After high school graduation, Christopher took a well-paying job at an automobile factory. At first he bought a new car and enjoyed the perks of making high wages, but soon Christopher grew tired of the monotonous work. During breaks from the assembly line, Christopher began to write. After 13 years at the factory, Christopher took a year off to write a novel. That novel, The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963, won both a Newbery Honor and a Coretta Scott King Honor.
