The Watson Family
What is the name of the narrator and main character of the story?
Kenny
What did Byron do to his hair that made Mama furious?
He got a conk, processed his hair
Where are the Watsons driving to for the summer?
Birmingham, Alabama
What is the name of Kenny's grandmothers live-in companion in Birmingham?
Mr. Robert
Kenny was a gifted reader. What made him stand out from the other kids at school?
He could read extremely well / was ahead of his grade level
What is the name of Kenny's older brother who is always getting into trouble?
Byron
Byron got his lips stuck to the car mirror in winter. How did Mama unfreeze them?
She uses hot water and pulls him off
Who did Momma and Dad decide to send Byron to live with to straighten him out?
Grandma Sands
What church was bombed in the story, mirroring a real 1963 event?
The 16th Street Baptist Church
What physical feature did Kenny have that caused other kids to make fun of him?
He has a lazy eye
What is the name of Kenny's younger sister?
Joetta
What did Byron do to a baby mourning dove that shocked Kenny?
He hit the bird with a Swedish Cream Cookie and killed it.
What special device did Dad install in the car to play music on the trip?
An Ultra Glide record player
After the bombing, Kenny convinced himself he saw Joetta walking away from the church. What was she wearing?
Her white church dress/gloves
What was the name of the new kid at school who became Kenny's first real friend?
His name was Rufus
What city and state do the Watsons live in at the start of the book?
Flint, Michigan
What was the name of Byron's friend who was always with him causing trouble?
Buphead
At what landmark did Kenny nearly getpulled under by a whirlpool?
Collier's Landing
Kenny hid from everyone after the bombing — where did he hide in the Watson house in Flint?
Behind the couch in the "World Famous Watson's Pet Hospital"
Rufus and his brother were teased for wearing the same clothes repeatedly. What did Kenny do that almost ended their friendship?
He laughed along with the other kids making fun of Rufus's clothes
What is the nickname the family gives their car
The Brown Bomber
What was Byron's punishment for playing with matches and burning paper?
Mama was going to burn him
What did Kenny see that he believed was a "wool pooh" pulling Joetta under the water?
He thought the whirlpool was a monster — the Wool Pooh was large with concrete hands and feet. It symbolized death.
After the bombing, Kenny struggled with survivor's guilt and trauma. Which character finally got through to Kenny and helped him start to heal, and what did he tell him?
It was Byron. He told him life wasn't fair but it was up to them to keep moving on.
The Watsons call themselves the "weird Watsons." What does the story suggest about what holds a family together through hard times?
Love, humor, loyalty — open-ended, look for textual support