Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Overdrive

THE WATSONS GO TO

BIRMINGHAM— 1963

Watsons Birmingham 11/1/01 9:39 AM Page 1

This book has been optimized for viewing at a monitor setting of 1024 x 768 pixels.

Watsons Birmingham 11/1/01 9:39 AM Page 2

THE WATSONS GO TO

BIRMINGHAM— 1963

a novel by

Christopher Paul Curtis

Delacorte Press

Watsons Birmingham 11/1/01 9:39 AM Page 3

Published by Delacorte Press, a division of Random House, Inc. Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc.

1540 Broadway New York, New York 10036

Copyright © 1995 by Christopher Paul Curtis

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the Publisher, except where permitted by law.

The trademark Delacorte Press® is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and in other countries.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Curtis, Christopher Paul. The Watsons go to Birmingham—1963 / Christopher Paul Curtis.

1. cm.

Summary:The ordinary interactions and everyday routines of the Watsons, an African American family living in Flint, Michigan, are drastically changed after they go to visit Grandma in Alabama

in the summer of 1963.

eISBN 0-385-72985-5

v1.0

[1. Afro Americans—Fiction. 2. Family life—Fiction. 3. Prejudices—Fiction. 4. Brothers and sisters—Fiction. 5. Flint (Mich.)—Fiction.] I.Title.

PZ7.C94137Wat 1995

[Fic]—dc20

95-7091

CIP

AC

Watsons Birmingham 11/1/01 9:39 AM Page 4

This book is dedicated to my parents, Dr. Herman and Leslie Lewis

Curtis, who have given their children both roots and wings and

encouraged us to soar; my sister, Cydney Eleanor Curtis, who has been

unfailingly supportive, kind and herself; and above all to my wife,

Kaysandra Anne Sookram Curtis, who has provided a warmth and

love that have allowed me to laugh, to grow and, most importantly, to

dream.

Watsons Birmingham 11/1/01 9:39 AM Page 5

Watsons Birmingham 11/1/01 9:39 AM Page 6

Acknowledgments

The author wishes to extend his sincere thanks to the following: the

Avery Hopwood and Jules Hopwood Prize of the University of

Michigan, Ann Arbor, for much-appreciated recognition; the staff of

the Windsor Public Library, especially Terry Fisher, for providing a

stimulating and supportive atmosphere in which to write; Welwyn

Wilton Katz, for her valuable help;Wendy Lamb, whose skill as an edi-

tor is matched only by her patience; Joan Curtis Taylor, who forever

will be a powerful exemplar of strength and hope; Lynn Guest, whose

kindness and compassion are a restorative to a person’s faith in

humankind; and particularly to my dear friend Liz Ivette Torres

(Betty), who can’t possibly know how much her friendship, sugges-

tions and insights have meant.

Special thanks to my daughter, Cydney, who makes me feel like a

hero just for coming home from work, and to Steven, who is without

doubt the best first reader, critic and son any writer could ask for.

Finally, a salute to Stevland Morris of Saginaw, Michigan, who so

vividly and touchingly reminded me of what it felt like to be “sneakin’

out the back door to hang out with those hoodlum friends of mine.”

Watsons Birmingham 11/1/01 9:39 AM Page 7

Watsons Birmingham 11/1/01 9:39 AM Page 8

In memory of

Addie Mae Collins

Born 4/18/49, died 9/15/63

Denise McNair

Born 11/17/51, died 9/15/63

Carole Robertson

Born 4/24/49, died 9/15/63

Cynthia Wesley

Born 4/30/49, died 9/15/63

the toll for one day in one city

Watsons Birmingham 11/1/01 9:39 AM Page 9

Watsons Birmingham 11/1/01 9:39 AM Page 10

t was one of those super-duper-cold Saturdays. One of those days that when you breathed out your breath kind of hung frozen in the air like a hunk of smoke and you could walk along and look exactly like a train blowing out big, fat, white puffs of smoke.

It was so cold that if you were stupid enough to go outside your eyes would automatically blink a thousand times all by themselves, probably so the juice inside of them wouldn’t freeze up. It was so cold that if you spit, the slob would be an ice cube before it hit the ground. It was about a zillion degrees below zero.

It was even cold inside our house. We put sweaters and hats and scarves and three pairs of socks on and still were cold.The thermostat was turned all the way up and the furnace was banging and sounding like it was about to blow up but it still felt like Jack Frost had moved in with us.

All of my family sat real close together on the couch under a blan- ket. Dad said this would generate a little heat but he didn’t have to tell us this, it seemed like the cold automatically made us want to get together and huddle up. My little sister, Joetta, sat in the middle and all you could see were her eyes because she had a scarf wrapped around her head. I was next to her, and on the outside was my mother.

PLACE THE ORDER WITH US TODAY AND GET A PERFECT SCORE!!!