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  • The Watsons Go to Birmingham: 1963
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Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
4,668 global ratings
5 star
83%
4 star
10%
3 star
4%
2 star
1%
1 star
2%
The Watsons Go to Birmingham: 1963

The Watsons Go to Birmingham: 1963

byChristopher Paul Curtis
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Top positive review

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Katy B.
5.0 out of 5 starsGood quality
Reviewed in the United States ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ on August 19, 2022
Purchased this for my daughter for English class. Itโ€™s a book, in excellent condition, that she finished and didnโ€™t hate!
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Top critical review

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LeighBee
3.0 out of 5 starsThat's Life
Reviewed in the United States ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ on February 26, 2013
Little Kenny is a smart boy with typical problems. An older brother that thinks he is too cool to be seen with Kenny, even though he has failed a few grades, a little sister that complains and tattles on everything that the boys do wrong, and two loving parents that, like most, can be embarrassing. Like a lot of kids that stand out because they have qualities that make him different Kenny gets picked on but soon he finds a great friend that does not mind the things that make Kenny who he is. When his brother Bryon gets into more trouble than their mother is willing to put up with the whole family takes a trip from Flint Michigan to Birmingham Alabama. Throughout this beautifully written book you see how Kenny changes and grows. Realizing that the world is not the same as it is in his hometown the story line takes the reader on a journey during the civil rights movement. This book has several moments that would allow for a moral lesson on what would be the right thing to do, or what would you do if you were put in the same situation as the characters. Some of the language and situations may not be appropriate for the younger reader. Make sure to read through it first to decide if its something you would want your reader to experience. The author has great use in descriptive words when describing the things Kenny experiences and how they affect him. You will be drawn into this book and live out every event with Kenny.
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From the United States

Katy B.
5.0 out of 5 stars Good quality
Reviewed in the United States ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ on August 19, 2022
Verified Purchase
Purchased this for my daughter for English class. Itโ€™s a book, in excellent condition, that she finished and didnโ€™t hate!
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Jill T.
5.0 out of 5 stars YOU'LL NEVER WANT TO PUT THIS BOOK DOWN
Reviewed in the United States ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ on January 5, 2017
Verified Purchase
The Watsons go to Birmingham -1963 was overall my favorite book of 2016. I just recently read the book in my seventh grade reading class. Personally I thought the novel was a eye-opening, heart-warming, page-turning book. The way the whole book was laid out was brilliant, all of the characters played such an important part in the novel. For example, Byron is a juvenile delinquent, but a softie at heart. In the book when Kenny, Joetta,and By went swimming Joey, and Byron listened to Grandma Sands, and stayed away from Collierโ€™s Landing. Kenny, on the other hand, did not. Before Kenny went swimming Byron told Kenny, and Joetta this long story about Winnie the Poohs evil twin brother, the Wool Pooh. Once Kenny went swimming he got caught in the whirlpool. When Kenny got caught Byron came running after Kenny and jumped in after him. Under the water Kenny thought Byron was the Wool Pooh, and started trying to fight him off. Luckily, Byron was stronger Kenny and managed to pull him back up out of the water. When he did Byron was kissing Kennys head and thanking god that he got there in time. The chapter โ€œI Meet Winnie's Evil Twin Brother, the Wool Poohโ€ is an amazing way to show how Byron and Kenny feel towards each other. Its also a great example to show how complex Byron's personality is.
I also loved how Christopher Paul Curtis came up with all of these family moments that not only brought them closer together but made YOU feel like YOUโ€™RE in the book watching them!
The last thing i'm going to add on to my comment is that I would recommend this novel too other young kids my age. Itโ€™s an amazing book that youโ€™ll never want to put down!
25 people found this helpful
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James R. Gilligan
VINE VOICE
4.0 out of 5 stars A middle grades classic
Reviewed in the United States ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ on October 6, 2020
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Clearly aimed at a tween and early teenage audience, this charming novel lures readers in with the sweet and quirky story of the Watson family of Flint, Michigan, which consists of Momma, Daddy, the slightly rebellious oldest brother Byron, the playful middle brother Kenny (our narrator), and the angelic baby daughter Joetta. The majority of the novel follows the family through episodes of bullying, making friends, interacting with neighbors, and managing life just above the poverty line. The narrative deals lightly with these important social and socioeconomic issuesโ€”until the closing chapters, when the Watsons visit family in Birmingham, Alabama in late 1963. Theyโ€™re there to witness the devastating church bombing that killed four young girls, and the novel takes a somber turn as Kenny copes with the trauma of what he witnessed. Adult readers might find the resolution a bit rushed, but younger readers will likely be inspired by Kennyโ€™s resilience and the Watsonsโ€™ love and support for each other.
7 people found this helpful
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Butterflyazon Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Is This Family So Different From Mine?
Reviewed in the United States ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ on March 1, 2017
Verified Purchase
I'm from the south. Caucasian. From this same generation. My family had dear black people who lived & worked for us during my early childhood years. They were like family. If we were sick, they were there; if they were sick we were there. When the government told my grandfather what he could & could not plant on the farm, he had to stop farming, so the black family sadly had to find other work. But when I married, those beautiful black arms were wrapped around my neck and making sure my wedding day was perfect. Yes, I heard about the sickening bombings, the murders, unfair treatment & I know of the marches & the laws that have been passed to bring free rights for blacks. I know thousands of lives were forever changed during those years just as this young boy's life was because of a senseless bombing. About the same time that incident happened two young black men walked into a small grocery store on the outskirts of my small quiet town, told the white owners who were parents of my friends that "this is a stick up," took what cash was there & killed both of them. Racial unrest began. The kids in this story had never experienced such, found it hard to live with, understand. Is this family so different from mine? Will we ever get beyond the racial divide? What happens when believers enter heaven? God does not distinguish between color.
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R. Day
4.0 out of 5 stars Funny and poignant
Reviewed in the United States ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ on March 9, 2013
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My 8 year old and I listened to this audio book. It's told from the perspective of a boy about my son's age. There are some too silly parts, like an older brother who gets his tongue stuck on a frozen rear view mirror, and installing a record player in a car. Both seem unrealistic to me. There are also some "older brother's language" issues (cussing or referring to cussing), and references to the middle finger salute, which I could have done without. The mother threatens to burn the older brother who is caught playing with matches again.

Otherwise the family is likable and the story held our interest. When the older brother is getting into too much trouble the parents plan a trip to Birmingham Alabama, where they plan to leave him with Grandma. When they get there things don't seem the same as the old days growing up there. Desegregation is causing hostilities and violence which the family has to deal with. This part of the story is handled in an unusual way. We see things thru the eyes of a young boy who has some life threatening experiences and we experience some of his delusions, fear and grief he feels. In the end the big brother who was a problem earlier now feels compassion and concern for his little brother and helps him deal with his feelings. So some parts are not so great, but then maybe life is like that. We see some of the less appealing parts of this family and end up loving them anyway. I still recommend it.
7 people found this helpful
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Rebecca Crull
4.0 out of 5 stars Great story, great book!
Reviewed in the United States ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ on November 17, 2015
Verified Purchase
I met Christopher Paul Curtis in 1998 at the International Reading Association Convention. I bought a hardback of this book and got a picture of Curtis and me. I then had him sign my book. He was very nice, and I told him that I couldn't wait to read his book, because I had heard so many wonderful things about it. Fast forward 17 years, and I have just now gotten a chance to read it because I am teaching 6th grade. ๐Ÿ˜Š Overall, it was a really good book. I loved all the family stories and mischief the boys got into. Only thing I was disappointed in was that I had thought there was going to be more in it about what was going on in history during that time period, but there wasn't anything until the very end. There was so much great story telling in the first 3/4 of the book, and then the last fourth of the book seemed rushed and not fully "fleshed out". I was surprised to hear that my students felt the same way about this. But, nonetheless, it was a really good book, and I can't wait to watch the movie of it (which I don't think will be much like the book).
3 people found this helpful
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Linda
5.0 out of 5 stars Discrimination is still eminent in our society today but I feel it has gotten a bit better since the time frame in which this st
Reviewed in the United States ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ on November 16, 2014
Verified Purchase
When I first chose this book to read, I only went by the brief description that told what the book was about. Little did I know that when I began to read the book, I would feel as if I, myself was living through the Watsons. They had normal family drama, sibling rivalry, behavioral issues (that now a days, we would put our child on medication for) There are high points in the book as well as low points. But the family pulls together to get through the tough times. Although the book takes place in the 1960's, it seems to encompass some modern day problems in our society. Discrimination is still eminent in our society today but I feel it has gotten a bit better since the time frame in which this story took place. Through Kenny's eyes we are able to uncover what his feelings and fears are towards every day life, his brother and the incidents in Birmingham, Alabama. It is how this family comes through that has drawn me deeper into this book. The audience that I would gear this towards would be grades 5 - 7 because I feel at this age, they are most impressionable and would really allow the Watsons into their learning environment and minds.
7 people found this helpful
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S. Werkema
4.0 out of 5 stars Funny and Serious Both
Reviewed in the United States ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ on April 16, 2018
Verified Purchase
All the Watsons appealed to me, because they were all fully-fleshed, multi-dimensional characters. The plot was absorbing, with lots of funny lines. I learned new things from this book - especially what it must've been like to be near that terrible bombing when it occurred, and how vulnerable African American individuals were in that time and place. I wish the aftermath of the bombing would have been more a part of the story, rather than a terrible event near the end of the book. In fact, I would've given up some of the amusing antics earlier in the story, in exchange for finding out more about the bombing and its effects on Birmingham and on society. In addition, I was not completely convinced by the two episodes in which Kenny and Joey provided mysterious, other-worldly help to each other. I prefer that novels be either grounded in reality or obviously imaginary; I'm not excited about combining the two. But that's just me. I liked the Watsons, I liked Kenny, and I liked his story.
11 people found this helpful
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Don n Julie
5.0 out of 5 stars Arrived Right Away
Reviewed in the United States ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ on May 22, 2022
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Book is new and arrived promptly.
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Awilson
5.0 out of 5 stars Curtis, The Watsons go to Bermingham 1963
Reviewed in the United States ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ on October 13, 2011
Verified Purchase
This is the only other novel I have read by Curtis and I enjoyed it even more than Bud, Not Buddy. I did not have to read this one in school so I had to track it down myself. I remember listening to the audio version at age eleven or twelve and loving the Watsons and all of their random adventures. The first incident, the one where the elder brother gets his lips stuck to a car mirror in winter because he was kissing his reflection, is one of my favorite moments in fiction so far. The brothers throwing cookies at birds, or eating them until they are sick is easily remembered as well. Even the scenes about school back in the early 60s and the cruelty of kids to those less fortunate was brilliantly done. The last third of the book becomes much more serious with the church bombing, however, and only now that I'm a little older can I appreciate the genius in that. When I was young I didn't really understand the significance of that section of the book and the only thing I remember really enjoying was the "whirlpool" scene which gave me chills. Later, the way the author made everything in this book work and still made it something that anyone can enjoy floors me. Brilliant novel. Absolutely brilliant and I recommend it to all those who didn't already have to read it.
2 people found this helpful
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