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Summary: The Funniest Book Ever
Review: The Watsons Go to Birmingham 1963 is a great book to read because it tells and relates to everyday life. This was one of the funniest books ever. At the beginning of the book it shows what it is like having a little sister that was the laughing stock in kindergarten, and an old car that needed some fixing up. These are two reasons why this book relates to me. Having people that teased or bothered me and knowing that I have best friends and family that I can count on is another reason why this book relates to me. The saddest part in this book is when the four little girls died in the church bombing. This was a great book and I enjoyed reading it. I hope you do too.
Rating: 
Summary: Okay kind of book
Review: I call the Watsons Go To Birmingham- 1963 an okay book instead of the best book I have ever read becuase I didn't like some parts of this book. This book was about a family that is going visit Grandma Sands. The charactors are Kenny, Byron, Joetta, Dad, and Momma. They are sending Byron to stay with Grandma Sands, in Birmingham, Alabama, because of all of his mischievous adventures from shooting down Natzi parachutists with his flamethrower of death to the time he dyed his hair.
When they get to Birmingham they find it surprisingly hot. Byron's whole attitude changes, he saves Kenny from the "Wool Pooh" and doesn't make fun of him. On Sunday, Joetta has to go to Sunday school and her church blows up, but lucky for her, who she thinks is Kenny, guides her away from danger. Kenny recovers from the bombing in the "World Famous Watson Pet Hospital."
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Summary: THE WATSONS GO TO BIRMINGHAM
Review: THE book THE WATSONS GO TO BIRMINGHAM was a very good book the book was about a family which where called the wierd watsons for some reason but anyway the book was about the watsons and there names were the mom and dad (willona and daneil) and the oldest who stays in a lot of trobul is byron and the second oldest who is above advanced is kenny and the youngest who is sweet and loving joetta a.k.a joey they are planing a trip to birmingham alabama because they need to take byron there to grandma sands becuse he stays in a lot of troble and they think grandma sands will help them straghtin by out so they go there and they get settle and kenny wonders off to colliers landing were six kids died then kenny thinks the wool~pooh is in there so he go in there and he thinks the wool~pooh has his leg and he fights and fights until by saves him and they got home then that sunday joetta goes to sunday school then there is a big ezsplsin at the church but kenny goes in there tryin to find joey but then he gets worried then goes back to grandma sands and then he see her thinkin see dead and she get mad and go tells mom then he realize that she is alive ect.
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Summary: Good, but not as great as advertised
Review: The ultimate theme of the story is the importance of family. I found the story somewhat drawn out and contrived for the first two-thirds before being redeemed by the final pages. While the book is considered historical fiction, the only thing truly historical involves a church bombing in Alabama, which is contorted to fit neatly into the plot instead of building the plot around the actual event. I didn't find the description of life in Flint, Michigan during the early 60s especially convincing or even descriptive for that matter. Race is virtually ignored until the children confront the ugliness of southern hatred. It seems hard to imagine that racial problems were not part of everyday life, especially considering the violence that would haunt Detroit just a few years later. Overall, an enjoyable story about the importance of our families and other people in general, but not necessarily a great piece of historical fiction.
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Summary: Really Good Book
Review: WHEN I FIRST BEGAN READING THIS BOOK I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE BORING BUT IT TURNED OUT TO BE REALLY GOOD!!!
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Summary: The Watsons go to Birmingham Review
Review: The Watsons Go to Birmingham ReviewThe Watons go to Birmingham-1963 was a hilarious book that was perfectly woven by the great Christopher Paul Curtis. This book has been able to touch the laughs and the soul of many who read it.
This "exceptional" book has been awarded for its greatness and even its language that can be understood by 4th graders. But besides that, I have found many reasons to like this book. One is including the personalities, as well as the descriptive writing of the "Weird Watson" (page 17; paragraph one) family. For example, we have Byron, the oldest of the siblings in the family, that has his classic reputation for being the juvenile delinquent of the family, and also being the "god" of Clark Elementary. But knowing this great author, Byron has better features as well. Even at one point where Kenny feels depressed and shaken by the bombing event, Byron, steps in to help Kenny through these times, showing a more compassionate side to him. Yet the amazing characters of this book are not the only things that have widen my imagination. I have found that everything; including the places, people and mood, have been woven together to create this "exceptional" book. Also I liked the fact that there were changes, not fast or slow, in the mood of the book. For example, on page 19 line 1-14 where Kenny begins a dialogue; "Joetta guess what. I'm thinking about writing my own comic book." "What about?" "Well, it's going to be about this real mean criminal who has a terrible accident that turns him into a superhero."... "Do you want to know what I'm going to call this new superhero?" " What?" " I'm going to call him the lipless Wonder. All he does in beat up superheroes smaller than him and the only thing he is afraid of is a cold mirror."
This part showed the humorous side of the story where Kenny tells of Byron's story of how he got his lips stuck to a cold mirror in a slightly more enjoyable way. As apposed to the other side where things are sad, for another example on page 75 Chapter 6, where Byron kills a bird by accident, then gets emotional again, slightly grieving its death. Yet the most interesting fact, that interested me the most was the theme of the book.
The theme given by this book was hard to find since I got caught up in the book, but reading more than twice, I have found that the book's theme is that life is a person. Thinking back at this book, is makes sense, since Kenny and the Watson family have funny days; like where Byron gets his lip froze up; to dark times, such as the Birmingham Bombing that affected more than just the Watson's. These symbolize a person like the fact that a person has days where they feel good and happy and days where this person fells bad and depressed. But in the end all the wounds eventually heal, with a little help, just like what Kenny did after the Birmingham Bombing. I agree with this theme because I, and almost everyone can relate to this, because everyone has good and terrible days, yet in the end all your wounds hurts, heal with help form family and friends.
I recommend this book to age 9-adult. Why I recommend this to so many is because, The Watsons go to Birmingham; for one, is readable by kids because of its easy language and vocabulary, while it gives an enjoyable time and reasonable read for adults, young and old. But why I recommend this book to a wide age is because it can cover many real-life lessons, and depicts accurately the life of a proud African-American, family.
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Summary: A Stunningly Powerful Book
Review: I picked up this book because my 12-year-old stepson was reading it for a book report. I ended up reading it in its' entirety, and thought it was an incredibly wonderful book for young adults. Christopher Paul Curtis writes in a lively, readable and understandable way, starting with topics that all kids can relate to: school bullies, a teasing older brother, and protective parents. He continues to weave into the story, and finally finishes with touching clarity the importance of a close family, love, and strong ties between siblings. He brings the reader through concepts of death, fear, humor, confusion, and love through the family's voyage to Birmingham, Alabama in 1963, and their inevitable journey to and place in the 1963 Church bombing which changes the Watson family forever. It serves as a horrible awakening to a 10-year-old boy to the horrors of racism, violence, and death. The changing relationship between Kenny and his older brother Byron that cumulates at the end of the book shows that family love can conquer anything is realistic, heartwarming, and not at all mushy. Throughout the book, the author writes through the eyes of a 10 year old boy, so it is quick, fast moving, and most importantly, not boring for kids to read.
I intend to read the rest of his books. I would also like to see the author do some writing for adults-I for one hope very much that he does!
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Summary: The Best Review On This Website!
Review: This book was interesting. It was very good, the author made excellent use of the characters, and used vibrant foreshadowing with a hint of personification. I really liked the characters in this book, they are very interesting.
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Summary: book report review for school by jeffrey twomey rosevelt sch
Review: The Wastsons go to Birmingham is a great book that I read in third grade and always made me laugh when they said whir poo when it was supposed to be whirlpool. I would recomend this book to any one who likes humor. This book is about a kid named Kenny and his familly who live in Flint, Michigian then go to Birmingham, Alabama. That is why I would reccomend this book to anyone I knew that liked humor. I give this book... 5 stars!!!
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Summary: Edu-tainment That's Worth Perusing
Review: "The Watsons Go to Birmingham--1963" is amusing enough that it's hard to see the educational value. As a sibling, I appreciated the conflict between Byron and the rest of the family. As a white person in the age of Affirmative Action and Jesse Jackson, I needed to understand the racial tensions, and the lack thereof. Whenever a new character entered the book, it took me several pages to remember that they were black. I realized that this is appropriate, because Kenny doesn't define people by their skin color. Later in the book, he realized that not everyone shares this view.
Christopher Paul Curtis does a masterful job of portraying black society on the eve of change. While his work loses steam towards the end--the "Wool Pooh" business is confusing and detracting--"The Watsons Go to Birmingham" is worth reading thrice.
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