 <translate> The novel is a first-person account narrarated by Kenny Watson, who lives in Flint, Michigan with his parents, Daniel and Wilona Watson, his older brother Byron, and younger sister Joetta. The opening chapters establish Kenny as a very bright and shy 4th grader who has difficulty making true friends until Rufus Fry arrives in town from Arkansas. Rufus is also bullied by the students at Clark Elementary for his "country" clothes and accent, making Kenny reluctant to befriend him at first, but they are soon inseparable. Kenny is alternatively bullied and protected by his 13 year old brother Byron, whom he calls "an official teenage juvenile delinquent". Byron has been retained twice because he often skips school and is still in 6th grade. He invents a series of "fantastic adventures" which constantly get him into trouble and include playing with matches in the house, abusing his parent's credit at the corner grocery store to buy himself treats, and getting a "conk" hairstyle against his parents' orders.

Where is rufus from in the watsons go to birmingham? Okie... think carefully first, then make a decision: <yor> Àkọsílẹ̀ tí Kenny Watson, tó ń gbé ní Flint, Michigan pẹ̀lú àwọn òbí rẹ̀, Daniel àti Wilona Watson, arákùnrin rẹ̀ àgbà, Byron, àti àbúrò rẹ̀ obìnrin Joetta, kọ ni ìwé náà. Àwọn orí tí ó bẹ̀rẹ̀ fi Kenny hàn gẹ́gẹ́ bí ọmọ kíláàsì kẹrin tí ó jẹ́ olóye tí ó sì jẹ́ onítìjú tí ó ní ìṣòro láti ní àwọn ọ̀rẹ́ tòótọ́ títí Rufus Fry fi dé ìlú láti Arkansas. Rufus tún jẹ́ ẹni tí àwọn akẹ́kọ̀ọ́ ní Clark Elementary ń fòòró nítorí aṣọ àti ọ̀rò̀ tí ó fi ń sọ èdè ìbílẹ̀ rẹ̀, èyí tí ó mú kí Kenny máà fẹ́ bá a ṣe ọ̀rẹ́ ní ìbẹ̀rẹ̀, ṣùgbọ́n kò pẹ́ tí wọ́n fi di ọ̀rẹ́ tí a kò lè pínyà. Kenny ni o ni ibanujẹ ati idaabobo nipasẹ arakunrin rẹ ọdun 13 ọdun Byron, ẹniti o pe ni "aṣẹ ọdaràn ọdọ ọdọ ọdọ". Ẹ̀ẹ̀mejì ọ̀tọ̀ọ̀tọ̀ ni wọ́n gba Byron síṣẹ́ nítorí pé ó máa ń pa iléèwé jẹ, ó sì ṣì wà ní kíláàsì kẹfà. Ó máa ń dá àwọn "ìgbésẹ̀ àràmàǹdà" tí ó máa ń kó o sínú wàhálà nígbà gbogbo. Àwọn nǹkan wọ̀nyí ni pé ó máa ń bá àwọn ọmọ rẹ̀ ṣeré nínú ilé, ó máa ń lo owó tí àwọn òbí rẹ̀ fún un láti fi ra oúnjẹ fún ara rẹ̀, ó sì tún máa ń ṣe irun "conk" láìfi àṣẹ àwọn òbí rẹ̀ pè.  Ibo ni Rufus ti wá nígbà tí àwọn Watson lọ sí Birmingham? Okie... ronú dáadáa kó o tó ṣe ìpinnu: 