Locked Up

by Cristy Watson

When he was fifteen, Kevin took a car for a joyride and got in an accident that seriously injured a pedestrian. Now known as "Strider" in juvie, he has spent more than two years incarcerated, learning the hard way how to survive on the inside. Strider keeps his head down and in exchange for protection from another inmate, Strider provides "loans" of money and helps him cheat on schoolwork. But when his parole officer suggests that he apply for early parole, Strider realizes it would be hard for him to survive on the outside. Is there anything waiting for him back home, or should he stay where he thinks he belongs?

Genres: Young Adult

176 pages, Library Binding

Published August 1, 2019

About the author

I am a retired teacher and writer living in Calgary, Alberta. Since retiring I have grown the writer part of my life and now edit and mentor authors, as well as offering writing workshops. Along with eight published novels, my poetry appears in anthologies and online. Thanks for visiting my page!
Check out my author Facebook page:
www.facebook.com/watsoncristy

And my new YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCD76...

Reviews

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

My star rating:

Cover: 3/5
Plot: 4/5
Pacing: 4.5/5
Characters: 4/5
World: N/A
Romance: N/A
Art style: N/A

Enjoyment level: 4/5 stars

[Isaiah · Rating 5 out of 5]

To see more reviews check out MI Book Reviews.

The author donated a copy of this book to the jail where I volunteer. I was reading it as part of the vetting process, but I had really strong feelings.

I read this book in the last hour to an hour and a half, sitting at my desk at the public defender’s office in the middle of the United States. I am crying. Tears are falling down my face. I am a mess. This book has made me a mess. My job is to help people in Kevin’s position, before they get sent to jail or prison. I then spend my free time teaching a class to the juvenile inmates so they have a better chance of making their lives what they want instead of becoming part of the system. This book still tore my heart to shreds.

If you are familiar with the US juvenile justice system, this book will be a bit different than you are expecting. It follows the Canadian juvenile justice system. They have different terms for things and there seems to be a ton more freedom than I am used to seeing when I visit the jail here. There are a lot of differences, but there are so many similarities. There are the kids that are probably going to be in and out of prison their whole lives, kids that feel like lost causes. There are a few of them in the book and they do what they can to survive. There are also the kids that it is clear that they shouldn’t be in jail. They made a mistake and bad things happened, they were not malicious or intending to do anything wrong. Those kids always break my heart. They are also the ones that always seem to reach out for more help, until the kids that think it is cool to be in jail start to bully them. The system protects itself and consumes people. This book gave me some hope. I know it isn’t a true story, but damn I wish that more kids could learn the lessons that Kevin learned.

Just this book, man. I am not even sure what to say. There are so many things that just hurt my heart and soul. You need to read it. This book hit my emotions harder than any adult book ever has. There is just something here. Watson is an amazing writer. She is able to convey all this emotion, pain, and lessons in a way that isn’t heavy handed and with a limited word count. She makes this story accessible to the exact population that needs it. I can’t wait to be able to hand this over to the jail on Monday. This is one of those books I will never forget.

[Maria Siccardi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read all of Cristy Watson's books (4 with Orca and 4 with Lorimer) and find that as a teacher, Cristy Watson obviously listens to the students she works with and can easily give her characters realistic voices that resonate with today's youth. Every single one of her books deals with an issue that is relevant to young people, particularly the issues with which every one of them is struggling. I am constantly amazed at her grasp of the current events in the lives of teens. For instance, 'Benched' deals with peer pressure; 'Living Rough' looks at poverty and homelessness; 'On Cue' looks at the difficulty of a single family parent dealing with a child on the autism spectrum while trying to live their own lives productively; 'Dead to Me' approaches anger, grief and resentment within a family; 'Cutter Boy' addresses the very real and immediate problem of self-harm, an issue that is not confined to teens alone and that cuts across genders; 'Epic Fail' deals with older teens pressuring much younger teens to indulge in inappropriate and supremely damaging behaviours; 'Room 555' looks at the disconnect that often occurs in the interactions between teens and elderly people.

In all of Cristy Watson's books, the author deals with the issues in a way that does not judge, condemn or criticize. I believe her books offer insights into how others deal with the stresses of daily life.

I highly recommend all of her books, particularly for the young reader who is reluctant to open a book for whatever reason. I award a high '5' rating to every one of her works to date. They are definitely Good Reads!

[Lyndi Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Locked Up, by Cristy Watson, will have you believing in second chances.

Upset after his mom leaves and his dad becomes emotionally absent, Kevin steals a car and accidentally injures a pedestrian. He believes he deserves to live out his full sentence in juvie and doesn’t apply himself. Can an unexpected visitor help him decide to live outside again?

Watson’s tender hearted story is emotionally gripping. She demonstrates the negative influences of the inside power structure and the harm inflicted by those who threaten Kevin’s early release. As a reader, I found myself cheering for him. I loved how he receives the support of a caring adult who helps him through his healing and self-forgiveness. I cried more than once.

Watson has masterfully written a well-told story for reluctant readers about recovering from a bad choice and the consequences it brings. Teachers would do well to pick this one up for their classrooms and libraries. A highly recommended read. Don’t pass on this one.

[G_lalonde]

At fifteen, Kevin makes a decision that will alter his life and the life of another family. Angry at his father, and late for school, he decides to take a car that is idling on the side of the road. It is an icy morning, and an accident follows. We follow Kevin has he navigates a tough choice, to make another bad decision and give in to bullies, or to take the right path to forgiveness and a future.

[Tina · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was rough reading this one. I kept having to force myself to pick it up.

I honestly did not see the point of this story. The characters don't grow, the setting is bland and the situations the main character get into are simply boring.

I made my way through it, but wow, this one was boring.