To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel.
To Kill a Mockingbird . The novel is renowned for its warmth and humor , despite dealing with the serious issues of rape and racial inequality . One critic explains the novel 's impact by writing , `` In the twentieth century , To Kill a Mockingbird is probably the most widely read book dealing with race in America , and its protagonist , Atticus Finch , the most enduring fictional image of racial heroism . '' The book is widely taught in schools in the United States with lessons that emphasize tolerance and decry prejudice . To Kill a Mockingbird was Lee 's only published book until Go Set a Watchman , an earlier draft of To Kill a Mockingbird , was published on July 14 , 2015 .