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Amelia Madden

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The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963

by Christopher Paul Curtis

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Amelia Madden said: " 'The Watson's go to Birmingham" by Laurel Leaf is a fictional social justice/historical fiction book starting off in the Watson's house in Flint, Michigan and after they decide to go visit their grandma in Birmingham, Alabama they take interstate 1-7 'The Watson's go to Birmingham" by Laurel Leaf is a fictional social justice/historical fiction book starting off in the Watson's house in Flint, Michigan and after they decide to go visit their grandma in Birmingham, Alabama they take interstate 1-75 and are in the car for 11 hours and 30 minutes to get to their grandmas house in Birmingham, Alabama. The main and minor characters in this book are Kenneth Watson is described as the narrator to be a smart and nerdy kid, Bryon "daddy cool" is Kenneth's older brother, the king of Clark Elementary School and the bully in it with his best friend a juvenile delinquent Buphead, Joey also know as Joetta is a sweet and kind little girl also the youngest sibling in the Watson family, and last but not least the parents Daniel Watson and Wilona Sands Watson. In this book, the main struggle is racism and segregation and as an African- American it was very hard to live in Alabama because of the high standards that black and white people should be separated or that black people can't have the same things or use the same thing as someone who is white.

At the beginning of the book, it is freezing in Flint, Michigan so cold the family decides to go to Birmingham to get hat weather and to visit their grandma. A while after the decision is made they get on the road to get to Birmingham and make stops along the way and while things happen during these stops you will find them out if you read the book. 1963 the year the book took place in there was a bombing in the 16th Street in Birmingham Alabama in the book Joetta was in the church while the bombing happened along with other characters in the book including Kenny had been looking trying to find their children, friends, and family members and trying to escape the church.
In the book, there are other scary and suspenseful moments including the funny but scary story of "Wool Pooh".

I enjoyed this book because I kinda have a Sweet-tooth for historical and realistic fiction but also because I think it's such a heart warming book but spooky at the same time. Its a great book for bookclubs during school because its a hard topic to talk about because of the issues that it cause and how it hurt and killed people but its a topic that we need to learn about and I think through a good book with not just serious topics but also some pop up fun stuff. I think this book is great for ages 10-12.

If you read " The Watson's Go to Birmingham" I hope you really enjoy it! ...more "

Oct 07, 2018 07:31AM · see review