Some parents have responded to the Atticus news by questioning the author’s intent: Nearly 60 years after writing the book, did Ms. Lee truly want it published? Others have taken comfort in the fact that “Watchman” is said to have been written before “Mockingbird,” and so it was a draft, they say, not the evolution of their cherished Atticus. But there are those who worry that the book will prompt an unfortunate questioning of their children in the future: Which Atticus were you named for?

“It’s so disappointing because it’s the opposite of what we loved about the character,” said Mr. Boykin, who lives in Maui, Hawaii. While he said he could not bring himself to read the new book, his wife, who is the daughter of an English teacher, feels differently. “I will read the book,” she said, “though, as a new mom, who knows when!”