# The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963

**Author:** Christopher Paul Curtis
**Lexile:** 1000L
**Grade range:** Grades 5–8
**Age range:** 10–14
**First published:** 1995
**Page count:** 224
**Genre:** Historical Fiction
**ISBN-13:** `9780440414124`
**ISBN-10:** `0440414121`
**Canonical URL:** https://readinglist.school/book/the-watsons-go-to-birmingham-1963
**License:** [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) — please credit ReadingList.school when citing.

## About this book

The Watson family — Dad, Momma, Byron, Kenny, and Joetta — pack up the Brown Bomber and drive from Flint, Michigan to Birmingham, Alabama, where they witness the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing. A Newbery Honor book and a cornerstone of 5th-8th grade civil rights units across the United States.

## Themes

- civil rights
- family
- racism
- history
- coming of age

## Content notes

- racial violence
- historical bombing

Common Sense Media age recommendation: 10+

## Where this book is assigned

### California Young Reader Medal

- **recommended** · 3rd grade · California — [source: California Young Reader Medal past winners, 1998 winner (Middle School/Junior High)](https://californiayoungreadermedal.org/s/CYRM-Winners-Complete-List-yhxf.pdf)
- **recommended** · 4th grade · California — [source: California Young Reader Medal past winners, 1998 winner (Middle School/Junior High)](https://californiayoungreadermedal.org/s/CYRM-Winners-Complete-List-yhxf.pdf)
- **recommended** · 5th grade · California — [source: California Young Reader Medal past winners, 1998 winner (Middle School/Junior High)](https://californiayoungreadermedal.org/s/CYRM-Winners-Complete-List-yhxf.pdf)
- **recommended** · 6th grade · California — [source: California Young Reader Medal past winners, 1998 winner (Middle School/Junior High)](https://californiayoungreadermedal.org/s/CYRM-Winners-Complete-List-yhxf.pdf)
- **recommended** · 7th grade · California — [source: California Young Reader Medal past winners, 1998 winner (Middle School/Junior High)](https://californiayoungreadermedal.org/s/CYRM-Winners-Complete-List-yhxf.pdf)
- **recommended** · 8th grade · California — [source: California Young Reader Medal past winners, 1998 winner (Middle School/Junior High)](https://californiayoungreadermedal.org/s/CYRM-Winners-Complete-List-yhxf.pdf)

### Golden Kite Award

- **recommended** · 5th grade — [source: Golden Kite Award (SCBWI) winners, via Wikipedia — 1996 Winner](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Kite_Award)
- **recommended** · 6th grade — [source: Golden Kite Award (SCBWI) winners, via Wikipedia — 1996 Winner](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Kite_Award)
- **recommended** · 7th grade — [source: Golden Kite Award (SCBWI) winners, via Wikipedia — 1996 Winner](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Kite_Award)
- **recommended** · 8th grade — [source: Golden Kite Award (SCBWI) winners, via Wikipedia — 1996 Winner](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Kite_Award)

## Banned / challenged record

Documented removals or formal challenges in at least one school district in 1 state: FL. Source: [PEN America's Index of School Book Bans](https://pen.org/banned-book-list/) 2022-2024.

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