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The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963 Review
User Submitted The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963 ReviewsNovember 16, 2008 Surprise! SO much better than I expected! The dialogue flowed very well and the characters were all highly realistic. There were some nitpicky things I disliked, though. I think the title was misleading, since they didn't actually go to Birmingham until very late in the story, and to me, it's not the biggest part of the story. (Maybe it should have just been titled 'The Watsons'? Their familial bonds are what the story is about to me.) Another thing that bothered me was the first page, too many similes and metaphors. This is not continued in the rest of the book, and is also doesn't sound like a ten year old child speaking at all. I did love the chapter titles, though. They were very conversational and informal, exactly what you'd expect from a ten year old like Kenny. The plot was great, until the ending. That was the most abrupt ending I've ever had to read. The story was flowing so well, and then, poof, you never actually find out what happens to Byron and the rest of the Watsons. Kind of a disappointment, which is why I'm only rating the story 4/5. November 4, 2008 The Watsons Go Birmingham The Watsons go to Birmingham The Watsons go to Birmingham is about a family that moves to Michigan from Alabama. Its 7 below zero there and they are mad at the dad for making them move there because its 70 where they used to live. I would suggest this book for 4th, 5th, and 6th graders for racial comments, cursing, and the reading level. This author really lived through this story and it was pretty much true. This is when people judged people by there color. You should read this book for more info. It's worth your time to read about your history. November 4, 2008 Good book with hilarious scenes The Watsons Go To Birmingham - 1963 was a good book with some hilarious scenes. I think that Byron was the funniest in the whole book. The things that he did would almost make you laugh out loud. The first incident he had was that he was kissing himself in the mirror of their car called the brown bomber. It was cold so his lips got stuck to it. He also bullies his little brother named "Kenny" and some of the ways he does it is funny. He told Kenny that they picked up frozen people in the garbage trucks. He said that because Joetta kept griping because she wears so many clothes and she does not want to. He also tells Kenny there is something called a wool pooh that kills people by drowning them. The Wool Pooh is not real and it is really just a whirl pool. If you're looking for a funny book, this is one I recommend you read. November 4, 2008 Trip Back In Time The novel "The Watson's Go to Birmingham 1963" is wonderful. The time setting of the book is in the early 1960's, during the Civil Rights Movement. The two places where most of the events take place are in Flint, Michigan and Birmingham, Alabama. There are five main characters and they are: Kenny, Byron, and Joeta Watson, and Kenny's mom and dad. Kenny is a good kind and smart kid. His brother, Byron, on the other hand, is a punk who is always in trouble and has failed several grades. Joeta, Kenny's little sister, is six years old and very gullible. Kenny's mom is strict but kind. Kenny's dad is a typical dad. He means business, but still goofs off from time to time. They are all in the same family. One chapter that I really liked was titled "Nazi Parachutes Invade the Flint River but get Shot Down by Cpt. Byron Watson and his Flame Thrower of Death". One morning Byron goes into the bathroom with army men and matches. Kenny watches what Byron does through a key hole and sees that Byron is dropping army men with toilet paper parachutes that are lit on fire. Byron had already done similar things. When their mom finds out, she grabs Byron and goes to burn his fingers. Joeta blows out the matches every time until their mother stops. In my opinion, "The Watson's go to Birmingham 1963" is a very good and funny novel that I strongly advise reading. November 3, 2008 This book is the best! When I read this book it was hard to put it down! From Kenny who is very talented for his age to Byron(By)who tries to act all cool to their little sister Joetta(Joey)who is very different for a young child things are very crazy sometimes. Their dad,Daniel, acts like a clown when he knows people are watching him. He is from Flint the town they now live in. Their mom,Wilona,is a very calm person when she wants to be and sometimes she is kind of a drama queen.She is originally from Birmingham. When they all go to Birmingham they listen to music on their recently bought record player and take adventures! If you decide to get this book I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! November 3, 2008 The Watsons Go To Birmingham 1963 [[ASIN:044022800X The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963] This is a good book to read. It starts out funny and ends with a family dealing with tragedy. The book takes place in 1963 and is about an African American family named the Watson's. Kenny is a 10 year old who is telling his story about his family and their experience dealing with racism. The first part of the book is about Kenny's older brother Byron who stays in trouble all of the time and his little sister Joetta who was a very smart. One of the funniest parts of the book is when Byron gets his lips stuck to the frozen mirrors on the Brown Bomber (their car). The second part of the book is about the family going to Birmingham to visit their Grandma Sands and how their lives changed during this visit. While at Grandma Sands house, the church that Joetta attended was bombed. Due to the bombing Kenny was overcome with fear and it made Byron turn towards becoming a mature young man. Byron helped Kenny deal with his fears and pull through this horrific tragedy. The book teaches you that family is very important and as a family you can get through anything good or bad. November 2, 2008 "The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963" "The Watsons Go to Birmingham" is a hilarious book and sad book that you never want to put down. The main characters are Joey: the baby of the family, Byron: the oldest and rebellious child of the bunch, Kenny: the middle child, and Momma and Daddy: the parents. Now Kenny, is a little eight year old who gets picked on alot because of his lazy eye, but when he looks at you side ways you can't even tell he has one. Joey, is just like all little girls who tell on their older siblings, protects her older brother when he is getting into trouble, and tries hard not to let her older brother have his fingers burned by matches. Then there is Byron, he's the kind of guy who thinks he can whatever he wants to because he is cool, and old enough to make his own choices like getting his hair flatten like Mexicans. The family seems tight and close whenever Byron isn't kissing his reflection or starting arguements. The weird Watsons decide it's time to go visit Grandma Sands in Birmingham. Birmingham is not like Flint,Michigan. People down there have country accents and white people hating other people for the color of their skin. You have to watch out where you walk and who you hang out with. While they are down there everybody is growing closer and closer together and Byron is becoming way more mature about situations. On one Sunday Joey decided to go to church, little did she know that some white men had put a bomb in the church and it was suppose to go off at a certain time. The Watsons had thought they had lost Joey for good but that wasn't the case. A angel that looked just like Kenny had went to the church and motioned her to follow him back home. Once the family returned home with eyes ful of tears and sadden hearts they saw Joey and their hearts filled with joy and gladness. Once they thought everything through, they decided it was about that time to return home. On the way back it was as if a little baby that had just fallen asleep that had not slept in hours and everyone was careful to try not to say anything because they were afriad to wake it up. After a few of days of returing home it was different, Byron: wasn't in trouble twenty-four seven, Kenny: wasn't in a talking mood and was always behind the couch, and Joey: she was just Joey. One day Byron, decided it was time to get Kenny talking again and it worked even though Kenny, cried for what seemed like hours, but he talked. Just because some one reached out to someone it changed the family some meore. So the reason I like this book is because it shows love,caring, and what real families do in times of trouble. November 2, 2008 The Watsons Go To Birmingham 1963 The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963This is a good book to read. The family goes to Birmingham because Byron keeps getting into trouble and plan to leave him with Grandmother. Once they reach Grandmother Sand's house it is Kenny who starts getting into trouble. He almost drowns but Byron saves him. A bomb goes off at the church Joetta is attending Sunday morning in Birmingham. She was not in the church at the time the bomb went off she had went outside for air. After the bombing the family heads home. Kenny struggles with what he saw at the church and Byron ends up helping him through it. November 2, 2008 Good book but plot moved too slow The Watsons go to Birmingham - 1963 was a good book to read, but it would not be my first choice for content. The author wrote the book using vivid imagery when he retold the scene of the church bombing. As I read about the bombing I could visualize what was going on at that time. The author used enough details to describe what the church looked like after the bomb went off and how the characters reacted to the scene that the bomb created. Joetta was the only person who did not change her mood because no one told her what had happened. However, the author waited too long to get to this part of the book. He told about the Watson family and how they lived in Flint, Michigan during this time period. He often described how cold it was there. The author did include some funny parts. For instance, when Byron got his lips stuck to the side mirror on the brown bomber trying to kiss himself because he thought he was the best. This was funny because everybody reacted in a different way. Mom and Kenny were very worried, but dad was laughing hard because he had been through this before. It was also funny when Byron got a haircut that his parents did not approve of him wearing. Instead of the usual grouding or spankings, his dad made him shave his head. This caused the other characters to make fun of him. Overall the book was a good read, I just wish the end would have lasted longer or the author would write another book letting the readers know what happened to the family later on in their life. September 27, 2008 Marvelous account An incredible and moving experience on the infamous Birmingham bombing. Despite the historical connection, there is still a strong family vibe going on here through marvelous characters. So much of it is funny and real and all-too-true to families, but there are timeless themes of segregation and racism and all the pain involved with this time period. For more The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963 reviews click here.
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