"To Kill a Mockingbird" is a staple in high school classrooms, but it can be even better to reread as an adult. There are plenty of books that deal with issues of racism and social injustice, but few match up to this classic.
Below are three books that have come out in the last decade that have similar themes and atmospheres to Lee's beloved classic. If you loved "To Kill a Mockingbird," you should try these!
“The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek” Kim Michele Richardson
This book also deals with sensitive issues like race in the south, but this time with the rare Blue People of Kentucky. The story follows 19-year-old Cussy Carter, the last female of the Blue People line, as she follows her dream of becoming a librarian for the Pack Horse Library Project of Kentucky. She meets kind book lovers and dangerous racists along her way, eventually finding a bit of illegal romance along the way. You can also check it out as an audiobook!
“News of the World” by Paulette Jiles
Set in the aftermath of the Civil War, an aging news reader agrees to transport a young girl back to her family. Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd travels around northern Texas sharing news from around the world when he agrees to transport 10-year-old Johanna, who was taken captive by a Native American tribe that raised her as one of their own. What follows is a journey of moral complexity, an unlikely friendship, and the true meaning of family. You can also check out the Playaway or the 2020 film.
“The Sun Does Shine” by Anthony Ray Hinton
If you’re looking for a true depiction of racial injustice, this memoir follows the story of a man who was wrongly put on death row for 30 years, charged with two counts of murder. He spent his time in prison sharing his faith and embracing the situation with positivity and the hope the wrong would be righted. Civil Rights Attorney Bryan Stevenson helped Hinton prove his innocence in 2015. Stevenson also released his own memoir, "Just Mercy," which became a movie in 2019.
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