The Watsons go to Birmingham -1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis

 

Continuing my Summer Reading Series with The Watsons go to Birmingham

Book Talk Blurb:

The Weird Watsons of Flint Michigan are going to Birmingham. The year is 1963 and Byron Watson eldest of the Watson kids is turning into a juvenile delinquent. Cutting class, bullying the other kids and finally getting a new "cool" hairdo. The parents finally fed up about Byron's behavior decide to drive down to Birmingham to drop off Byron with Grandma Sandy for the summer. But it's 1963 and things in Alabama are heating up. Read the book to find out what happens to the Watsons on their trip.

Review:

The Watsons go to Birmingham is written from the point of view of the Watson's middle child Kenny. The majority of the book is about their life in Michigan showcasing all the little things that Byron did to get him in trouble with his parents. With the title you think it will have more about their trip to Birmingham, but their trip to Alabama doesn't happen till the last third of the book. It's a powerful trip and really showcases the impact of racism in the South during the 1960s. The trip forces the Watson boys to face some hard truths about their life and start to grow up. 

The book was filled with humor and laughter but it was mainly about family and that no matter what goes down between its members they still love each other and sometimes it takes a tragedy to bring them together in the end. I can see why it's such a big award winner. Definitely would recommend.

Tags:

Own Voices

Family

Racism 

Civil Rights Movement  

Diversity

History

African Americans

Rating: