In chapter 11;"What makes the children hate and fear Mrs.Dubose?":confused:

Was that the old mean lady that lived next door to them or something? It was a few years ago that I read the book. But I thought it was just because she was grouchy?

The children hate and fear Mrs Dubose because every time they walk past she shouts things at them, consequently the children are afraid to go past her house. She is also horrible to the children because Atticus is defending a black man. In one part of the bok she says something like
"your nigger loving father" for this the children do not like her. You may also remember that Jem tramples all over Mrs Duboses flowers and as a punishment he is made to read to her every afternoon.
The children do not like her because of all of this, they also do not understand why she says mean things to them. The children do not like the way she is always in a bad mood and always ready to be nasty... hope that helps.