Chapter 1, And You Wonder Why We Get Called the Weird Watsons Summary

The Watsons are a loving, funny family who live in Flint, Michigan in the early 1960's. When the oldest brother, Byron, continues down the path to trouble, his parents decide to take him to stay with his strict grandmother in Birmingham, Alabama. The entire family goes on the long car trip, and while they are in Birmingham, a church is bombed, killing several children. Kenny, the middle child, is traumatized by what he sees, and takes a while to recover, with the help of his big brother By.

The book opens in Flint, Michigan on an extremely cold winter day. The Watson family is huddled on their couch under a blanket trying to stay warm. Kenny is the narrator and main character. The...