The Watsons Go To Birmingham 1963 Analysis

Reading an inspirational story can make any reader’s day brighten. The book, “The Watsons Go to Birmingham-1963,” written by Christopher Paul Curtis, is an inspirational book meant for young readers. The genres of this book are juvenile fiction and historical fiction. “The Watsons Go to Birmingham-1963” was published by Yearling Books in 1995. This book is about a boy named Kenny who learns the true meaning of family through a trip to Birmingham.
“The Watsons Go to Birmingham-1963” starts off in Flint, Michigan in the winter of 1962, but most of the story occurs in the spring and summer of 1963. The protagonist, Kenny, tells the story from his point of view, which is first person point of view. Kenny is the middle child in the Watson family. He is ten years old, has a lazy eye, yet an excellent student. Kenny is the target of bullying at the Clark Elementary School. He introduces his family as the ‘“Weird Watsons”’. His family includes his father, mother, Joey, and Byron. Kenny’s father’s name is Daniel Watson. He is known for having a good sense of humor. Kenny’s mother is named Wilona Sands Watson, but is called Momma. She is originally from Birmingham and is overprotective of her children. Joey, short for Joetta Watson, is the youngest Watson child. She is the most religious character in the story. She also gets along with Byron, which Kenny doesn’t. Byron is the eldest Watson child. He gets in trouble very often and likes to bully Kenny a lot. Byron is a dynamic character because his personality changes dramatically from the beginning of the story to the end. The conflict in this story is that Kenny is picked on by his older brother and other students. Kenny’s mom and dad decide to take a trip to Alabama to Grandma Sand’s ho...

... middle of paper ...

...erican family is living in the times when the Civil Rights Movement was occurring. The climax, which is the event of the bombing, is an actual historical event. The author including that event makes the novel more effective. This book not only teaches the reader about events in history, but also life lessons. Reading “The Watsons Go to Birmingham-1963” can teach readers while giving them a little laugh.
When a person reads a book, they should read it as to amuse them, but also look between the lines for the purpose of the book. Every author, whether they’re writing fiction of non-fiction, has a moral behind their story. Every book is like a picture, a piece of art. Yes, you admire it, but you would have to squint a little bit, twist your head in any angle, and try to find what message the author or painter was trying to send out with their piece of work.