When War Knocks

by Kristine Kivisto

In the summer of 1943, adventurous twelve-year-old George is growing up in a bustling, northern Michigan copper mining town. As the ninth of ten children born to Finnish immigrant parents, George is no stranger to a life of struggle. But when draft cards order his two older brothers away to fight in World War II, he faces hardships much greater than the usual supply shortages and food rations. Even with his increased responsibilities of chopping mountains of firewood for winter, shooing poop flies while pumping the outhouse, and harvesting potatoes until he’s nearly picking them in his sleep, George still finds plenty of time for boyhood adventures. He makes friends with a runaway orphan, earns extra money by taking on a paper route, spends his days fishing and exploring in the woods, plays hockey on the town ice rink during the cold winter months, and even lands in bed with a nasty case of the mumps. Spring can’t come fast enough! George hopes the warmer weather will bring better health and the end of the war. The only problem is, even if the war ends, George’s brothers may not make it home… With a classic narrative and plenty of heart, When War Knocks is sure to appeal to fans of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.

247 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 9, 2020

About the author

Kristine Kivisto is an author & writer who would be delighted to have her nose in a book or fingers tapping the keyboard from sunup to sundown. Alas, that thing called life must also happen, so in between bouts of reading and writing, she can be found performing mundane tasks such as grocery shopping, working in Human Resources, and laundry. She lives in Michigan and manages to enjoy every moody season the Great Lakes state has to offer.

Reviews

[Lydia Redwine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the pleasure of beta reading this book a few months ago and I’m so happy now that it is published! When War Knocks is such a precious story about a young man named George and his family during WWII. I love that this story is based on a true one and that it is thus very close to the author’s heart.

I think this book is great for fans of Lois Lowry and just WWII stories in general. I would say this is kind of like Number of the Stars meets the Little House books (particularly Farmer Boy) by Laura Ingalls Wilder

[Gerri · Rating 5 out of 5]

A U.P. Finnish WWII story

A great read for anyone who loves historical fiction. I was drawn to it because it is set in Michigan's Upper Peninsula and about a Finnish family. It is written as a YA book, but it is wonderful for all ages.