Sink or Swim: A Novel of World War II

About this book

It's been a month since the bombing of Pearl Harbor. America is officially at war with Germany and Japan, and everyone wants to do their part. In twelve-year-old Colton's case, that means stepping up at home once his older brother, Danny, ships out with the navy. But before Danny leaves for boot camp, the brothers are fishing on the Atlantic Ocean when Danny's boat is capsized by a Nazi U-boat, nearly killing him.

When more U-boats start attacking the next day, Colton realizes just how close the enemy is to American shores. With Danny's life in the balance, Colton does the only thing he can think of to help his family and his country: He steals his brother's enlisting papers and joins up instead.

Colton's bold decision leads to a deadly journey. Even if he can keep his age a secret and survive boot camp, he'll have to face Hitler's ruthless submarines. But the longer he's on the seas, the less sure sure Colton is that he and his shipmates can stop such a relentless enemy . . .

Reviews

Praise for Sink or Swim
"A briskly paced, action-packed, surprisingly realistic war story." --Kirkus Reviews

"Full of action, adventure, and history." -School Library Journal

"Watkins evokes the horror of war and desperation of the fighting force all while portraying an erstwhile and appealing young hero" -Booklist

"This captivating, don't-want-to-put-it-down story of Colton's journey will keep the reader on the edge of his or her seat, just waiting to see what happens next." -School Library Connection

Praise for Ghosts of War, The Secret of Midway
"Watkins does a fine job of weaving realistic and historical fiction elements with a good old-fashioned ghost story."-School Library Journal

"The supernatural and sleuthing story components make for a lively history lesson and should foster an interesting discussion around the Battle of Midway, as well as aspects of war frequently forgotten with time." -Booklist

"This would be a great supplement to a unit on the war in the Pacific." -School Library Connection