Steve Watkins

First sentence: We are in the shelter near our apartment building in Konigsberg when the bombing starts, the swelter of August trapped underground with us. The explosions are distant, east of the city. We feel slight tremors, but the walls only shake a little.

Wolves at the Door by Steve Watkins is a compelling historical middle grade novel set towards the end of World War II. Earlier this year--last week to be precise--I read a book with this exact, precise setting--East Prussia, German show more children, Russian invasion, hiding in the woods, fighting to survive, etc. (We Are Wolves by Katrina Nannestad). This one is narrated by two sisters--Asta and Pieta.

It is action-packed historical fiction. I would definitely recommend for readers who have begun to outgrow the I Survived series yet still enjoy historical fiction with survival themes. There are so many world war II books out there for this audience, this one is GREAT.

If my summary is lacking it isn't that the book isn't good--it's phenomenal. This coming of age story is SO compelling, so emotional, so WELL DONE, so impossible to put down. It was the first book of the year that I read in one sitting.

All the "almosts" I felt about We Are Wolves were realized in Wolves at the Door. It was SUCH a great read. It didn't hold back. It may be written for middle school--upper elementary and up. But it didn't pretty things up. It didn't gloss over the brutal, harsh facts. It was all in for history. And I think it showed how brutal war is and always will be. show less

Steve Watkins’ latest book is a gripping story of two brothers, Shane and Jeremy, set in northern Virginia near Quantico Marine Corps Base. The book strives to reveal the intense struggle experienced by some veterans to adapt to life outside a combat zone when suffering from the myriad symptoms of PTSD—the anxiety, paranoia, anger, the sleeplessness, or the nightmares when sleep does come. The book fully achieves its purpose and, I believe, will inspire readers to think deeply about our show more returning veterans and how we can better support them.

Shane’s older brother Jeremy has been there for him through such hardships as the loss of their father, and the tense, difficult relationship with a strict and somewhat abusive stepfather. Now, Shane tries to be there for Jeremy as he watches his brother's life spiral out of control from his inability to cope with the traumatic experiences he lived through during his combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. After a rough night on the football field, Shane takes off with Jeremy on what will eventually become a days-long canoe trip down the Shenandoah and Potomac Rivers. During this time, Shane begins to understand the full extent of how troubled his brother is and feels desperate to save him. His refusal to leave him in spite of Jeremy’s drinking, erratic and sometimes violent behavior, and increasingly unwise decisions shows the strength of brotherly bonds and family love.

Just as in Watkins’ other works, the writing is excellent and the characters are fully developed with unique, strong voices that cause the reader to become completely invested in their fates and outcomes. As a librarian at a high school, I have seen students rave about Watkins’ books, especially Juvie and the beautiful What Comes After, and a common theme is that the writing is real, honest, and powerful in a way that simply compels the reader to care what happens to these characters. My husband’s own career as a military officer and his deployments and combat tours in places like Iraq make me keenly interested in stories that depict issues faced by our veterans. We’ve lost a number of friends and colleagues in Iraq and Afghanistan, even as recently as a few months ago in Afghanistan, and have seen others return with injuries or burdened by mentally scarring experiences. While Booklist called this a “searing indictment of war,” I did not feel that it was so much making a statement on war (as sometimes war, though always terrible, is necessary), as it was a clarion call to awareness of the difficulties often faced by veterans and a plea for better support for them and their families. An excellent, important book that I would highly recommend. show less

When you think of West Virginia, what first comes to mind? For many people, it’s coal. Coal mining is a brutal business today, and it was exponentially more so back in the 1920s. Miners would work in conditions that often proved deadly, were paid a tiny amount for one of the most lucrative businesses in America, forced to live in company ‘towns’ (with housing, school, and stores that accepted the script the miners were paid in), and beaten bloody by mine guards if they even considered show more joining a union.
Watkins sheds light on an often (and quite deliberately) omitted chapter of West Virginian—and American—history: the Battle of Blair Mountain. Here, the events leading up to the violent uprising and the resulting fall-out are told in language that younger readers will find approachable. show less

I loved this quietly powerful story about a girl, abandoned and disappointed by the adults and friends that she trusted, who chooses love and kindness despite the meanness that surrounds her.

Through Iris’s authentic voice, we feel the emotional and cultural shock she experiences after the death of her loving veterinarian father and her move from a comfortable life in Maine, to a poor North Carolina goat farm and her abusive aunt and cousin.

Iris’s inner strength, determination, and show more intelligence help her survive while the goats that she cares for are her only source of love. By choosing to do what feels right, Iris can begin to heal. Her recognition of the pain around her leads to understanding and compassion.

Watkins creates vivid scenes of school and social life and renders Iris’s malicious Aunt Sue with three-dimensional believability. As a city girl, I found the descriptions of the goats and the details of their care charming. I could see the goats frolicking. Stories like this aren’t flashy or sexy, but they delve deeply into people and life. show less