In The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963, Kenny and his siblings are part of a close-knit family that offers a safe home and high expectations for behavior. The narrative begins in Flint, Michigan, during the winter of 1963 and later transitions to Birmingham, Alabama, where they stay at Grandma Sands's house for a few days in the summer of the same year.

The year 1963 marks the onset of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States. Kenny's life in Flint is generally secure and tranquil, except for the bullying he endures from By and his friend Buphead. Kenny becomes an easy target for bullies due to his lazy eye, which gives him a crossed appearance.

The setting plays a crucial role in the story, establishing the backdrop for conflicts in both Flint and Birmingham. In Flint, gangs attempt to lure Kenny and By. By is being influenced by his friend Buphead to join the gangs, much to his parents' distress, while Kenny looks up to By as a model of teenage behavior.

As the story unfolds, it shifts from a lighthearted and carefree tone to a more serious and tragic one when the family travels to Birmingham. This trip exposes the Watson children to their first direct encounter with racial prejudice and hatred. A church bombing near Grandma Sands's house terrifies and confuses Kenny, leading him to a period of withdrawal and isolation upon returning to Flint.

Christopher Paul Curtis has crafted a debut novel that brims with energy. Through Kenny's perspective, we are introduced to a charming, close-knit family. Curtis incorporates some Black dialect to depict By and uses Southern dialect to characterize Momma, especially when she is anxious and upset. Upon their arrival in Birmingham, Momma’s speech increasingly reflects a Southern influence, much like Grandma Sands's. The genuine use of dialect, including occasional humor at Momma’s expense, enhances the characters' believability. Young readers will find Kenny to be a delightful companion, whose ways of handling bullies, friends, and parents are relatable and understandable.

Curtis skillfully transitions the reader from the humor of the early chapters to a growing sense of foreboding, danger, disaster, fear, and unease as the narrative progresses towards the climactic bombing. His depiction of the Watson family's experiences is sincere. He seamlessly integrates a real historical event, the church bombing, into his story without sensationalizing the tragedy.

Kenny is growing up during the early days of the Civil Rights Movement. Although his home is distant from the marches, protests, and ensuing violence, Curtis masterfully intertwines these elements. The Watsons' response to the bombing is filled with horror, confusion, and disbelief. By helping Kenny understand his emotions, the narrative also offers readers a deeper perspective.

Kenny, things aren’t ever going to be fair. How is it fair that two grown men could hate Black people so much that they’d kill children just to stop them from attending school? How is it fair that even if the police down there know who did it, those men will probably never face justice? It isn’t. But you’ve got to understand that’s the way things are and keep moving forward.

The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963, Curtis's debut novel, is set in Flint, Michigan, during the year 1963. His follow-up novel, Bud, Not Buddy, also takes place in Flint but is set in the era of the Great Depression. In The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963, Curtis depicts a tight-knit family, whereas in Bud, Not Buddy, readers are introduced to ten-year-old Bud, an orphaned boy who flees from an abusive foster home to search for his father.

Additionally, The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963 is available as an audiobook, narrated by LeVar Burton, and can be found on audio cassette from Bantam Books-Audio.

“Curtis, Christopher Paul.” In Something About the Author, Volume 93, edited by Alan Hedblad. Detroit: Gale, 1997. This biobibliographical entry provides details on Curtis’s life and work.

Parravano, Martha V. Review of The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963. Horn Book (March-April 1996): 195–96. Parravano praises this debut novel, expressing admiration for Curtis’s writing style and storytelling abilities.

Rochman, Hazel. Review of The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963. Booklist (August 19, 1995): 1946. Rochman notes some family stories feel self-conscious but ultimately describes The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963 as a captivating first novel.

Review of The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963. Publishers Weekly (October 16, 1995): 62. This reviewer states that Curtis “Evok[es] a full spectrum of emotions,” and commends his ability to portray the struggle for racial equality through the young protagonist, Kenny.