about the book
One of Lucy’s favorite books, To Kill a Mockingbird, is on the summer reading list assigned by the new English teacher. She’s so excited that she wants to make sure everyone will read it!
But how can she do this when not everyone shares her enthusiasm? By making the book scarce!
Lucy and her friends, Elena and Michael, re-shelve copies of the book at bookstores and libraries to make people think they’re missing. They even start a website committed to “destroying the mockingbird.”
Their efforts are successful, but what will they do when they unintentionally begin a mini revolution?
about the author
Growing up in Bristol, Connecticut, little Paul Acampora was surrounded by a mob of exuberant extended family members, rambunctious neighborhood kids and pets, over-the-top hair stylists, poker players, checker cheaters, rock & roll fanatics, cancer survivors, and wily wheeler dealers.
He went to the University of Notre Dame where he earned a degree in American Studies—though until then he hadn’t seen much of the country, only visiting a beach in Rhode Island and the greyhound and trotter race tracks in New England with his grandfather. Grandpa also taught Paul how to drive his own sulky pulled by his pony, Misty.
After graduating, Paul wandered around the country for a while. And no, he did not steal his mother’s 1973 mustard yellow Buick Electra! (It was actually more the color of summer gold.) For a while, he was a volunteer giving tours at a dinosaur quarry in Utah and schlepped bags for rich folk at a fancy Rocky Mountain lodge.
In San Francisco he taught kindergarten and met his wife. After ten years, they put the names of their favorite places in a hat and drew out Pennsylvania. Packing up their son and daughter, they moved to Allentown where Paul now has a kayak, tons of books, and a favorite cafe where he gets cinnamon-raisin French toast.
Paul enjoys going to schools and talking with students. Check out his giant robot costume on his website. Paul works a day job as a college development officer, and that means he writes very early in the morning and very late at night.
That’s all right. His family is happy and each book he writes is funnier and better than the last! Wondering about the inspiration for I Kill the Mockingbird? He keeps a notebook of interesting words, funny phases, and crazy ideas. One of those phases was just so odd he had to write a book so he could use it for a title!
Sources:
Author website
Author biography: Kids Reads
Author biography: GoodReads
Author interview: EasternPennPoints
Author interview: This Kid Reviews Books
Also by Paul Acampora:
Rachel Spinelli Punched Me in the Face. Roaring Brook Press. 2011.
Defining Dulcie. Dial. 2006.
read more!
In Search of Mockingbird by Loretta Ellsworth
It’s 1986 and Erin’s dad just announced that he’s going to marry his girlfriend. Erin’s brothers are thrilled, but Erin, she just wants her dad to talk about her mom who died when she was a baby. So she runs away. Her plan? To find Harper Lee, the author of her mom’s favorite book To Kill A Mockingbird.
Rachel Spinelli Punched Me in the Face by Paul Acampora
After his mother walks out on them, Zachary and his police officer father move to Falls, Connecticut, to make a new life. His new neighbor, Rachel, and her brother Teddy, are just the new friends Zach may need to learn about how to start over, how to forgive, and how to love the quirky people that make life fun.
Sure Signs of Crazy by Karen Harrington
When Sarah was two, her mentally ill mother tried to drown her and her brother. Only Sarah survived. Since then, she and her father have moved often, evading media attention. Fearing that the insanity is genetic, Sarah tries to learn more about her mother. While looking for “signs of crazy”, Sarah confides in secret letters to her literary hero and tries to come to terms with being her mother’s daughter?