I Kill The Mockingbird by Paul Acampora

I wasn’t going to post this until later in the month – after all, the book releases end of May. But then I realized today is Harper Lee’s birthday. So what better day to pay tribute to a writer that inspired a whole generation of readers, than to review a children’s book that reminds us of how powerfully Harper Lee’s writing continues to resonate with young minds.

Paul Acampora’s author of Defining Dulcie and Rachel Spinelli Punched Me In The Face, has written yet another outstanding book, I Kill The Mockingbird.

“I kill a mockingbird”

Catchy slogan for an ambitious unstoppable literary revolution. 

3 passionate readers

1 required summer reading list

1 harmless tweet

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One Unstoppable Literary Revolution

Lucy, Elena and Michael have just graduated eighth grade and are thrilled about their summer reading list. One of their favourite novels is on the list. To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a classic, one that has gone to become one of the most influential works in American literature. It even won the Pulitzer Prize in 1961.

But not all of their classmates share the same love for the novel, and the three friends hatch a plot to get the entire town reading.

This book really should be a course in guerilla marketing 101. The friends hatch a plan to get people to read the book – one that resembles a brilliantly executed guerilla marketing campaign (albeit a bit controversial that may land them in trouble). “Maybe.”

How are they going to get everyone excited about reading I Kill The Mockingbird?

Their plan: to make the book disappear. (Because wanting what you can’t have is the American way, right?)

Their action:
1. Reshelf copies of the book in bookstores so that they appear to be “missing”

2. Start a website committed to “destroying the mockingbird”

3. A social media ambush from Twitter to Facebook

Results:

A campaign that goes completely viral. From a ukulele concert, to big league home run, there’s a national epidemic of vanishing novels. But just as campaigns sometimes go, this one takes a life of its own and spirals out of control.

Paul Acampora has written a novel, perfect for readers 10 to 14 years. The dialogue is spot-on. The characters are authentically portrayed. Funny, smart, unique in their idiosyncrasies, but form a collective friendship that is relatable to young readers.

The novel is smart, the conversation relevant (after all it is a tech-savvy world) and the writing a pure delight to indulge in. We predict this will be one of the most fun reads of Spring 2014. Young readers prepare to love I Kill The Mockingbird and don’t be surprised if you then look forward to get your hands on To Kill A Mockingbird.

5 out of 5 Sukasa Stars

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I Kill The Mockingbird by Paul Acampora is published Roaring Book Press. Distributed in Canada by Raincoast Books. 

Review by @ShilpaRaikar for @SukasaReads (a division of @SukasaStyle)