PlotOverview

SadieWindasisthegooddaughter:theone
whogetsgoodgrades,leadsherbasketball
team,andstaysoutoftrouble.Sinceherolder
sisterCarlaisconstantlygettingintotrouble,
andhermotherhastoworkmultiplejobsto
supportthefamilysinceherdadleftthem,
Sadieholdsabigresponsibilityasthewoman
ofthehouse.Unfortunately,tryingtokeepher
sisteroutoftroublegetsSadieintotrouble
herself,whentheyfindthemselvesinthewrong
placeatthewrongtimeandgetarrestedfora
drugdealthatSadieknewnothingabout.
Becauseofthis,Sadieconfessestothiscrimeto
keepCarlaoutofjailandathomewithher
daughterLulu,becausesheisalwaystryingto
dowhatisbestforherfamily.Juvieisthestory
ofhowSadieendedupinajuveniledetention
facilityandwhathappenstoherduringthe
timeshestaysonUnit3.Inalternating
chaptersSadietellsusaboutlifeinJuvieand
whatcircumstances,actionsandchoicesled
herthereinthefirstplace.Itisaconvincing
bookthattellsbutdoesntpreachaboutthe
consequencesofspendingtimeinajuvenile
detentionfacility,buthowapersoncangrow
fromthetimeandreasonswhyhe/shewasin
Juvie.Sadielearnswhatresponsibilitiesshe
mustkeepwhensheissenttoJuvieher
existenceinthefamilyisimportantbecauseshe
caresforeachmemberandworkshardlike
Sadiesmothertoprovideforthefamily.Sadie
spendslotsoftimeonpersonalreflection,and
growingfaithtowardshersister,whoshehopes
willfinallygetheracttogether.

AbouttheAuthor

NovelNotes

STEVE WATKINS
istheauthorofmany

novelsandworksbutismostfamousfor
Down
SandMountain,
whichwonaGoldenKite
Award,and
WhatComesAfter.
Heisalsothe
authorofanonfictionbookandshortstory
collectionforadultsandistherecipientofa
PushcartPrize.About
Juvie,
hesays,Oneof
thefewhopefulthingsaboutjuveniledetention
isthatIsawduringmyvisitsisallthereading
thatgoesonthere.Noelectronicdevicesare
allowedandthereslimitedTVtimeandaccess
tovideogames,butheresalotofreading.
SteveWatkinsisaretiredprofessorof
journalism,creativewriting,andVietnamWar
literature.Henowspendshisdaysteaching
Ashtangayoga,workingwiththechild

advocacyorganizationCASA,andwritingbooks
foryoungadults,helivesinFredericksburg,

Virginia,withhisfamily.

HistoricalContext

Juvie

By:SteveWatkins

MaiyaHarper

March20,2016

EssentialQuotes

Sadielearnsanimportantlesson,onethather
Grannytaughtheryearsagobutisbecoming
muchmoreapplicablenow:"Youwakeup
everymorning...nomatterwhathappenedthe
daybefore,andyoutellyourselfyou'regoingto
dogood"(Watkins62).

Althoughthereisnoexactsettingorcity/place
for
Juvie,Juvie

beginswithSadiepreparingto
turnherselfintojuvie,butthenitcutsback

andforthbetweenthenightoftheincidentand HaventIalreadygivenupenough?HaventI
hertimeinprison.Nodetailsaboutprisonlife
alreadypaidthepriceforsomethingIdidnt
arespared,andinmanyways,thatswhat
evendo?Despitethefactofthecrimes
madethisbooksostrong.Therearecavity
misactionofacorrectfelon,Sadietakesthefall
searches,therearehardandfastrulesthat
inordertoprotectherfamily.Sheisobligated
mustbefollowed,fightsandbrawls,andthere
todowhatisbestforherfamily,mainly
arecliquesamongotherinmates.Juvieisno
becauseshewantsher2yearoldnieceLuluto
pleasantplace,andWatkinshasclearlydone
livealongandhappylife.Sadiefeels
hisresearchtomakeitclearthisisntthekind
overwhelmedbecausesheisconstantlyleftto
ofplaceagirllikeSadieshouldeverbeinnor
careforLulu.
thekindofplacesomeonelikeCarla,whohas

beenagirlwithtroubleinherpast,wouldever
WorkCited:
Watkins,Steve.J
uvie.
Somerville,MA:
wanttobe,either.
Candlewick,2013.Print.

CharacterAnalysis

Themes

MotifsandSymbols

SadieWindas:
SadieWindasisthegoodkid. Love
EventhoughSadiehadtotakethefall
Alcohol&Drugs:
Inthebeginningofthe
Goodatbasketball,goodatschool,goodat
forhersister,shestilllovedher,underneathall storywhenCarlaaskstogotheparty,Sadieis
beingagirlfriend,sister,daughter,aunt.In
oftheanger.MuchoftheloveSadiestillhad
skeptical,howevershedoesntwanthersister
short,Sadieiseverythingthatheroldersister,
builtupwassavedforhernieceLuluwhoshe togetintroupsoshesaysyes.Carlaischugging
Carla,isnot.SowhenSadiefindsherselfinthe lovedmorethananyotherperson.SinceCarla
drinksandclingingtoaguywhomSadie
wrongplaceatthewrongtimeinthemiddle
wasunabletocareforLuluproperly,Sadie
nicknamesScuzzy.Completelyoutofher
ofadrugbust,courtesyCarlashedecidesto
onceagainassistedCarlaoutofangerforher
element,Sadiepassestimeplayingbeerpong
givehersisteronelastchanceandtakesallthe
unadultlikedecisions.WhenSadietakesthe
withScuzzysfriend,Dreadlocks.Whena
blame.
fall,itbecomesextremelyhardtoshow
nearcomatoseCarlafinallyreappears,Scuzzy

compassiontowardshersisterCarlawhogot
andDreadlocksaskforaridetogetmorebeer.
CarlaWindas:
Carlaisknowastheblack
herinthecolossalmess,sosheleavesinafury, Dontdoit,
saysasmallvoiceinSadieshead,
sheepofthefamily.Sheconstantlymakesbad
assheshould.
leavingSadietotakethefallforhersisters
decisionswithoutthinkingofthe

carelessactions.
consequences.Inthebeginningofthestory,
Regret:
SadieWindashasabrightfuture

sheusesSadieasanexcusewhenshewantsto aheadofher.She'sanexcellentstudent,astar
711:
Whenshedrivesthemtothe7Eleven,
goouttotheparty,andthisusuallycomesasa
basketballplayerandhasagreatboyfriend.
theguysaskhertoparkintheback.
Weird,
usualrequestforCarla.Unfortunately,sheis She'shopingtoreceiveabasketballscholarship
thinksSadie.ScuzzyandDreadlocksthen
thereasonforSadie'sdownfall,whichleaves
towhicheverschoolherboyfriend,Kevin,
disappear.UnbeknownsttoSadie,abackpack
thesisterrelationshipinpieces.
decidestoattend,sotheycangotothesame
fullofweedsitsinthebackseatnexttoCarla.

collegetogether.Everythingchangesinone
Minuteslater,thegirlsarearrestedbyan
Lulu:
LuluisCarla's3yearolddaughter,who
night,whenshe'sinthewrongplaceatthe
undercovercop.
isthesweetestlittlegirlontheplanet.Sheis

wrongtime.Shehasagreedtogotoaparty
attachedtoherauntSadiethatshelovesso
Juvie:
Clearly,juviewasthemostimportant
withheroldersisterCarla,whohangsoutwith
muchandcantwaittillshecomesbackhome.
concepttothestory.Sadieisshockedbythe
druggiesandlikestogethigh.Sheregretsher
AllthedecisionsSadiemakesrevolvearound
wayinmatesaredehumanizedinjuvie.Small
choicetoletCarlafollowthrough,butatthat
Lulubecauseshecaresforher,endlessly.Sadie
infractionsbringharshpunishment.Someof
pointitwasfartoolate.
ismorelikeamothertoLuluthanCarlawho

thegirlsinherunitaredeeplydisturbed,guilty
sadly,doesntreallycareforherdaughter.
Betrayal/Hurt:
WhenSadieWindasagreesto
ofterriblecrimes.Still,Sadiefindsit

takestheblameforhersister'smistakeshe
challengingtosuppresshercaringinstinct.But
OfficerC.Miller:
OfficerMillerisverynice
doesittokeephersisteroutofjailandto
shebeginstorealizethatgoodwillmustbe
andhelpfuldespiteherjob.Outofkindness,
protectherniecefromgrowingupwithouta
temperedbycautionandthatsheisresponsible
shehelpsSadiekeeptrackofCarlaandLulu
mother.Thelawyerpromisesthatsincesheisa fortheconsequencesofheractions,evenifshe
whilesheisaway.Althoughsheisnot
juvenilewithoutapriorrecordtheworstshe
sublimatesthemotive.Thisisanimportant
obligated,sheseesalotofpotentialinSadie
willgetis6monthsprobationandsome
conceptformanyteens,whomaygreatly
andcaresforherlookingafterCarlaandLulu
communityservice...sowhenthejudge
underestimatetheirowncomplicitywhen
asaresult.ShegivesSadieadviceeveryoncein
sentencesherto6monthsatajuvenile
passivelysupportingriskybehavior.
awhiletotrytohelpherbecausesheknows
detentionfacility,Sadiefeelsbetrayed.But
Sadieisnotabadpersonanddoesntbelong
whatisdoneisdone,andnowshemustliveup
wheresheis.
toherchoice.