A Small Victory

If you have children and you'd like to - in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. - discuss the civil rights movement or peek into the life of a black family during the early 60's, I highly recommend you read this book out loud to them. The Watsons go to Birmingham is a beautifully written tale. Author Christopher Paul Curtis uses delightful humor to push the story towards September 15, 1963, when the book takes a dramatic, serious turn. Curtis mixes factual history with the fictional adventures of the Watson family and pulls it off seamlessly. The book leaves you with plenty of room for discussion and further research with your children. Curtis's writing is so engaging, that one need to not have children to enjoy - and take something away from - this book.