Award-winner- Newbery Honor Book, Coretta Scott King Award
I read this book aloud to my twelve-year old. He enjoyed it immensely (he loved the humor).
Kenny and his family reside in Flint, MI. Byron, his older brother, creates "excitement" for the whole family as he searches out and embraces trouble. Joetta, "Joey", the youngest and only sister, attempts to rescue Byron from trouble. Kenny relishes Byron's punishments. When Byron pushes it too far, his parents decide he needs real help-from his maternal grandmother in Alabama. Mrs. Watson creates a schedule (down to each minute!) in a notebook for their trip to Alabama. Little do they know that this trip will not only transform Byron but the rest of the family as well.
Humor and familial relationships/interactions dominate the story. The writing and the character and plot development are superb (Mr. Curtis is an excellent writer).
Read Aloud Revival recommends this book for high school. The "warnings" below will explain why they recommend it for this age group. My only question concerning this age group recommendation is "will high schoolers want to read it or listen to it since narrator is a ten-year-old"? Mostly middle-grade readers will be drawn to this book but it is not appropriate for them to read independently. Since I read it aloud, I could skip the inappropriate parts.
Warnings/points to discuss: treatment of blacks in the 1960s-especially in the south, the Sixteenth Avenue Baptist Church bombing in Alabama on Sept. 15, 1963 (details are given-girls lying around, shoes sticking out in the debris etc), swearing (quite often), stealing, Mr. Watson sneaks a feel at Mrs. Waston's chest (the kids see it; it is described), poor grammar (on purpose, of course!), Kenny almost drowns-described in detail, bullies, characters are proud that they have looked at magazines with naked ladies
-I own this book.
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