Friday, November 28, 2008

The Watsons Go To Birmingham- 1963



The Watson’s Go To Birmingham is set in Flint, Michigan during the 1960’s and follows one families’ trip to Birmingham, Alabama during the time of the Civil Rights Movement. Kenny is one of the main characters and his older brother Bryon becomes the reason the family takes off to Alabama. Bryon is a trouble maker and after finally making his parents mad enough they decide to make him go stay with his grandmother for a while until he sees how hard life can really be. The book is a rollercoaster ride of emotions, and goes from telling humorous stories that will make you laugh as you read, and there are also heart-wrenching parts that make you feel the pain of the characters. There are several elements that make this story a very valuable piece of literature to read along with students. I would definitely use this book as a historical reference and to bring history alive for readers.

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