The Watsons go to Birmingham-1963

Curtis, C. (1995).  The watsons go to birmingham-1963. New York: Yearling.

The Watsons are an African American family in the 1960's.  The oldest son is causing trouble so they decide to take him from their home in Michigan to Birmingham, Alabama to stay with grandma.  The car ride in their Brown Bomber is quite a road trip.  When the family gets to Alabama, they are faced with a black church bombing in grandma's neighborhood.

Kenny Watsons’ family is considered weird by their neighbors, but his mother and father love all their children, want to teach them right from wrong, and want to keep them safe. The story takes place in the 1960’s during the Civil Rights movement.  Young readers might not relate to that, but they will be drawn in by the funny family drama.  They will love when Byron’s lips gets frozen to the car.  Readers will laugh at Momma for making the kids wear so many winter coats that they looked like zombies. Then, the family takes a road trip in their Brown Bomber all the way from Michigan to Birmingham, Alabama so the oldest son can get straightened out and go live with grandma for the summer.  This is the first time we see the discrimination in the south.  The Watsons are afraid to stop driving because there was no guarantee they could get a place to spend the night or a place to eat since they were African Americans.  They get to grandma’s house in Birmingham safely.  The family enjoys time together even though they have to get used to the heat.    Then, one Sunday morning, the divide between black and white comes to the Watsons’ doorstep.  There is a bombing at a neighborhood church.  Kenny thinks that his sister is a victim of the bombing, but she is not.  In the bombing, four girls died and two girls were seriously injured.  After the bombing, the Watsons returned to Michigan. Kenny felt powerless on that day of the bombing.  This historical fiction book may encourage readers to find out more about the Civil Rights Movement and to find strength on Kenny’s behalf on what they can do today to fight for equality.  

Lesson Plans:
http://www.webenglishteacher.com/watsons-go-to-birmingham-1963-lesson-plans.html