Summary | Excerpt | Reading Guide | Reviews | Beyond the book | Readalikes | Genres & Themes | Author Bio
Critics' Opinion:
Readers' Opinion:
First Published:
Jan 2006, 272 pages
Paperback:
Jan 2008, 288 pages
Book Reviewed by:
BookBrowse Review Team
Buy This Book
Two years after being released from Camp Green Lake, Armpit is home in Austin, Texas, trying to turn his life around. But it’s hard when you have a record, and everyone expects the worst from you. The only person who believes in him is Ginny, his 10-year old disabled neighbor. Together, they are learning to take small steps. And he seems to be on the right path, until X-Ray, a buddy from Camp Green Lake, comes up with a get-rich-quick scheme. This leads to a chance encounter with teen pop sensation, Kaira DeLeon, and suddenly his life spins out of control, with only one thing for certain. He’ll never be the same again.
In his first major novel since Holes, critically acclaimed novelist Louis Sachar uses his signature wit combined with a unique blend of adventure and deeply felt characters to explore issues of race, the nature of celebrity, the invisible connections that determine a person’s life, and what it takes to stay on course. Doing the right thing is never a wrong choice – but a small step in the right direction.
A rusted Honda Civic drove noisily down the street and parked across from the mayor’s house. Armpit had finished digging his trench and was attaching PVC pipe. The mayor had gone back inside.
The driver-side door had been bashed in, and it would have cost more to fix than the car was worth. The driver had to work his way over the stick shift and then exit on the passenger side.
The personalized license plate read: X RAY.
“Armpit!” X-Ray shouted as he crossed the street. “Armpit!”
The guys at work didn’t know him by that name, but if he didn’t say something X-Ray would just keep on shouting. Better to answer and shut him up.
“Hey,” he called back.
“Man, you’re really sweating,” X-Ray said as he came near.
“Yeah, well, you’d sweat too if you were digging.”
“I’ve already dug enough dirt to last one lifetime,” said X-Ray.
They had met each other at Camp Green Lake.
“...
If you're looking for a book for a 5th grader or older and he/she has not read Holes, we recommend it enthusiastically, especially for boys. If Holes has been read and enjoyed, go out and get Small Steps. Serious fans might also want to get their hands on a copy of Stanley Yelnat's Survival Guide to Camp Green Lake, which Sachar wrote shortly after Holes.
(Reviewed by BookBrowse Review Team).
Full Review
(307 words).
This review is available to non-members for a limited time. For full access,
become a member today.
When asked why, of all the characters
from Holes, he chose to revisit
Armpit, Louis Sacher (pronounced loo-is sack-er) replies, "I tend to write
about underdogs. It seemed to me that
life would be tough for an
African-American teenager from a
low-income family with a criminal
record. Especially someone stuck with
the name, "Armpit."
He says, "I never talk
about a book until it is finished. It
took me a year and a half to write
Holes, and I never told anyone
anything about it during all that time.
I do this for a variety of reasons, but
...
This "beyond the book" feature is available to non-members for a limited time. Join today for full access.
More books by Louis Sachar
If you liked Small Steps, try these:
As Easy as Falling Off the Face of the Earth
by Lynne Rae Perkins
Published 2012
Train. Car. Plane. Boat. Feet.
He'll get there.
Won't he?
The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin
by Josh Berk
Published 2011
Those who prefer their heroes to be not-so-usual and with a side of wiseguy will gobble up this witty, geeks-rule debut.
American Princess
by Stephanie Marie Thornton
Rated 4.9 stars by BookBrowse members - one of the highest scores of all time!
Reader Reviews
The Last Year of the War
by Susan Meissner
A little-known story of WWII with great resonance for our times.
Reader Reviews
An extraordinary and heart-rending tale of two girls with all the odds against them.
About the book
Win up to 12 copies to share with friends or your book club!
A sweeping epic of lost love, lies, jealousy, and rebellion set in colonial Barbados.
Visitors can view some of BookBrowse for free. Full access is for members only.
Your guide toexceptional books
BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfiction—books that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.
Subscribe to receive some of our best reviews, "beyond the book" articles, book club info, and giveaways by email.
