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lauraslibraryy's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
isbnopal's review against another edition
5.0
i have read this book 9 times. I just can't help myself he wrote it so well and i always love his books. i recommend this to anyone.
jgurniak's review against another edition
4.0
This is a good follow-up to Holes. A nice change in pwrspective from Stanley's time at Camp Green Lake, to Theodore getting his life together afterwards with the help of his young neighbor.
capyval's review against another edition
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Maybe it's like a 3.75, but it's ok, I'll round it up 😋
kathydavie's review against another edition
5.0
Second in the Holes realistic fiction series and revolving around Theodore Johnson — we knew him as Armpit. It's been two years since Holes, 1.
In 2007, Small Steps won the Schneider Family Book Award for Teen Book.
My Take
This'll get your dander up when you read how Armpit was railroaded! Where the heck is justice in this world!!
I will say Sachar went off in an unexpected direction, and I'm loving it. It's so positive and upbeat, in spite of the setbacks. Instead it's an opportunity for Theodore to grow and to demonstrate the positives of life. It's those small steps Theodore plans to follow that give me heart…and Theodore goals. Okay, yeah, it's sad as well. It's part of what makes this seemingly simple story more complex as it reflects life.
I absolutely LOVE the relationship Theodore has with Ginny. They're so good for each other; it's definitely a mutually beneficial relationship, especially at that crucial moment, lol. As for what Theodore tells Ginny about her father's disability…yep, I'm in love with that boy!
Sachar doesn't take long to insert the tension with all that hype about tickets and selling out. That damned X-Ray! It's the disaster of X-Ray and his mega plans that topple Theodore and put him up at the top. I can't help it. I know X-Ray means well, but I just wanna smack him. Him and that sleazebag. Then there's Theodore's loyalty to his friends.
I know, I know, this is twisted, but I thought it was cute that Ginny has assigned disabilities to all of her stuffed animals. It also made my heart cry.
The Story
Two years after Camp Green Lake, Armpit is home in Austin. With a record, everyone expects the worst except his sweet, disabled neighbor, Ginny.
It's all about the small steps on the right path until X-Ray gets that get-rich-quick idea. It could work, except for how the attraction of teen pop sensation Kaira DeLeon spins his life out of control.
Doing the right thing is never a wrong choice, but a small step in the right direction.
The Characters
Armpit, er, I mean, Theodore Johnson, is a former inmate of Camp Green Lake Juvenile Correctional Facility. His father works as a meter reader for the electric company and a dispatcher for a taxi service at night. His mother works at a supermarket. His older sister is married and in Houston. An older brother is serving time in Huntsville.
The ten-year-old Ginny McDonald has cerebral palsy. Her mother appreciates Theodore. Coo is Ginny's stuffed bunny.
The ambitious X-Ray, a.k.a., Rex Alvi Washburn, had been one of the inmates with Theodore. Felix and Moses are "entrepreneurs". Murdock runs a cafe, Smokestack Lightnin'. Wiley is one of his customers. Detective Debbie Newberg is with the Austin Police Department.
Kaira DeLeon, a.k.a., Kathy Spears, is a seventeen-year-old singing sensation. Fred is her doofus of a bodyguard. Jerome "El Genius" Paisley is her business agent, manager, and stepfather. Her real father had been John Spears. Tim B is the lead guitarist. Duncan is the bass player. Cotton plays drums. Billy Goat, a.k.a., Gotlieb, is on keyboard. Aileen manages the accounts. Rosemary does hair. David works backstage, Terry is the soundboard operator. Polly is her psychiatrist.
Tatiana (a girl Theodore likes), Claire (and Roxanne is a friend of theirs), and Robbie Kincaid are in Theodore's speech class, taught by Coach Simmons. Mr. Warren teaches economics; Matt Kapok is in the class. Mrs. Randsinkle had been Ginny's art teacher last year.
Raincreek Irrigation and Landscaping is…
…where Theodore now works. Jack Dunlevy is Theodore's boss. Cherry Lane, the mayor of Austin, is one of their clients.
Billy Boy is writing threatening letters. Denise Linaria plans to go to Costa Rica. Nancy Young is in charge of guest relations at the hotel in San Francisco. Stanley Yelnats' dad has invented Sploosh. Donnell, Cole, and Sharese are part of Theodore's old gang.
The Cover and Title
The cover is a deep eggplant purple with a grouping of raised footsteps in different textures of greens, turquoise, brown, and red. Four are close together while the fifth is taking a bigger step. One that lands between the words of the title, as small as those steps, centered on the cover in white. The author's name is a vivid coral at the top with an information blurb below it in white.
The title is Theodore's philosophy toward life, taking Small Steps forward.
In 2007, Small Steps won the Schneider Family Book Award for Teen Book.
My Take
This'll get your dander up when you read how Armpit was railroaded! Where the heck is justice in this world!!
I will say Sachar went off in an unexpected direction, and I'm loving it. It's so positive and upbeat, in spite of the setbacks. Instead it's an opportunity for Theodore to grow and to demonstrate the positives of life. It's those small steps Theodore plans to follow that give me heart…and Theodore goals. Okay, yeah, it's sad as well. It's part of what makes this seemingly simple story more complex as it reflects life.
I absolutely LOVE the relationship Theodore has with Ginny. They're so good for each other; it's definitely a mutually beneficial relationship, especially at that crucial moment, lol. As for what Theodore tells Ginny about her father's disability…yep, I'm in love with that boy!
Sachar doesn't take long to insert the tension with all that hype about tickets and selling out. That damned X-Ray! It's the disaster of X-Ray and his mega plans that topple Theodore and put him up at the top. I can't help it. I know X-Ray means well, but I just wanna smack him. Him and that sleazebag. Then there's Theodore's loyalty to his friends.
I know, I know, this is twisted, but I thought it was cute that Ginny has assigned disabilities to all of her stuffed animals. It also made my heart cry.
"'Does Coo have a disability?' he asked.'Leukemia,' Ginny whispered. 'But we don't talk about it.'"It's a sad look at the life of a teen rock star, and how she's abused. Made all the more interesting with that third-person dual point-of-view from Theodore's and Kaira's perspectives. Theodore has his thoughts about his life, about what's happening around him while Kaira also has her thoughts, and her stepfather is pretty high up in them.
The Story
Two years after Camp Green Lake, Armpit is home in Austin. With a record, everyone expects the worst except his sweet, disabled neighbor, Ginny.
It's all about the small steps on the right path until X-Ray gets that get-rich-quick idea. It could work, except for how the attraction of teen pop sensation Kaira DeLeon spins his life out of control.
Doing the right thing is never a wrong choice, but a small step in the right direction.
The Characters
Armpit, er, I mean, Theodore Johnson, is a former inmate of Camp Green Lake Juvenile Correctional Facility. His father works as a meter reader for the electric company and a dispatcher for a taxi service at night. His mother works at a supermarket. His older sister is married and in Houston. An older brother is serving time in Huntsville.
The ten-year-old Ginny McDonald has cerebral palsy. Her mother appreciates Theodore. Coo is Ginny's stuffed bunny.
The ambitious X-Ray, a.k.a., Rex Alvi Washburn, had been one of the inmates with Theodore. Felix and Moses are "entrepreneurs". Murdock runs a cafe, Smokestack Lightnin'. Wiley is one of his customers. Detective Debbie Newberg is with the Austin Police Department.
Kaira DeLeon, a.k.a., Kathy Spears, is a seventeen-year-old singing sensation. Fred is her doofus of a bodyguard. Jerome "El Genius" Paisley is her business agent, manager, and stepfather. Her real father had been John Spears. Tim B is the lead guitarist. Duncan is the bass player. Cotton plays drums. Billy Goat, a.k.a., Gotlieb, is on keyboard. Aileen manages the accounts. Rosemary does hair. David works backstage, Terry is the soundboard operator. Polly is her psychiatrist.
Tatiana (a girl Theodore likes), Claire (and Roxanne is a friend of theirs), and Robbie Kincaid are in Theodore's speech class, taught by Coach Simmons. Mr. Warren teaches economics; Matt Kapok is in the class. Mrs. Randsinkle had been Ginny's art teacher last year.
Raincreek Irrigation and Landscaping is…
…where Theodore now works. Jack Dunlevy is Theodore's boss. Cherry Lane, the mayor of Austin, is one of their clients.
Billy Boy is writing threatening letters. Denise Linaria plans to go to Costa Rica. Nancy Young is in charge of guest relations at the hotel in San Francisco. Stanley Yelnats' dad has invented Sploosh. Donnell, Cole, and Sharese are part of Theodore's old gang.
The Cover and Title
The cover is a deep eggplant purple with a grouping of raised footsteps in different textures of greens, turquoise, brown, and red. Four are close together while the fifth is taking a bigger step. One that lands between the words of the title, as small as those steps, centered on the cover in white. The author's name is a vivid coral at the top with an information blurb below it in white.
The title is Theodore's philosophy toward life, taking Small Steps forward.
allicatca's review against another edition
4.0
I listened to this book on audio. The reader did a good job.
There are a great many things I enjoyed about this book. Most of all, I liked the main character Theodore, aka Armpit. What a good-hearted young man who, a bit like Stanley from Holes, wanted justice for all.
Theodore's neighbor and best friend Jenny was adorable. I love that she's a girl, younger, and has cerebral palsy but loves to have a good time and has a sense of humor. She and Theodore make a great team.
Sachar does a good job in the book weaving different situations in which it's smart to take small steps. The book overall is terrific although I would have preferred less violence. I was listening with my 9-year-old daughter and fast-forwarded a couple of times.
I think this book is best for ages 11 or 12 and up.
There are a great many things I enjoyed about this book. Most of all, I liked the main character Theodore, aka Armpit. What a good-hearted young man who, a bit like Stanley from Holes, wanted justice for all.
Theodore's neighbor and best friend Jenny was adorable. I love that she's a girl, younger, and has cerebral palsy but loves to have a good time and has a sense of humor. She and Theodore make a great team.
Sachar does a good job in the book weaving different situations in which it's smart to take small steps. The book overall is terrific although I would have preferred less violence. I was listening with my 9-year-old daughter and fast-forwarded a couple of times.
I think this book is best for ages 11 or 12 and up.
mariahistryingtoread's review against another edition
3.0
I read Holes around this time last year. I lived off of the movie as a kid, but I never read the book before nor did I know there was a sequel.
Small Steps is really good for about half the book. The book follows Armpit, a minor character who attended Camp Green Lake with Stanley in Holes, as he attempts to distance himself from the stigma of being a criminal, despite having served his time.
What drew me into the book initially is how solemn it is.
Armpit is a Black kid with a record. Being Black is enough to get written off by a large subset of society. The fact that he’s been to a correctional facility is merely the cherry on top. It doesn’t help that Armpit cuts an imposing figure. Armpit struggles under the weight of everybody’s assumptions of his character before he even opens his mouth. It’s especially difficult for him given his own confusion about what he wants out of life. His friend X-Ray, also from Camp Green Lake, adds additional pressure by continuously attempting to get him into trouble in the name of 'helping' him.
Underneath everything Armpit is a kind, open person who strives to do what he thinks is right. Even when he makes mistakes along the way. He has a distinct perspective and voice that makes his conveyance of events stand out. It’s not a sad book, but there's a bittersweet cloud casting its shadow on everything.
There’s a parallel story about an up and coming pop star, Kaira, who is grappling with the struggles of being a celebrity particularly as a young, female one. When the two meet is where the book begins to steadily slip though it doesn't go off the deep end until the last quarter or so. The ending spirals in such a way it almost tanks the story entirely. It went from a 5 star read to a 2 in one chapter flat.
Without spoiling it, it suddenly becomes a thriller. It’s a super abrupt transition when as I said before the book has a very pensive atmosphere. I still think it could have worked, but it needed to have the seeds sowed a lot sooner. Kaira and Armpit don’t even connect until halfway in. For this plot to work the relationship between the two would have needed to start much sooner so as to better integrate the storylines.
Something I thought was particularly well done was the inclusion of Ginny. Not only does his friendship with her reveal hidden depths to Armpit, I really liked the way Sachar depicted Ginny and her disability. It wasn’t a gimmick used only as a narrative device for Armpit’s development. Ginny was a fully realized part of the story. Her disability was an important facet of her, but it didn’t take her over.
Not a lot of white authors can write Black characters with such skill. I totally bought Armpit and X-Ray as Black young men. A lot of white authors fall into the trap of making their Black characters just white ones reskinned. They aren’t comfortable enough or aren’t skilled enough to write outside of their own limited experiences in their own race. I don’t begrudge them for it entirely because writing outside of your purview is not easy. Because it’s not easy, I really appreciate Sachar’s competency.
I brought the rating up to 3 stars because after some deliberation I feel an average rating best encompasses the overall quality. I was more disappointed when I first finished the book. Now with some distance I’m not as upset as I once was. I really wish it had stuck the landing, but alas it wasn’t meant to be.
Small Steps is really good for about half the book. The book follows Armpit, a minor character who attended Camp Green Lake with Stanley in Holes, as he attempts to distance himself from the stigma of being a criminal, despite having served his time.
What drew me into the book initially is how solemn it is.
Armpit is a Black kid with a record. Being Black is enough to get written off by a large subset of society. The fact that he’s been to a correctional facility is merely the cherry on top. It doesn’t help that Armpit cuts an imposing figure. Armpit struggles under the weight of everybody’s assumptions of his character before he even opens his mouth. It’s especially difficult for him given his own confusion about what he wants out of life. His friend X-Ray, also from Camp Green Lake, adds additional pressure by continuously attempting to get him into trouble in the name of 'helping' him.
Underneath everything Armpit is a kind, open person who strives to do what he thinks is right. Even when he makes mistakes along the way. He has a distinct perspective and voice that makes his conveyance of events stand out. It’s not a sad book, but there's a bittersweet cloud casting its shadow on everything.
There’s a parallel story about an up and coming pop star, Kaira, who is grappling with the struggles of being a celebrity particularly as a young, female one. When the two meet is where the book begins to steadily slip though it doesn't go off the deep end until the last quarter or so. The ending spirals in such a way it almost tanks the story entirely. It went from a 5 star read to a 2 in one chapter flat.
Without spoiling it, it suddenly becomes a thriller. It’s a super abrupt transition when as I said before the book has a very pensive atmosphere. I still think it could have worked, but it needed to have the seeds sowed a lot sooner. Kaira and Armpit don’t even connect until halfway in. For this plot to work the relationship between the two would have needed to start much sooner so as to better integrate the storylines.
Something I thought was particularly well done was the inclusion of Ginny. Not only does his friendship with her reveal hidden depths to Armpit, I really liked the way Sachar depicted Ginny and her disability. It wasn’t a gimmick used only as a narrative device for Armpit’s development. Ginny was a fully realized part of the story. Her disability was an important facet of her, but it didn’t take her over.
Not a lot of white authors can write Black characters with such skill. I totally bought Armpit and X-Ray as Black young men. A lot of white authors fall into the trap of making their Black characters just white ones reskinned. They aren’t comfortable enough or aren’t skilled enough to write outside of their own limited experiences in their own race. I don’t begrudge them for it entirely because writing outside of your purview is not easy. Because it’s not easy, I really appreciate Sachar’s competency.
I brought the rating up to 3 stars because after some deliberation I feel an average rating best encompasses the overall quality. I was more disappointed when I first finished the book. Now with some distance I’m not as upset as I once was. I really wish it had stuck the landing, but alas it wasn’t meant to be.
butchcannibal's review against another edition
2.5
Ima be honest I wouldn’t know how I will feel about this book. At first it wasn’t that good but eventually the story picked up and got better. It was okay
tink2cma's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0