Middle School Visiting Author Series with Steve Sheinkin

10/1/2026

Last week, Severn School welcomed Steve Sheinkin, writer of suspenseful history books for young adults, as a visiting author through the Middle School Author Series and writer's workshop.

For many students, it felt like meeting someone they already knew. In the weeks leading up to his visit, they had prepared by reading at least one of his books. Some followed the scientists and spies racing to build the first atomic weapon in Bomb. Others traced a teenager’s daring escape from Auschwitz in Impossible Escape: A True Story of Survival and Heroism in Nazi Europe. Now the author who had drawn them into those moments stood before them in person.

An Author Who Makes History Breathe

Sheinkin is not a typical history writer. He once wrote textbooks, the kind of heavy volumes that sit on desks and rarely get opened for fun. In 2008, he left that world behind to write full-time for young readers. His goal was simple but bold: make history feel like the thrilling, suspenseful story it truly is.

His books have since earned wide praise for doing just that. They read less like lessons and more like adventures. That spirit sits at the heart of the Middle School Author Series. Each year, the program brings a new kind of writer to campus, and each visit opens a different door. This year, Sheinkin brought the idea that true stories can be just as gripping as anything we invent.

A Look Behind the Curtain

When Sheinkin began his presentation, he didn't open with his awards or his long list of titles. He started with the part of his job he loves most. "Research is the most fun part," he told students. "Sometimes it feels like I'm going back in time. You find stuff that makes your job easier."

For young writers who might picture authors spending every hour at a keyboard, this was a revealing look behind the curtain. Sheinkin explained that half of his work happens before he writes a single sentence. "I do 50% research that I try to do on site, and then I write."

That phrase, on site, matters. Sheinkin doesn't just read about history. He goes to find it. "I love to travel to the places I'm centering my stories on," he said. For Impossible Escape, he traveled to Poland to walk the same ground his subject had walked. He stood in the places where the story unfolded and felt the weight of that history in a way no book alone could offer.

Questions Big and Small

When the floor opened for questions, hands shot up across the room. One student wanted to know, "Are all your characters really smart?" Laughter followed, but the question held real curiosity. Many of the people in Sheinkin's books are brilliant scientists, clever spies, and quick-thinking survivors. The students wanted to understand what made these figures worth writing about.

Another student looked further ahead: "What do you hope to focus on next?"

Sheinkin took each question seriously. He treated the students not as an audience, but as fellow writers, people who were just as curious about stories as he was.

Face to Face with an Author

After the presentation, students lined up for a book signing. One by one, students stepped up to the table eager to make the most of their time with him -- some asked for advice, some shared which chapter kept them up past bedtime. Others simply said thank you. Sheinkin listened, signed, and chatted with each of them.

The day closed with two writers' workshops. Small groups gathered around tables, pencils ready, and took on a challenge inspired by Sheinkin's own craft. Each student chose a figure from a real historical event and worked to shape that person into a character and build a story people would want to read.

The room came alive with ideas. Students debated which moments held the most suspense. They asked each other what their characters might have been thinking, feeling, or fearing in the moments that mattered most. Over the course of the workshop, names from the past began to feel like people they could relate to.

Celebrating Every Voice

The Middle School Author Series exists for days like this one. Through guest visits, writers' workshops, community coffee houses, and the student publication The Admiral's Pen, the program gives students a genuine chance to celebrate their literary voices and the voices of their peers.

Perhaps the most lasting lesson is one that reaches beyond the page. History isn't a list of dates to memorize, but a collection of human stories waiting for someone curious enough to find them and brave enough to tell them well. After spending a day with Steve Sheinkin, a room full of Severn's young writers now know they can be those storytellers, too.

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