The book focuses on the lives and experiences of three fictional fifth graders at Oglethorpe Elementary: Tasha Baxter, Rodney Green, and Octavia Fuller.

[3][4] Leaving Atlanta focuses on three fictional students at Oglethorpe Elementary School: Tasha Baxter, Rodney Green, and Octavia Fuller.

[5] Jones chose to use children's perspectives for her novel, "to make a record of how life was for those of us who were too young to understand the complicated social and political landscape of Atlanta, the 'city too busy to hate.

[6] In her "Author's Note", Jones mentions she made some alterations to the historic chronology of the Atlanta Child Murders to suit the novel.

[5] She writes in the "Reader's Guide" for the book, "but the time had come for someone of my generation, to tell the tale from the vantage point of the playground.

[8][9] LaTasha Baxter returns to school after summer vacation, having practiced jacks and jump rope, as she tries to fit into the social structure of her fifth grade classroom.

This section also shows Rodney's habit of stealing candy from a local gas station, which he shares with his little sister and Octavia.

Maurice J. Hobson analyzes the rise of the "Black Mecca" and explores the reasoning behind the Atlanta Child Murders.

Furthermore, the "Black Mecca" exceeded expectations educationally, economically, and politically while simultaneously experiencing atrocities such as the Atlanta Child Murders.

Eric Gary Anderson, an English professor,[16] analyzes Leaving Atlanta from an ecosocial perspective of the child murders.

[19] The narrative broadens how the lack of intimacy and warmth in Rodney’s family develops his fears and coerces him into succumbing to parental terror.

Avilez’s analysis explains that Rodney’s internalized fear of his father is why he chooses to get into the car of the fake police officer.

Since his biggest threat was living in his house, Rodney chooses the possibility of getting murdered by being with the fake police officer and heading in the opposite direction of home.

[19] In Trudier Harris' analysis of Leaving Atlanta, it is brought to attention how the novel’s point of view shifts in alignment with the personality of the chapter's respective child: LaTasha, Rodney, and Octavia.

Lastly, we are introduced to Octavia, a child with a single mother, who narrates her own story in a first person point of view which emphasizes her independence, maturity, and sensitivity.

[20] Leaving Atlanta has received several awards and accolades including being chosen in 2013 by Brazos Valley Reads, an organization led by Texas A&M University’s Department of English.

The program provided Jones an opportunity to travel to College Station for a public reading and attend other literary events.

[23] Jane Dystel, describes the novel as a “strongly grounded tale” that “hums with the rhythms of schoolyard life” in her 2002 Publishers Weekly review.

Leslie Marmon Silko called the book, "[a] wonderful novel," adding: "I look forward to reading Jones's work for years to come.

Leaving Atlanta, which deals with the effects of serial murder, is simply brilliant a gentle and beautiful book on a horrific subject.