illustrated close-up of Kenny Watson with fire in the background behind him

The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963

by Christopher Paul Curtis

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Student Question

Who did Kenny see outside the church after the bombing in The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963?

Quick answer:

After the bombing, Kenny arrives at the church to find it in ruins with debris everywhere. Amidst the chaos, he sees his parents and brother, Byron, frantically searching for Joey. Kenny also witnesses a man carrying a bloodied girl and discovers a shoe under debris, fearing it belongs to Joey. Panicked, he takes the shoe and rushes to Grandma Sands's house, where he eventually realizes Joey is safe and unharmed.

Expert Answers

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Immidietly after the bombing, Kenny goes to the church to see what has happened. When he arrives, he notices that almost everything has been destroyed; the church is in ruins, and there's debris everywhere. Kenny completely shuts down and cannot believe his eyes. The people around him are screaming and panicking, some are crying and others are in shock. He sees his mom and his dad and Byron, who are hugging and yelling for Joey.

Kenny sees a man carrying a little girl in his arms covered in blood. He notices a black shoe under a big piece of concrete and goes to take it, but realizes that it is attached to another "person"—the Wool Pooh. Kenny immediately panics because he thinks the shoe is Joey's and takes it with him. He then rushes to Grandma Sands's house and sits on the bad thinking that Joey might be hurt, or worse, dead. He wonders if he was mean to Joey that day, but then Joey appears. Kenny is confused at first, but soon realizes that Joey is okay, and he tells her that he loves her.

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