside the adult world: equally complex, populated by rumors about “hot steams” (ghosts) and poisoned pecans, yet also wild with possibility. Fordham’s character drawings have an appropriate vintage look, and he chooses the right moments to slow down or pan out. The nighttime panoramas of the mysterious Radley residence are lovely and moody, and Fordham’s sun-dappled days, blue-gray evenings, and sepia courtroom scenes are dampened only by an off-the-shelf generic font. More loving remake than revelation, Fordham’s adaptation may be scrutinized by Lee’s fans, but does sufficient justice to her portrait of injustice. Full art in color not seen by PW. Agent: Andrew Nurnberg, Andrew Nurnberg Assoc. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

This gorgeously rendered graphic-novel version provides a new perspective for old fans but also acts as an immersive introduction for youngsters as well as any adult who somehow missed out on the iconic story set in Maycomb, Alabama.” — USA Today

“This thoughtfully crafted interpretation of Lee’s classic reintroduces readers to the Finch family.. Fordham visually establishes the world of Maycomb County—with all its unspoken laws pertaining to race, class, and family—with a sure hand.” — Publishers Weekly

“Like Lee’s spare novel, Fordham’s graphic adaptation leaves us to ponder what is unsaid, what is unseen, what lies in the subtext. A moving new take on a familiar story.” — Booklist

“The economic and racial disparities, the blinders that “civilized” society stubbornly clings to, the realization that justice for all can never exist without equality for all—these are vividly portrayed not only via Lee’s words but also by Fordham’s art, making this graphic adaptation of To Kill a Mockingbird a worthy partner to the original, providing a clarion call for civility, equality, and justice for all.” — New York Journal of Books

From the Publisher

The economic and racial disparities, the blinders that “civilized” society stubbornly clings to, the realization that justice for all can never exist without equality for all—these are vividly portrayed not only via Lee’s words but also by Fordham’s art, making this graphic adaptation of To Kill a Mockingbird a worthy partner to the original, providing a clarion call for civility, equality, and justice for all.

New York Journal of Books

This gorgeously rendered graphic-novel version provides a new perspective for old fans but also acts as an immersive introduction for youngsters as well as any adult who somehow missed out on the iconic story set in Maycomb, Alabama.

USA Today

Like Lee’s spare novel, Fordham’s graphic adaptation leaves us to ponder what is unsaid, what is unseen, what lies in the subtext. A moving new take on a familiar story.

Booklist

Like Lee’s spare novel, Fordham’s graphic adaptation leaves us to ponder what is unsaid, what is unseen, what lies in the subtext. A moving new take on a familiar story.

Booklist

This gorgeously rendered graphic-novel version provides a new perspective for old fans but also acts as an immersive introduction for youngsters as well as any adult who somehow missed out on the iconic story set in Maycomb, Alabama.

USA Today

12/01/2018
Gr 7 Up{amp}mdash;Lee's classic novel is presented in comics format, reintroducing spirited Scout; her older brother, Jem; and their father, Atticus, a lawyer who serves as the story's moral center. As the Great Depression lingers in the small town of Maycomb, AL, Scout and Jem soak up their last moments of childhood innocence with their friend Dill. Beginning with the children's fascination with Arthur "Boo" Radley, their mysterious neighbor, the trio's perspective guides readers through complex issues facing 1930s Southern society. As the summer ends, the gap between innocence and experience widens for Jem and Scout as racial and gender tensions clash and bleed into the world around them. Atticus defends Tom Robinson, a black man accused of raping a young white woman, and the case rapidly reveals the dark underbelly of this seemingly genteel community. Fordham deftly interprets Lee's narrative with austere artwork. His palette is muted, but the frames pack a punch with panoramic views and revealing close-ups. A note at the end explains the adaptation's use of the n-word: "The inclusion of the word{amp}mdash;its dehumanizing power and the ease with which it was used{amp}mdash;is central to understanding the themes of the novel." VERDICT The work's examination of topics such as the failure of the justice system will resonate with readers, especially those studying the source material.{amp}mdash;Elise Martinez, Zion-Benton Public Library, IL

School Library Journal