so children could understand

Let me now declare my undying love for TKAM, because it's hard for it not to elicit an emotional response from readers: I love how Mrs Dubose's mouth "seemed to have a private existence of its own". I love how we can find and contrive out symbolism in almost everything. I love how unreliable Scout is as the narrator. I love how Mrs Merriweather reminds me of someone I know. I love the ending, and its visceral and poignant images from Scout's reminiscence looking down her street from the front of the Radley yard. I love the theme music from the movie.

It's also difficult to overlook the progress of racial equality, from "baby-steps" following prejudice in Maycomb county, to living through seeing USA electing its first Black president. It's a great time to be alive.