Characters
Who are Kenny's siblings?
Byron and Joetta (Joey)
Why do the Watsons go to Birmingham?
Byron kept getting into trouble so they wanted him to stay with his grandmother to give him a taste of the real world.
What is the setting at the beginning of the novel?
Flint, Michigan.
What movement was taking place during the events of the novel?
The Civil Rights Movement.
You kids came real close to having a clown for a daddy named Hambone Henderson.
Dad
What do Kenny and Rufus like to play?
Dinosaurs
What do Byron's lips get frozen to?
The side mirror on the car.
Which characters are dynamic characters?
Byron and Kenny.
Why was Birmingham an important city during the Civil Rights Movement?
It was heavily segregated and dangerous.
I thought you was my friend. I didn't think you was like all them other people.
Rufus
What accent does Momma sometimes have, especially when she's mad or excited?
Southern accent.
Why didn't Rufus want to play with Kenny?
What is a theme for this novel?
Family protects one another and sticks together, no matter the challenge.
People can change and mature.
Sometimes, there's more to people than what you see or assume.
On the trip there, why do the Watsons have to carefully plan each stop they'll make, rather than stopping when they're tired?
It wasn't safe, especially in the deep south where racism was severe.
I don’t think they’re sick at all, I think they just let hate eat them up and turn them into monsters.
Byron
When Byron knocks the bird dead, what does he do after?
He buries it.
Why is Kenny surprised to see Joey after the bombing?
He was holding a shoe from one of the victims that he thought was his sister's.
What is the 'Wool Pooh' a symbol of?
Death
What historic bombing was the event in chapter 14 based on?
The bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham
Where he should have had a face there was nothing but dark gray. Where he should have had eyes there was nothing but a darker colder-looking color. He grabbed my leg and started pulling me down.
Kenny
How does the bombing impact Kenny?
He feels frightened and guilty, gets rid of his dinosaurs, distances himself from others.
Which scene or chapter changes the tone of the story from humorous to serious?
Any of these count:
Collier's Landing, the bombing, the discussion about racism on the car ride.
How does Byron rescuing Kenny at Collier's Landing foreshadow later events?
Byron is maturing and looking out for his family.
How does their experience differ in Birmingham compared to Flint?
The level of segregation, racism, and their overall quality of life would be vastly different. The way people treat them, speak to them, and even let them get groceries on a tab would probably change.
Nearly everything changes. Your daddy’s been gone for almost twenty years.
Grandma Sands