Week 1 Book Club

After reading the first 5 chapters of The Watson's go to Birmingham, I have began to get basis of what the book is about and the characters. It takes place in 1963 in Flint, MI. A fourth grade boy, Kenneth, and his family (older brother, little sister, mother and father.) They are living in what seams like a predominately African American community and seem to be making ends meet and are not struggling financially, unlike some of there neighbors and friends. The mother is from Birmingham, Alabama and is not used to the brutal Michigan winters and bundles up the kids excessively when they leave for school. Kenneth is always afraid of getting bullied and is often picked on in school. He is very smart, unlike his older brother Byron, who is the tough popular boy. I was surprised in the book when a new student in the school, moving here from a southern state, is immediately outcasted because of his southern accent and ratty clothing. This boy, Rufus, becomes friends with Kenneth, and he often offers Rufus with food at lunch and mittens at recess because he does not have any.

As I read these first few chapters, I began to make predictions of what will happen in the book. Through the title I know that the Watson's are going to take a trip to Birminham, Alabama. I know that during this time there was a major civil rights movement, especially in the south and I predict they will encounter a lot regarding those issues. I predict that the character Rufus will help give Kenneth some insight on what he is likely to encounter in the south. Many times Rufus is the butt of many southern jokes because of his accent. I predict that the prejudice against him, will be similar to the prejudice that all african americans suffered from in the south. I predict that Kenneth and his family will fall victim to these prejudices on their trip and be able to see first hand what life is like in Birmingham.