Review Detail

Reader reviewed by LaTonya M. Baldwin

_The Watsons Go To Birmingham_ by Christopher Paul Curtis is a great example of using fictional personal experiences to explore history in a way young people can comprehend and appreciate the events. Readers might remember his other historical novels, _Bud, Not Buddy_ set in the Depression Era or _Elijah of Buxton_ set in 1849 in Canada, a settlement of former slaves. The _Watsons Go To Birmingham_ ties one family to one of the most tragic events of the Civil Rights Movement, the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church that killed four young girls: Addie Mae Collins, Carol Robertson, Cynthia Wesley and Denise McNair. It is a misnomer to underscore the significance of the history that teaches Kenny and his siblings firsthand how fortunate they are. Until the trip, the Watson children had been insulated from the social turmoil of the day.

Curtis endears the reader to the family through Kenny, the narrator. Kenny is hilarious. I love his catch phrase: "Ready, aim, fire!" The dialogue rings true in my ears. Reminds me of own family in many ways and allows me to participate in apart of my cultural roots that is more fantasy for me but nonetheless connects me to a collective past I value. For many African Americans, weve all got an aunt, grandmother, cousin some family down south. Kenny is full of funny stories like when his brother gets his tongue stuck to a frozen car window or when he talks about how their mother puts so many layers of clothes on his sister that her hair sticks to her forehead by the time he pulls off her outerwear at school and he tells us about fun times listening to the earliest technology in car stereos with his dad..

The Watsons do have financial challenges and everyone who lives in Michigan knows about bitter winters. These are facts of life many working class families know. Whats impressive here is the closeness of the family even with an eldest child who is bent on rebelling. This family is very much intact, functional and loving. I love the pacing and humor of the story and I cant say how glad I am to see a functional, African-American family in this story. Unfortunately, too many children don't know what this is like. Black children need to be exposed to portrayals of families like the Watsons and so do others who see too many dysfunctional homes played out in the media.

The only thing that mentally trips me up is the timing of their vacation and the actual Birmingham bombing. My logical mind doesnt like the gap in time frame. They go down to leave the older boy for the entire summer, but the bombing date is September when school would have been back in session. Still, I can suspend reality in order to connect this story with history.

Curtis does a wonderful job of introducing a piece of American history in an accessible and intimate way. This is the power of literature at its core: an examination of who we are and what we are capable and hope for what we can be.