The Watsons Go to Birmingham was one of my favorite books that we have read this semester. I really think that students will be pulled into the story like I was and really come to love every member of the Watson family. They really fought and loved each other like a real family and not just a fictional creation. My favorite part of the novel was when Byron comes home with his hair dyed and his father shaves his head becuase he is not happy with his decision. I think that this is a good sign of parents who care and are concerned about their children which is good for a young audience to read.

By the time the reader gets to the bombing in the church, I think any reader is really invested in the family and can really understand the power of a hate crime. This was a moment where a teacher could really use this book to discuss the power of the Civil Rights Movement in a classroom. I think that the power of this book lies in the strength of the description of the family and the life of an adolescent and when the hate crime comes rocketing in at the end - the readers can really appreciate the power of the crime and the feeling of fear that the family experiences.

I also liked the humor that is in this book because it really shows readers that they are able to laugh even through some hard situations. I loved the beginning of the book where Byron's lips get stuck to the mirror and his father can't stop laughing at him. I thought it was a great way to show that parents sometimes have a hard time taking their own children seriously.