To Kill A Mockingbird

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To Kill a Mockingbird is one of my favorite books of all time. I know that it's an intense subject about a very troubled time in history, and it might be a difficult read, but I can't imagine why someone might find a book about tolerance and human compassion offensive.
If your daughter is having trouble following plot or character issues, I'd suggest either Cliff's Notes or Sparknotes (which is a website). They have very concise but detailed summaries of what is happening, and Sparknotes, I believe, also has discussion questions. Perhaps they would help and take some of the stress off of both of you.

I had to read it in gr 9. I didn't find it difficult. I do know that I really enjoyed the book and even cried while reading it. I don't think it should be band for offensivness. That is how things were at that time and people really did go through that. So giving some glimps into the past should humble some people today. Even though it is a fictional book there is some relevance. Shakespere confused the hell out of me more than To Kill A Mockingbird. As for helping your daughter I think you should give her a hand where ever possible. I would have loved to have my parents help me. I just new that they wouldn't understand anything. They are from the Caribbean so they didn't have to do any of these readings. As for math all my dad has to do is blink and he has the answer. I loved when I new more answers to math than he did. I felt so much smarter. I was like "HA! Try figuring out the root of that polynomiel!" I think helping your daughter helps them with the transition and give them a little confidence. They would know if all else fails go to mom. I know in my house, now that I am done with school my yonger brother comes to me. I help him willingly because I know no one else in my house can help him.

You can tell your daughter's teacher, that To Kill A Mockingbird should not be on the banned list. It also might be a good idea to see the movie on TCM or rent it from Blockbusters, Netflix, or buy the DVD. Usually they cannot put everything in a movie that they do in the book, so it is sort of like a Readers Digest Condensed Version in visual. I have no idea why the book is offensive, I have read it once and I saw the movie, and I thought that the ones who banned it were off their rocker. After all, I see many TV shows and movies where blacks are accused of horrible crimes and then they find out that the "Evil White Man" is behind it. So Harper Lee was ahead of time.
As for helping her with her homework, she should do it herself, but you can help by making suggestions and point out her mistakes. So she has to do the main work herself.

I read this book in high school. It was okay, but it was not my favorite. Animal Farm was my favorite.

I have never read To Kill a Mockingbird - and I doubt I ever will.

But I don't see anything wrong with helping - my parents actually paid a tuitor to help me with my math my senior year of highschool - but I had a really bad teacher the year before.

I read "To Kill A Mockingbird" in 9th grade. Except, wait... I didn't actually read it. I watched the movie instead. I never got into that book. I don't see why it would be a bad thing for you to be helping your daughter. Isn't that what most parents do? Plus I mean...most of that crap you don't need after high school. Just writing skills for college papers.

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I think it's fine to help her when she has difficulties.

I was in Honors Englsih and I loved having new books to read -- I get lost in the books. I'm writing a spoiler next, so if you want to read Anna Karenina don't look. That book made me mad because it took wading thru 900 plus pages just to have her run over by a train at the end. Awful ending!

But for your daughter's sake, helping her over the humps to ease her frustration level, but not doing her thinking for her, will help her to not hate school like you did. It is rather important these days for daughters to get as much schooling as they can toward a career so that they can be independent adults.

I love this book as well. Yes the topic may be disturbing or hard to digest for some people, but the things that happened in that book are things that really happened over and over again in history and it something that should not be ignored nor should anyone turn a blind eye to it. I suggest going to the local bookstore and looking into some reference books that will help you and your daughter understand the book better. Her eyes need to be opened to the things that do and have gone on in this world so she can be aware.