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Stepping Off
Jesse Dienstag's favorite sweatshirt says, "The real world isn't real." That's the slogan of the vacation-home community in Pennsylvania where his family has always spent every vacation and weekend for as long as he can remember. In the summer of 2019, as Jesse is about to enter his junior year of high school in New York City, he desperately wants to believe the slogan is true. For one thing, the two girls he loves -- equally and desperately -- are in Pennsylvania, and all the stresses and pressures of his daily life and school are in New York.
But when his parents stop talking to each other, it gets harder and harder for Jesse to maintain his dream life in Pennsylvania. And when Covid shuts New York City down in March 2020 just days after Jesse’s mother leaves his father, Jesse's worlds collide.
But when his parents stop talking to each other, it gets harder and harder for Jesse to maintain his dream life in Pennsylvania. And when Covid shuts New York City down in March 2020 just days after Jesse’s mother leaves his father, Jesse's worlds collide.
267 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 4, 2024
15 people are currently reading
2764 people want to read
About the author
Jordan Sonnenblick
32 books931 followersI am the author of seven books for children and young adults, including Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie. So if youʼre looking for info about some other guy named Jordan Sonnenblick, youʼve got the wrong website.
Anyway, I know a lot of people are looking for stuff they can use in reports for school, so Iʼll just get this out of the way right up front:
My favorite color is blue.
I have a wife and two kids.
The best pet I ever had was a garter snake I caught when I was eight by a lake in Pennsylvania. I named the snake Hector. Then it gave birth to 20 baby snakes, so I changed its name to Hectoria.
My all-time favorite band is the Beatles, although I like a ton of different music.
My hobbies are playing the drums, guitar, and bass; riding my bicycle at least 50 miles a week; hanging out with my wife and kids; and reading.
Speaking of reading, I read a lot of different genres. As a kid, though, I mostly read fantasy, science fiction, and comic books. When I was in fourth grade, a fantasy novel called The Dark is Rising inspired me to become a novelist someday.
My favorite baseball team is the New York Yankees. When I was a kid, my best friend and I used to go to Yankees games and throw open ketchup packets off the upper deck. Donʼt try that at home, kids!
Anyway, I know a lot of people are looking for stuff they can use in reports for school, so Iʼll just get this out of the way right up front:
My favorite color is blue.
I have a wife and two kids.
The best pet I ever had was a garter snake I caught when I was eight by a lake in Pennsylvania. I named the snake Hector. Then it gave birth to 20 baby snakes, so I changed its name to Hectoria.
My all-time favorite band is the Beatles, although I like a ton of different music.
My hobbies are playing the drums, guitar, and bass; riding my bicycle at least 50 miles a week; hanging out with my wife and kids; and reading.
Speaking of reading, I read a lot of different genres. As a kid, though, I mostly read fantasy, science fiction, and comic books. When I was in fourth grade, a fantasy novel called The Dark is Rising inspired me to become a novelist someday.
My favorite baseball team is the New York Yankees. When I was a kid, my best friend and I used to go to Yankees games and throw open ketchup packets off the upper deck. Donʼt try that at home, kids!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
June 4, 2024
Jesse spends every summer with his family at a summer home on a small Pennsylvania lake. Ava and Chloe also live on the same vacation home cul-de-sac and the three of them have been friends forever. Of course, Jesse's in love with both girls, which is bound to cause problems.
I guess every once in a while I like a nice angsty young adult novel, and this one runneth-over with teen angst. Not only do things blow up in Jesse's face when he messes things up with one of the girls (which of course messes it up with both girls) but his parents aren't speaking to each other. It turns out they're getting a divorce, which is setting in motion other calamities in Jesse's life. But this isn't just a 'summer at the lake' kind of novel, but all this happens the year before Covid-19 shuts down the rest of the world, which adds yet another king-size calamity on top of the rest.
It's hard trying to see your parents as people, because then you might have to realize they are not doing the world's best job of people-ing.
So, yeah, there's a lot going on here (maybe even a kitchen sink or two). But kudos to Jordan Sonnenblick for juggling all these things and making it all work so well. He also mixes in a music theme and uses to good effect. And I think teens whose lives were interrupted by Covid will especially appreciate the story (my younger daughter missed her high school graduation and spent her first year of college online because of it). I'm not sure the ending worked out quite the way I wanted it to (I guess I'm not sure what exactly I wanted, however) but I really liked the story and how (mostly) real if felt. I also appreciated that it was basically clean and had minimal profanity. 4.5 stars for me, and I waver between rounding up or down, but for now I'm rounding up. (Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a digital advance copy.)
I guess every once in a while I like a nice angsty young adult novel, and this one runneth-over with teen angst. Not only do things blow up in Jesse's face when he messes things up with one of the girls (which of course messes it up with both girls) but his parents aren't speaking to each other. It turns out they're getting a divorce, which is setting in motion other calamities in Jesse's life. But this isn't just a 'summer at the lake' kind of novel, but all this happens the year before Covid-19 shuts down the rest of the world, which adds yet another king-size calamity on top of the rest.
It's hard trying to see your parents as people, because then you might have to realize they are not doing the world's best job of people-ing.
So, yeah, there's a lot going on here (maybe even a kitchen sink or two). But kudos to Jordan Sonnenblick for juggling all these things and making it all work so well. He also mixes in a music theme and uses to good effect. And I think teens whose lives were interrupted by Covid will especially appreciate the story (my younger daughter missed her high school graduation and spent her first year of college online because of it). I'm not sure the ending worked out quite the way I wanted it to (I guess I'm not sure what exactly I wanted, however) but I really liked the story and how (mostly) real if felt. I also appreciated that it was basically clean and had minimal profanity. 4.5 stars for me, and I waver between rounding up or down, but for now I'm rounding up. (Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a digital advance copy.)
August 30, 2024
3.5 stars
February 23, 2024
Another winner by Jordan Sonnenblick for junior high readers! Jess, Chloe and Ava have been vacation/weekend best friends for years but things are getting more and more difficult as Jess tries to sort out his changing feelings towards the two girls. As he does in so many of his books, Sonnenblick draws heavily on his own life experiences as a somewhat awkward teen to keep readers laughing, squirming as Jess flounders his way thru a few kisses and many mistakes, and sighing with satisfaction when the last page is turned. The three main characters’ personalities are distinct, likable and absolutely mirror those seen at schools everywhere. The losses and difficulties experienced are realistic and tug a bit at heartstrings without getting mired down in sadness. But there is so much laughter as awkward Jess handles a close friendship with two girls that seems to going towards something else. The fights between Jess’ parents are painful and so true to what kids all over deal with and the death of both Chloe and Ava/Annie’s moms demonstrate the importance of connection to supportive friends. All the while, laughter. Even amid a truly sad zoom funeral service that brings each of us back to the days of pandemic when we were all forced to stay away from those we love when we needed most desperately to be physically close. While there is some kissing and maybe a whole lot more, there is nothing graphic and the humorous way things are described is actually so vague that maybe there wasn’t much action in that treehouse or on that catamaran after all. Absolutely outstanding book. No profanity or violence.
Thanks for the eARC, Edelweiss.
Thanks for the eARC, Edelweiss.
March 16, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley for the E ARC. Every summer for as long as they can remember, Jess, Chloe, and Ava have spent blissful summers at their summer homes in Pennsylvania. This 2019 summer though, things change dramatically. Jess starts to get feelings for both girls, especially Chloe, his parents are having marriage problems, and his dad, a doctor, isn't eating and has lost a ton of weight. Unfortunately, for Jess, his parents head back to New York so his summer is cut short, leaving things open-ended with Chloe and Ava.
What I liked: I loved Jess's relationship (at times laugh out loud awkward) with the two girls, Ava's little sister, Annie, and with his sister Leah who actually was betting on Jess's love life with her boyfriend. Many of my students have dealt with their parents divorcing and will relate to Jess going through this, and there are even funny parts throughout the divorce. The pandemic adds another twist to the story, but the author even manages to find some humor in that.
What I didn't like: Absolutely nothing; this book is fantastic. My only problem, ironically, is that since Covid, my students really aren't drawn to stories like this--they want horror, mystery, romance, and graphic novels. I am going to hand sell this book like crazy though and I'll also recommend this to my 8th grade teachers as a read aloud. This book is just too fantastic for students to miss out on.
CW: death of a parent and grandparent, divorce, the pandemic. There was some kissing and a vague night with Chloe (Did something happen? We'll never know).
What I liked: I loved Jess's relationship (at times laugh out loud awkward) with the two girls, Ava's little sister, Annie, and with his sister Leah who actually was betting on Jess's love life with her boyfriend. Many of my students have dealt with their parents divorcing and will relate to Jess going through this, and there are even funny parts throughout the divorce. The pandemic adds another twist to the story, but the author even manages to find some humor in that.
What I didn't like: Absolutely nothing; this book is fantastic. My only problem, ironically, is that since Covid, my students really aren't drawn to stories like this--they want horror, mystery, romance, and graphic novels. I am going to hand sell this book like crazy though and I'll also recommend this to my 8th grade teachers as a read aloud. This book is just too fantastic for students to miss out on.
CW: death of a parent and grandparent, divorce, the pandemic. There was some kissing and a vague night with Chloe (Did something happen? We'll never know).
June 7, 2024
This book started off really strong with characters I felt an immediate connection to. The tone of the book makes it clear that they're going to go through a lot and the book would address several serious topics. While this is true... after a while I really started to struggle to get through this book. There's just no. plot. It is a very, very character-driven story about high school students going through tough times but honestly not doing a lot. That might be the point, and this book might certainly resonate more with readers who can relate to the specific hard times mentioned. But to be honest I got a bit bored and started skimming just to get to the end of the story. Content warnings for death of a parent, death of a grandparent, COVID, and divorce/parental issues.
May 11, 2024
Jesse is living his best summer life with his two best friends Ava and Chloe in Pennsylvania. He's just not too eager to go back to school in New York and face real life. But it seems like his happiness might stop in the Summer of 2019 when he notices his parents are not talking anymore, his best friends are blurring the lines of friendship, and there's more to come as the world shuts down.
Jordan Sonmenblick has done it again! I started reading his books when I was a teen, and my adult self got so excited when he released another YA book.
I read this book not knowing what it's about and I might have been more patient if I have read the book description because this book was so slow in the beginning. It picked up for me a third of the way. But now that I finished the book, I think that was intentional. The way that Jesse was written, I think he's the type of guy who would savor the joy that he has.
Like his other books, this book was full of the realities of life, and heapings of jazz music and bass playing. It's like the author's signature now. And as a long time reader, it's like a welcome back to his books.
Truly. this book touched on so much emotions and feelings and the way it was written was so real. Gentle but would also smack you in the face.
Just a side note: it was a bit funny for me that I wanted to know more about Jesse's parents. LOL! This just shows that I'm an adult myself. But also maybe, I'm more conscious now that parents are people too with problems and feelings that you never thought of as a kid.
Again. an amazing book. I'm happy I got to read another Jordan Sonnenblick YA novel and I'm pretty sure I'll be in line to read the next one (if he ever decides to write another one).
* I have recieved an eARC of this book
Jordan Sonmenblick has done it again! I started reading his books when I was a teen, and my adult self got so excited when he released another YA book.
I read this book not knowing what it's about and I might have been more patient if I have read the book description because this book was so slow in the beginning. It picked up for me a third of the way. But now that I finished the book, I think that was intentional. The way that Jesse was written, I think he's the type of guy who would savor the joy that he has.
Like his other books, this book was full of the realities of life, and heapings of jazz music and bass playing. It's like the author's signature now. And as a long time reader, it's like a welcome back to his books.
Truly. this book touched on so much emotions and feelings and the way it was written was so real. Gentle but would also smack you in the face.
Just a side note: it was a bit funny for me that I wanted to know more about Jesse's parents. LOL! This just shows that I'm an adult myself. But also maybe, I'm more conscious now that parents are people too with problems and feelings that you never thought of as a kid.
Again. an amazing book. I'm happy I got to read another Jordan Sonnenblick YA novel and I'm pretty sure I'll be in line to read the next one (if he ever decides to write another one).
* I have recieved an eARC of this book
March 8, 2024
This book was wonderful, as was expected from this author!It was really interesting to see how the main character and his relationships were able to grow and develop, even through a really tough situation. I thought the miscommunication between the main character and one of the girls was especially funny. Overall, lovely book, would definitely recommend!
March 30, 2024
I love a good coming to age story and teenage angst. It's been a long time since I've been in my teens and reading about Jesse and the things he experiences day to day was another loud reminder about how old and out of touch I am. But the author perfectly captured the emotions a young persons goes through regardless of age or gender.
March 28, 2024
4.5
this book is the feeling of sun on your face and teenage angst
this book is the feeling of sun on your face and teenage angst
August 1, 2024
Sonnenblick in top form!
July 8, 2024
Jesse looks forward to spending the summer in Pennsylvania. He gets to hang out with his two best friends, Chloe and Ava. They all work at the recreation center. Jesse spends his time giving tennis lessons to the kids and the old ladies. When the three of them aren't working, they are hanging out and enjoying the summer.
One problem Jesse has is that he is pretty sure he is in love with both Chloe and Ava. He fantasizes about them but knows he can't act on his feelings without hurting one of them.
His feelings about the girls aren't the only things bothering Jesse this particular summer. His parents have been arguing constantly. They never seem to be in the same place at the same time, and their excuses seem like complete lies. Jesse's older sister Leah agrees that something is going on, but she's too busy with her boyfriend to be much help.
The summer ends with an encounter between Jesse and Chloe that has Jesse hoping there might be more to their best friend relationship than he once thought. As his junior year begins, connecting with Chloe becomes difficult, and his parents' marriage is steadily crumbling. As his grades slip, he tries to lose himself in his love of music.
The arrival of a worldwide pandemic changes everything. Schools shut down, his elderly grandparents living in Florida are in danger from the virus, and he finds himself stuck living in a small apartment with his mother. One crisis follows another as Jesse tries to hold himself together.
Author Jordan Sonnenblick, known for DRUMS, GIRLS, AND DANGEROUS PIE, has written another hit. STEPPING OFF takes readers on a rollercoaster of ups and downs that will have them rooting for Jesse and his family and friends.
One problem Jesse has is that he is pretty sure he is in love with both Chloe and Ava. He fantasizes about them but knows he can't act on his feelings without hurting one of them.
His feelings about the girls aren't the only things bothering Jesse this particular summer. His parents have been arguing constantly. They never seem to be in the same place at the same time, and their excuses seem like complete lies. Jesse's older sister Leah agrees that something is going on, but she's too busy with her boyfriend to be much help.
The summer ends with an encounter between Jesse and Chloe that has Jesse hoping there might be more to their best friend relationship than he once thought. As his junior year begins, connecting with Chloe becomes difficult, and his parents' marriage is steadily crumbling. As his grades slip, he tries to lose himself in his love of music.
The arrival of a worldwide pandemic changes everything. Schools shut down, his elderly grandparents living in Florida are in danger from the virus, and he finds himself stuck living in a small apartment with his mother. One crisis follows another as Jesse tries to hold himself together.
Author Jordan Sonnenblick, known for DRUMS, GIRLS, AND DANGEROUS PIE, has written another hit. STEPPING OFF takes readers on a rollercoaster of ups and downs that will have them rooting for Jesse and his family and friends.
June 24, 2024
I stumbled across this brand new book by a favorite YA fiction author and had to read it right away. There are so many ways to connect with Jesse as he faces family struggles, changing friendships/love triangle, and even the Covid 19 pandemic. I loved it and think my middle school students will too!
March 2, 2025
Amazing. If you like complicated, sweet, and more complicated, this book is for you. This book is so much more than romance, this book is about family. This book is about friends. This book means so much more than the protagonist's love endeavors. This book gave me so much perspective on relationships. If you want something to feel, read this book. 5/5 <3
July 9, 2024
Jordan Sonnenblick has done it again! He’s created a character to fall in love with. Jesse will capture your heart with his love for his family and friends. His teenage struggles will have you feeling all the feels. A must read!
July 7, 2024
Loved this!
September 3, 2025
I loved this book! The only thing I didn't like was it's a little depressing and there's not that much romance. But besides that I loved it and would read again
July 5, 2024
I really enjoyed this YA story that deals with real life issues for HS students during the pandemic.
June 17, 2024
This is the type of book that if I were still a school librarian, I would promote actively as well as keeping it as a book to give to those students who needed its story. The mixture of a rough friendship, parental marriage issues, and COVID were well integrated into a book I couldn't put down. (And not just because I've been a Jordan Sonnenblick fan since Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie which I have read and reread multiple times.)
April 1, 2025
A heartfelt story about teenage relationships. The story took place around the COVID pandemic. I haven’t read many stories that took place during this era. Jordan Sonnenblick captured the feelings occurring during this historic moment.
May 20, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley & Scholastic Press for the early copy in exchange for an honest review.
What a rollercoaster of emotions! You think this book would just be about a love triangle but it's more about how messy human connection is. Jess is trying to navigate life, love, and friendship, when everything keeps going wrong.
My favorite part of the book is how involved the adults are in the story and how their mistakes are shown--but they grow and learn from it. They're not one dimensional parents that just ground their kid every five seconds, they're human beings with flaws. The grandparents were really sweet to read about too.
Definitely recommend for anyone interested in realistic fiction with characters who feel as real as you and me.
What a rollercoaster of emotions! You think this book would just be about a love triangle but it's more about how messy human connection is. Jess is trying to navigate life, love, and friendship, when everything keeps going wrong.
My favorite part of the book is how involved the adults are in the story and how their mistakes are shown--but they grow and learn from it. They're not one dimensional parents that just ground their kid every five seconds, they're human beings with flaws. The grandparents were really sweet to read about too.
Definitely recommend for anyone interested in realistic fiction with characters who feel as real as you and me.
January 28, 2025
Great YA book. Easy to read.
February 18, 2024
E ARC Provided by Edelweiss Plus
When Jesse is at his family's home in Tall Pines Landings, everything seems better. Unlike his life in Long Island, where he commutes into Manhattan for school, his life in Pennsylvania includes good friends, fun activities, and a feeling that "the real world isn't real". That's the slogan for the community, but also something that Jesse holds onto tightly when he is in New York. His long time best friends are Ava and Chloe, and since he is heading into his junior year in high school, he's trying to reconcile his feelings of friendship with the romantic attraction he feels... to both girls. On some days, he thinks that he wants to be involved with moody Ava, whose younger sister Annie he coaches in tennis, but on others, he prefers the sunny, carefree Chloe. Lately, though, his attention has been taken off of his friendships and his musical interests by his parents constant bickering. His mother, a high school teacher, and his father, a busy doctor, fight over everything, and have started to avoid being in the same place at the same time. Feeling that maybe his mother is hiding a new relationship, Jesse reaches out to his grandparents, who come to visit from Florida to assess the situation as well as spend time with Jesse and his sister Leah, who is in college. There's not much the grandparents can do, but his grandmother does leave him with a freezer full of matzo ball soup. When Ava's mother dies, her grief distracts the teens from relationship problems for a while, but also distances them from each other. Jesse and Chloe finally connect after a romantic evening on the lake, but when Jesse is called back to New York suddenly, he doesn't know where the relationship stands. He doesn't want to say anything to Ava when he can't talk to her in person, and this upsets his remote support network. He starts the school year, but everything seems off. He has a good friend, Carson, but things just aren't right. He tries to visit Chloe, but that doesn't go well, and it's hard to deal with his parents being separated, especially with Leah off at college. When March of 2020 rolls around, the Pandemic causes lots of changes. Jesse's father has to work at the hospital and retirement facilities, so doesn't want Jesse to be exposed to him. For a while, Jesse and his mother live in her apartment, but eventually decide to head out to Tall Pines Landings. Eventually, Chloe and Ava's families come as well, and Jesse has to come to terms with the fact that his world of refuge has suddenly become his "real world". He has to deal with remote schooling, family members getting ill, and Chloe and Ava needing answers. As the lockdown continues, will he find a way to figure out both of his lives?
Sonnenblick always does such a fantastic job of writing young adult books that also speak to middle grade sensibilities, and is one of the few authors writing realistic, sometimes humorous fiction for adolescent males. I think that adults forget how all encompassing the desire for romantic entanglements is in high school, but Sonnenblick has not. Jesse's attraction to both girls is real, compelling, and utterly confusing to him. Getting a whiff of Chloe's hair can almost make him faint. He doesn't want to hurt either girl, but likes them both equally. This will sound all too familiar to high school readers, and will be a tantalizing peek at the future for middle school ones.
Jesse has other interests, of course. He works at the Tall Pines recreation center and is very sweet with Ava's sister Annie. He plays guitar, and composes songs for his friends, some more successful than others. He attends a very competitive math and science school, and the depiction of his grades falling when he is struggling with family issues is all too realistic.
The family issues are something I would love to see come into play a lot more in realistic fiction. Young people spend a lot of time with their families, and when things are stressful, it can affect every aspect of their lives. It's good to see that Ava does take some solace in being with Jesse and Chloe after her mother's death, and also that Jesse and his sister are able to remain friendly when their parents are squabbling. Jesse's grandparents felt so utterly real to me, and their experience during the pandemic was painfully close to home.
The best part of this book might just be the portrayal of life during the COVID-19 pandemic. I've read several books set during that time, but none of them seemed quite right. Perhaps it was too soon. When Jesse describes the days at school leading up to Friday, March 13 as having "a weird, day-before-Christmas-if-Christmas-were-a-nuclear-holocaust vibe in the air", that's exactly what it felt like to me. I didn't see anyone in person for months, and didn't hang out in stained sweatpants, but somehow Jesse's pandemic felt very much like my own. The fact that we were involved in his life for quite a while before the pandemic hit made the contrast all the more poignant.
I've been a fan of Sonnenblick's ever since Notes from a Midnight Driver, which is about the same age as Jesse now, and never quite believe that the books are as good as they are. How can they be such a fantastic mix of "awkward multiplied by heartbreak" and still be so funny? I don't know, but I am glad to see this new title, and will hope for many, many more.
When Jesse is at his family's home in Tall Pines Landings, everything seems better. Unlike his life in Long Island, where he commutes into Manhattan for school, his life in Pennsylvania includes good friends, fun activities, and a feeling that "the real world isn't real". That's the slogan for the community, but also something that Jesse holds onto tightly when he is in New York. His long time best friends are Ava and Chloe, and since he is heading into his junior year in high school, he's trying to reconcile his feelings of friendship with the romantic attraction he feels... to both girls. On some days, he thinks that he wants to be involved with moody Ava, whose younger sister Annie he coaches in tennis, but on others, he prefers the sunny, carefree Chloe. Lately, though, his attention has been taken off of his friendships and his musical interests by his parents constant bickering. His mother, a high school teacher, and his father, a busy doctor, fight over everything, and have started to avoid being in the same place at the same time. Feeling that maybe his mother is hiding a new relationship, Jesse reaches out to his grandparents, who come to visit from Florida to assess the situation as well as spend time with Jesse and his sister Leah, who is in college. There's not much the grandparents can do, but his grandmother does leave him with a freezer full of matzo ball soup. When Ava's mother dies, her grief distracts the teens from relationship problems for a while, but also distances them from each other. Jesse and Chloe finally connect after a romantic evening on the lake, but when Jesse is called back to New York suddenly, he doesn't know where the relationship stands. He doesn't want to say anything to Ava when he can't talk to her in person, and this upsets his remote support network. He starts the school year, but everything seems off. He has a good friend, Carson, but things just aren't right. He tries to visit Chloe, but that doesn't go well, and it's hard to deal with his parents being separated, especially with Leah off at college. When March of 2020 rolls around, the Pandemic causes lots of changes. Jesse's father has to work at the hospital and retirement facilities, so doesn't want Jesse to be exposed to him. For a while, Jesse and his mother live in her apartment, but eventually decide to head out to Tall Pines Landings. Eventually, Chloe and Ava's families come as well, and Jesse has to come to terms with the fact that his world of refuge has suddenly become his "real world". He has to deal with remote schooling, family members getting ill, and Chloe and Ava needing answers. As the lockdown continues, will he find a way to figure out both of his lives?
Sonnenblick always does such a fantastic job of writing young adult books that also speak to middle grade sensibilities, and is one of the few authors writing realistic, sometimes humorous fiction for adolescent males. I think that adults forget how all encompassing the desire for romantic entanglements is in high school, but Sonnenblick has not. Jesse's attraction to both girls is real, compelling, and utterly confusing to him. Getting a whiff of Chloe's hair can almost make him faint. He doesn't want to hurt either girl, but likes them both equally. This will sound all too familiar to high school readers, and will be a tantalizing peek at the future for middle school ones.
Jesse has other interests, of course. He works at the Tall Pines recreation center and is very sweet with Ava's sister Annie. He plays guitar, and composes songs for his friends, some more successful than others. He attends a very competitive math and science school, and the depiction of his grades falling when he is struggling with family issues is all too realistic.
The family issues are something I would love to see come into play a lot more in realistic fiction. Young people spend a lot of time with their families, and when things are stressful, it can affect every aspect of their lives. It's good to see that Ava does take some solace in being with Jesse and Chloe after her mother's death, and also that Jesse and his sister are able to remain friendly when their parents are squabbling. Jesse's grandparents felt so utterly real to me, and their experience during the pandemic was painfully close to home.
The best part of this book might just be the portrayal of life during the COVID-19 pandemic. I've read several books set during that time, but none of them seemed quite right. Perhaps it was too soon. When Jesse describes the days at school leading up to Friday, March 13 as having "a weird, day-before-Christmas-if-Christmas-were-a-nuclear-holocaust vibe in the air", that's exactly what it felt like to me. I didn't see anyone in person for months, and didn't hang out in stained sweatpants, but somehow Jesse's pandemic felt very much like my own. The fact that we were involved in his life for quite a while before the pandemic hit made the contrast all the more poignant.
I've been a fan of Sonnenblick's ever since Notes from a Midnight Driver, which is about the same age as Jesse now, and never quite believe that the books are as good as they are. How can they be such a fantastic mix of "awkward multiplied by heartbreak" and still be so funny? I don't know, but I am glad to see this new title, and will hope for many, many more.
July 6, 2024
So good
December 15, 2024
ORIGINAL REVIEW: http://www.nerdprobs.com/books/book-r...
**A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**
Stepping Off gives you the illusion it will be a feel-good summer YA Fiction novel, but it's depths range farther than the eye can see and brings a lot more to the table. The story follows Jesse as he is in summer with his two best friends, both girls and both beautiful in their own ways. Also... Jesse loved them both. Awkward? From the start, I felt bad for Jesse. He had himself in such a predicament. There was going to be no easy way out of this situation without utter chaos. Every adult knows that. With that said, I loved the dynamic of these three friends. They seemed to balance each other out well and you can feel the amount they care about each other.
Then things start to spiral more than they already had. Jesse's mom has left his dad, Covid has shut down the world, people are mad at each other and his life seems to be crumbling. I really felt the emotions this kid was going through. I felt he handled a lot of his issues wrong by not mentioning it and trying to deal with everything internally. That is likely a teenage thing, because that bothered me. My only issue with this story was there was a lot going on, but not enough focus on one individual problem. I get the point was probably that Jesse's life had a LOT of problems, but when I read a story I want there to be a focal point and I'm not sure I felt that with this. There was a lot of small and big things happening and I got a little whiplash trying to keep up with each problem.
With that said, I felt the story overall was good. There was a lot of deeper emotions when reading than I expected from a YA fiction, which is really nice. It wasn't super fluffy and had a lot of hard-hitting topics. I think more YA books could benefit from some deeper topics. I will definitely check out more from Sonnenblick in the future. You should absolutely check out Stepping Off if you love a great YA Fiction that starts in summer and carries on into the "real world" as Jesse would say.
**A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**
Stepping Off gives you the illusion it will be a feel-good summer YA Fiction novel, but it's depths range farther than the eye can see and brings a lot more to the table. The story follows Jesse as he is in summer with his two best friends, both girls and both beautiful in their own ways. Also... Jesse loved them both. Awkward? From the start, I felt bad for Jesse. He had himself in such a predicament. There was going to be no easy way out of this situation without utter chaos. Every adult knows that. With that said, I loved the dynamic of these three friends. They seemed to balance each other out well and you can feel the amount they care about each other.
Then things start to spiral more than they already had. Jesse's mom has left his dad, Covid has shut down the world, people are mad at each other and his life seems to be crumbling. I really felt the emotions this kid was going through. I felt he handled a lot of his issues wrong by not mentioning it and trying to deal with everything internally. That is likely a teenage thing, because that bothered me. My only issue with this story was there was a lot going on, but not enough focus on one individual problem. I get the point was probably that Jesse's life had a LOT of problems, but when I read a story I want there to be a focal point and I'm not sure I felt that with this. There was a lot of small and big things happening and I got a little whiplash trying to keep up with each problem.
With that said, I felt the story overall was good. There was a lot of deeper emotions when reading than I expected from a YA fiction, which is really nice. It wasn't super fluffy and had a lot of hard-hitting topics. I think more YA books could benefit from some deeper topics. I will definitely check out more from Sonnenblick in the future. You should absolutely check out Stepping Off if you love a great YA Fiction that starts in summer and carries on into the "real world" as Jesse would say.
February 19, 2024
I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review..
This book is a young adult title suited for young high school aged readers. I guess you can call it a “coming of age” story of sorts. Beyond that I am not sure what the book aims to be.
It’s about a young man, Jesse who is entering his junior year of high school in the Fall of 2019. He spends the summer in a vacation community in Pennsylvania with his two female best friends of whom he has crushes on both of them, not knowing which one he truly likes.
The story goes through his summer with the girls and talks about his parents deteriorating marriage. Other life hiccups take place as well. He starts his Junior year and it takes us to 2020 and the CoVid-19 Pandemic.
The book overall was fine. I liked the fact that it was a teen male protagonist who detailed the ups and downs of being a teen. In that aspect it’s a decent enough story for young men to identify with. The challenge is it doesn’t have enough of a hook or a riveting storyline for said teen to want to connect with it right off.
The biggest issue I had was the retelling of the Covid part of the book. The author rewrote a bit of history in the time line aspect. For instance it was roughly late January or the start of February and Jesse was contemplating shut downs and wanting to visit him grandparents in case he wasnt allowed to. He wanted to get them supplies to know they would be ok. However his feelings didn’t make sense for the timeline of the book. So it took you out of the reality of the story as it appeared that Jesse was a bit clairvoyant to have the thoughts and feelings he did. However, most could probably get past it.
Overall I recommend this book for younger readers as it’s always good to have teen male characters to identify with.
This book is a young adult title suited for young high school aged readers. I guess you can call it a “coming of age” story of sorts. Beyond that I am not sure what the book aims to be.
It’s about a young man, Jesse who is entering his junior year of high school in the Fall of 2019. He spends the summer in a vacation community in Pennsylvania with his two female best friends of whom he has crushes on both of them, not knowing which one he truly likes.
The story goes through his summer with the girls and talks about his parents deteriorating marriage. Other life hiccups take place as well. He starts his Junior year and it takes us to 2020 and the CoVid-19 Pandemic.
The book overall was fine. I liked the fact that it was a teen male protagonist who detailed the ups and downs of being a teen. In that aspect it’s a decent enough story for young men to identify with. The challenge is it doesn’t have enough of a hook or a riveting storyline for said teen to want to connect with it right off.
The biggest issue I had was the retelling of the Covid part of the book. The author rewrote a bit of history in the time line aspect. For instance it was roughly late January or the start of February and Jesse was contemplating shut downs and wanting to visit him grandparents in case he wasnt allowed to. He wanted to get them supplies to know they would be ok. However his feelings didn’t make sense for the timeline of the book. So it took you out of the reality of the story as it appeared that Jesse was a bit clairvoyant to have the thoughts and feelings he did. However, most could probably get past it.
Overall I recommend this book for younger readers as it’s always good to have teen male characters to identify with.
August 1, 2024
After thoroughly enjoying The Boy Who Failed Dodgeball, this book is a complete disappointment. Although there are some endearing moments, particularly in the first 1/3, most of the book is a slog as MC Jesse records his day to day thoughts about his parent’s impending divorce, his father’s anorexia problem, his conflicted feelings about his two summer friends, and all the chaos of the Covid-19 shutdown. On that last one, I have to ask authors to please stop writing about the pandemic. It’s done. There’s nothing interesting about it because we all lived through it.
The book starts off reasonably well. Jesse, Chloe and Ava have known each other for years since they all have summer vacation homes on the same cul-de-sac. It’s now the summer before 11th grade and Jesse is struggling because he’s having romantic feelings for Chloe, but doesn’t want to hurt Ava. And just when he an Chloe share a first kiss on a romantic evening on the lake, his dad has a heatstroke playing baseball and they all have to go home before he can say goodbye to either girl.
His life picks up back in New York and from here on out the book is boring. I seriously can’t believe I finished it. Every character is more interesting than Jesse. In fact, my favorite chapters include one or both girls. Another big problem with this book is I don’t see there being an audience. I mean, it’s clearly marketed to 7th/8th graders, but I can’t think of a single boy or girl who would choose this book from all the books on the shelf. The boys I know go for sports, action, thriller, fantasy. The girls go for romance (female lead), thriller, and fantasy. I’m just scratching my head. It’s a hard sell.
The book starts off reasonably well. Jesse, Chloe and Ava have known each other for years since they all have summer vacation homes on the same cul-de-sac. It’s now the summer before 11th grade and Jesse is struggling because he’s having romantic feelings for Chloe, but doesn’t want to hurt Ava. And just when he an Chloe share a first kiss on a romantic evening on the lake, his dad has a heatstroke playing baseball and they all have to go home before he can say goodbye to either girl.
His life picks up back in New York and from here on out the book is boring. I seriously can’t believe I finished it. Every character is more interesting than Jesse. In fact, my favorite chapters include one or both girls. Another big problem with this book is I don’t see there being an audience. I mean, it’s clearly marketed to 7th/8th graders, but I can’t think of a single boy or girl who would choose this book from all the books on the shelf. The boys I know go for sports, action, thriller, fantasy. The girls go for romance (female lead), thriller, and fantasy. I’m just scratching my head. It’s a hard sell.
May 14, 2025
Stepping Off by Jordan Sonnenblick is a young adult literature and domestic fiction genre. The main characters are Jesse, Ava, and Chloe, who are all best friends, but they are in a love triangle because Jesse loves them both but can't decide which one he wants. During the summer, they visit their next door vacation houses in Pennsylvania, and all work at the Rec Center to make money. Life seems great, but then things start to head downhill as Jesse screws things up with his best friends, family members are dying, parents get divorced, and COVID starts taking over.
I did enjoy reading this book because it was good and funny and I thought some parts of it were super cheesy and dorky. I don't know if I would recommend this book to anyone because what I thought I would be reading turned out totally different towards the end and there were some parts that got sad and depressing. For example, the beginning started off totally normal and how I expected, but then there was a plot twist and so much else started happening so in my opinion it got hard to follow. But, it was interesting because the book did relate to the real world since the time period was 2019 and 2020 when COVID was just starting, and the way the author wrote about the character's lives during COVID gave me another perspective of what lives other people were living during that time.
Overall, the book was pretty good, I wouldn't read it again but maybe I would recommend it to someone. It made a lot of connections to real life and showed the problems the characters were facing and going through, which made the book better because it wasn't just about teenagers having a good summer, but about the struggles some teenagers go through and how nothing is so simple in life.
I did enjoy reading this book because it was good and funny and I thought some parts of it were super cheesy and dorky. I don't know if I would recommend this book to anyone because what I thought I would be reading turned out totally different towards the end and there were some parts that got sad and depressing. For example, the beginning started off totally normal and how I expected, but then there was a plot twist and so much else started happening so in my opinion it got hard to follow. But, it was interesting because the book did relate to the real world since the time period was 2019 and 2020 when COVID was just starting, and the way the author wrote about the character's lives during COVID gave me another perspective of what lives other people were living during that time.
Overall, the book was pretty good, I wouldn't read it again but maybe I would recommend it to someone. It made a lot of connections to real life and showed the problems the characters were facing and going through, which made the book better because it wasn't just about teenagers having a good summer, but about the struggles some teenagers go through and how nothing is so simple in life.
June 16, 2024
Thank you to Scholastic Press for gifting me an ARC of this title.
Jesse would have loved to have paused his life on the afternoon of May 18, 2019. Everything was perfect at that moment, It was the beginning of the summer before Junior Year. He was in his happy place, the Pennsylvania mountains, with his 2 best friends Chloe and Ava. That moment was before everything fell apart.
Jesse is a typical, awkward, teenage boy who just happens to be equally in love with both Chloe and Ava, and he has no idea what to do about it. But during that summer, everything falls apart: his family, his friendships, and a budding romance. Then, to top it all off the COVID-19 Pandemic hits in the spring of 2020.
I had a hard time getting into this book at first, but I really think my students are going to like it. There is enough humor to balance out the sad parts, and enough drama to keep it interesting.
Content Warnings: Cancer, Death of a Parent, Death of a Grandparent, Teenage alcohol use (1 instance), Divorce, COVID-19 Pandemic, allusions to sex (adult sibling)
I will be purchasing this one for my high school library.
Jesse would have loved to have paused his life on the afternoon of May 18, 2019. Everything was perfect at that moment, It was the beginning of the summer before Junior Year. He was in his happy place, the Pennsylvania mountains, with his 2 best friends Chloe and Ava. That moment was before everything fell apart.
Jesse is a typical, awkward, teenage boy who just happens to be equally in love with both Chloe and Ava, and he has no idea what to do about it. But during that summer, everything falls apart: his family, his friendships, and a budding romance. Then, to top it all off the COVID-19 Pandemic hits in the spring of 2020.
I had a hard time getting into this book at first, but I really think my students are going to like it. There is enough humor to balance out the sad parts, and enough drama to keep it interesting.
Content Warnings: Cancer, Death of a Parent, Death of a Grandparent, Teenage alcohol use (1 instance), Divorce, COVID-19 Pandemic, allusions to sex (adult sibling)
I will be purchasing this one for my high school library.
July 10, 2024
5 stars!
Another excellent book by one of my all time favorite authors!
I listened to the audiobook and Kirby Heyborne (my favorite audio narrator) did a fantastic job as usual!
This was highly anticipated for me and it did not disappoint. This book was interesting because this one truly feels like a YA book, where as the rest of his books definitely feel more Middle Grade. And while all of his books definitely deal with tough subject matter, they are usually paired with lots of middle grade type humor. However, while this book definitely has humor, it felt a bit more mature than his other books.
And like the rest of his books, the characters were great, the story was great, the emotional moments were great, and the overall theme/message of the book was great. No complaints here! One of Sonnenblick's best books to date! 5 stars
Another excellent book by one of my all time favorite authors!
I listened to the audiobook and Kirby Heyborne (my favorite audio narrator) did a fantastic job as usual!
This was highly anticipated for me and it did not disappoint. This book was interesting because this one truly feels like a YA book, where as the rest of his books definitely feel more Middle Grade. And while all of his books definitely deal with tough subject matter, they are usually paired with lots of middle grade type humor. However, while this book definitely has humor, it felt a bit more mature than his other books.
And like the rest of his books, the characters were great, the story was great, the emotional moments were great, and the overall theme/message of the book was great. No complaints here! One of Sonnenblick's best books to date! 5 stars
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