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Holes #2
Small Steps
Two years after Camp Green Lake, Armpit is home in Austin. With a record, everyone expects the worst except disabled neighbor Ginny 10. They take small steps on the right path until Camp pal X-Ray has a get-rich-quick idea. 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.
Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
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About the author
Louis Sachar
95 books4,741 followersLouis Sachar (pronounced Sacker), born March 20, 1954, is an American author of children's books.
Louis was born in East Meadow, New York, in 1954. When he was nine, he moved to Tustin, California. He went to college at the University of California at Berkeley and graduated in 1976, as an economics major. The next year, he wrote his first book, Sideways Stories from Wayside School .
He was working at a sweater warehouse during the day and wrote at night. Almost a year later, he was fired from the job. He decided to go to law school. He attended Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco.
His first book was published while he was in law school. He graduated in 1980. For the next eight years he worked part-time as a lawyer and continued to try to write children's books. Then his books started selling well enough so that he was able to quit practicing law. His wife's name is Carla. When he first met her, she was a counselor at an elementary school. She was the inspiration behind the counselor in There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroom . He was married in 1985. Hisdaughter, Sherre, was born in 1987.
Louis was born in East Meadow, New York, in 1954. When he was nine, he moved to Tustin, California. He went to college at the University of California at Berkeley and graduated in 1976, as an economics major. The next year, he wrote his first book, Sideways Stories from Wayside School .
He was working at a sweater warehouse during the day and wrote at night. Almost a year later, he was fired from the job. He decided to go to law school. He attended Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco.
His first book was published while he was in law school. He graduated in 1980. For the next eight years he worked part-time as a lawyer and continued to try to write children's books. Then his books started selling well enough so that he was able to quit practicing law. His wife's name is Carla. When he first met her, she was a counselor at an elementary school. She was the inspiration behind the counselor in There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroom . He was married in 1985. Hisdaughter, Sherre, was born in 1987.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,120 reviews
December 15, 2019
Fun sequel to the renowned 'Holes'!
Easy entertaining read, just what I needed right now after all the 'dark' books... :-)
A heartwarming book and funny too.
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 Armpit is Ginny, his 10-year old disabled neighbor. Together, they're learning to take small steps.
Armpit seems to be on the right path until X-Ray, buddy from Camp Green Lake, comes up with a get-rich scheme. X-Ray 's moneymaking plan leads Armpit to a chance encounter with teen pop start Kaira Deleon, and suddenly Armpit's life spins out of control.....
Easy entertaining read, just what I needed right now after all the 'dark' books... :-)
A heartwarming book and funny too.
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 Armpit is Ginny, his 10-year old disabled neighbor. Together, they're learning to take small steps.
Armpit seems to be on the right path until X-Ray, buddy from Camp Green Lake, comes up with a get-rich scheme. X-Ray 's moneymaking plan leads Armpit to a chance encounter with teen pop start Kaira Deleon, and suddenly Armpit's life spins out of control.....
February 1, 2016
Small steps,
’Cause I don’t know where I’m goin’.
Small steps,
I just take it day to day.
Small steps,
Somehow get myself together,
Then maybe I’ll discover
Who I am along the way...
I think it's rather silly to label this book a sequel to Holes, when it simply takes two non-prominent characters from Holes and takes their story forward. And that's about the only thing connecting the 2 books, as they couldn't possibly have been more different.
I know a lot of people have had an issue with this book as they quite obviously expected it to live up to the pure magic that Holes had weaved. I knew even before finishing Holes that any other book by the author could not possibly exceed its brilliance. So, I never even had lofty expectations to begin with.
Once again, I listened to the audiobook version and even that was so different from the narration of Holes! While I had shouted from my rooftop that Holes was purely Middlegrade fiction, Small Steps is undoubtedly YA.
The story picks up about two years after the events of Holes take place. I, for one, quite enjoyed the story and felt that it never slackened and I even found many laugh-out-loud moments throughout.
I would also like to add that this was certainly the most realistic YA fiction I've read, and it also deals with issues like racism and reforming and starting over.
I loved the lesson that the book had to offer, that when you're starting over, it's like you're wading through a river upstream; so, take small steps, cuz if you try to take too big a step, the current will most likely knock you over.
’Cause I don’t know where I’m goin’.
Small steps,
I just take it day to day.
Small steps,
Somehow get myself together,
Then maybe I’ll discover
Who I am along the way...
I think it's rather silly to label this book a sequel to Holes, when it simply takes two non-prominent characters from Holes and takes their story forward. And that's about the only thing connecting the 2 books, as they couldn't possibly have been more different.
I know a lot of people have had an issue with this book as they quite obviously expected it to live up to the pure magic that Holes had weaved. I knew even before finishing Holes that any other book by the author could not possibly exceed its brilliance. So, I never even had lofty expectations to begin with.
Once again, I listened to the audiobook version and even that was so different from the narration of Holes! While I had shouted from my rooftop that Holes was purely Middlegrade fiction, Small Steps is undoubtedly YA.
The story picks up about two years after the events of Holes take place. I, for one, quite enjoyed the story and felt that it never slackened and I even found many laugh-out-loud moments throughout.
I would also like to add that this was certainly the most realistic YA fiction I've read, and it also deals with issues like racism and reforming and starting over.
I loved the lesson that the book had to offer, that when you're starting over, it's like you're wading through a river upstream; so, take small steps, cuz if you try to take too big a step, the current will most likely knock you over.
May 12, 2008
Reviewed by Christian C. for TeensReadToo.com
Remember Armpit, from HOLES? It's been two years since he was released from Camp Green Lake Juvenile Correctional Facility, and ever since, he's been trying to stay clean. In order to stay clean, he's established for himself five small steps:
1. Graduate from high school.
2. Get a job.
3. Save his money.
4. Avoid situations that might turn violent.
5. Lose the name Armpit.
(By the way, this is not a sequel to HOLES; you don't need to read HOLES to enjoy this book.)
At first, everything goes smoothly, but, slowly, every single one of those steps will be challenged.
For the past year, Armpit has been working for a landscaping and irrigation company, and he has saved almost a thousand dollars. But one day, his friend from camp, X-Ray, tells him that he has the perfect plan to double his money. Rock singer Kaira DeLeon is going on tour, and her next stop is their own town. X-Ray's plan is to buy twelve tickets and resell them for double the money. But since X-Ray doesn't have any money, he asks Armpit for all his savings. Armpit is not sure that this plan is such a great idea, but he doesn't want to let his friend down. So after giving it a lot of thought, he decides to do it.
When I read that I went: What? Is he stupid or what? Of course he's never going to see his money again! Or is he?
Well, unfortunately that's all I can tell you. Oh, wait! There is something else I can tell you -- somehow, Armpit and his 10-year-old neighbor, who suffers cerebral paralysis, get to meet rock star Kaira DeLeon. But you'll have to read the book to learn how that neat twist unfolds.
To me, SMALL STEPS was like a good meal that left me completely satisfied. The story kept surprising me with its unexpected turns.
There's plenty of action, there are good guys you root for and bad guys you wish the worst for, there are a lot of funny moments, and sad moments, too. SMALL STEPS is very good read. Maybe it's not as strong as HOLES; nevertheless,it's a good story.
Remember Armpit, from HOLES? It's been two years since he was released from Camp Green Lake Juvenile Correctional Facility, and ever since, he's been trying to stay clean. In order to stay clean, he's established for himself five small steps:
1. Graduate from high school.
2. Get a job.
3. Save his money.
4. Avoid situations that might turn violent.
5. Lose the name Armpit.
(By the way, this is not a sequel to HOLES; you don't need to read HOLES to enjoy this book.)
At first, everything goes smoothly, but, slowly, every single one of those steps will be challenged.
For the past year, Armpit has been working for a landscaping and irrigation company, and he has saved almost a thousand dollars. But one day, his friend from camp, X-Ray, tells him that he has the perfect plan to double his money. Rock singer Kaira DeLeon is going on tour, and her next stop is their own town. X-Ray's plan is to buy twelve tickets and resell them for double the money. But since X-Ray doesn't have any money, he asks Armpit for all his savings. Armpit is not sure that this plan is such a great idea, but he doesn't want to let his friend down. So after giving it a lot of thought, he decides to do it.
When I read that I went: What? Is he stupid or what? Of course he's never going to see his money again! Or is he?
Well, unfortunately that's all I can tell you. Oh, wait! There is something else I can tell you -- somehow, Armpit and his 10-year-old neighbor, who suffers cerebral paralysis, get to meet rock star Kaira DeLeon. But you'll have to read the book to learn how that neat twist unfolds.
To me, SMALL STEPS was like a good meal that left me completely satisfied. The story kept surprising me with its unexpected turns.
There's plenty of action, there are good guys you root for and bad guys you wish the worst for, there are a lot of funny moments, and sad moments, too. SMALL STEPS is very good read. Maybe it's not as strong as HOLES; nevertheless,it's a good story.
January 10, 2008
I can't tell if this was supposed to be a young adult book or not. Small Steps is a sequel to the book Holes, which was fun to read. In this second book, Sachar follows Armpit as he transitions back into society after his stint at Camp Green Lake. I thought the premise had potential, but in my opinion, it was a fairly transparent story about puppy love and cliche rehabilitation. The book ends with a startling act of violence which doesn't fit with the rest of the story, and then leaves the two main characters hanging at the point when something truly interesting could have happened. Not my favorite.
February 4, 2025
4 Stars for Small Steps: Holes, Book 2 (audiobook) by Louis Sachar read by Curtis McClarin.
Armpit is back in Austin trying to put the time he spent at Camp Green Lake behind him. It’s hard to find a job when you’ve got a record but he’s saved up some money and that’s when his buddy X-Ray has a plan to score big. He needs the money to buy concert tickets for a popular show. You know that it must end badly for any get rich quick scheme. But it’s an amazing journey that the author takes us on. It’s definitely a story that I couldn never dream up.
Armpit is back in Austin trying to put the time he spent at Camp Green Lake behind him. It’s hard to find a job when you’ve got a record but he’s saved up some money and that’s when his buddy X-Ray has a plan to score big. He needs the money to buy concert tickets for a popular show. You know that it must end badly for any get rich quick scheme. But it’s an amazing journey that the author takes us on. It’s definitely a story that I couldn never dream up.
June 8, 2008
Last we saw Armpit, he was digging holes at Camp Green Lake. Now, Armpit (nicknamed for a wasp bite on his armpit) is still digging holes, but now he's getting paid for it, working for a landscaper in his hometown of Austin, TX. Armpit (or Theodore, as he prefers to be called) is trying to straighten his life out after two years of juvie, while everyone is expecting the worst of him. The only person who believes in him is his feisty ten-year-old neighbor Ginny, who has cerebral palsy. He is earning honest money and going to summer school and trying to stay on the straight and narrow. His life is slowly beginning to get back on track when X-Ray, his old buddy from Camp Green Lake, shows up, with a double-your-money ticket-scalping scheme. Armpit fronts him the money, and ends up taking Ginny to the concert. An incident at the concert vaults him and Ginny into arms of teen pop star Kaira deLeon - and into more excitement that Armpit expected.
There are certain books that come together perfectly, as if the author has stumbled across the secret - and it is almost certain that, even though they will write other excellent books, they will never hit upon that secret to perfection again. Holes was one of those books, and as such, Small Steps is not. It is, however, quite a good book on its own. It is a quieter book. It lacks the excitement and magic of all the pieces coming together, of a generation-spanning curse and a rags-to-riches happy ending. But it has something possibly much better. Armpit never gets the happily ever after. What he has are the small, more realistic steps on the way to a happy life. He is realistic and world-wise, and even as Sachar keeps telling us that he has violent tendancies (what sent him to Camp Green Lake in the first place) we keep seeing his gentle side. His relationship with Ginny (especially in contrast with his relationship with Kaira) is wonderful to read, and I'd love to read a Ginny-centric book. I especially enjoyed the lack of a happily ever after ending. Armpit is not a character who would be comfortable with a fairy tale ending. Armpit is a character who wants to work his way to a succesful life on the straight and narrow, and as such, he is a character we can sincerely care about and relate to, and cheer for every step of the way.
There are certain books that come together perfectly, as if the author has stumbled across the secret - and it is almost certain that, even though they will write other excellent books, they will never hit upon that secret to perfection again. Holes was one of those books, and as such, Small Steps is not. It is, however, quite a good book on its own. It is a quieter book. It lacks the excitement and magic of all the pieces coming together, of a generation-spanning curse and a rags-to-riches happy ending. But it has something possibly much better. Armpit never gets the happily ever after. What he has are the small, more realistic steps on the way to a happy life. He is realistic and world-wise, and even as Sachar keeps telling us that he has violent tendancies (what sent him to Camp Green Lake in the first place) we keep seeing his gentle side. His relationship with Ginny (especially in contrast with his relationship with Kaira) is wonderful to read, and I'd love to read a Ginny-centric book. I especially enjoyed the lack of a happily ever after ending. Armpit is not a character who would be comfortable with a fairy tale ending. Armpit is a character who wants to work his way to a succesful life on the straight and narrow, and as such, he is a character we can sincerely care about and relate to, and cheer for every step of the way.
September 6, 2022
I’ve read “Holes” by Louis Sachar an innumerable amount of times since first discovering the book at the age of 10. Finally managing to get my hands on the follow-up/sequel to such a beloved book, I can honestly say “Small Steps” was beautiful. It was charming, witty, funny, heartbreaking, and surprisingly quite violent. I am glad I finally finished the “Holes” series after 13 years, even more that the final entry had such a powerful yet touching ending.
August 6, 2007
Should have stopped at Holes.
April 4, 2021
THIS IS THE BEST BOOK I’VE READ ALL YEAR. Ok I love both Holes and Small Steps dearly, but this is my first time reading Small Steps.
I didn’t intend to, but I stayed up till 4am listening to the audiobook.
1) It’s not at all like Holes
I almost dropped it at first because it felt so different. There’s none of the magic and whimsy, and it grounds the Camp Green Lake boys with real-world problems. Holes to me felt otherworldly, with its dried up lakes and thumb-shaped mountains and mystical curses, whereas Small Steps is much more familiar, with all the monotony of schoolwork and money issues and parents. But Small Steps doesn’t try to be like Holes. Aside from X-Ray of course and the few cameos of Sploosh, the world is unrecognizable yet still manages to touch your heart, just in a completely different way.
2) When you think the conflict has resolved and the story is coming to an end, MORE SHIT HAPPENS
I honestly thought the concert scene was gonna be the end, with Armpit finally being done with the whole ticket enterprise. LITTLE DID I KNOW... There’s not only one main conflict and resolution, but so many ups and downs such that you find yourself holding your breath for the characters, just when you had finally let the last one out.
3) Armpit and Ginny’s entire relationship
I think it was the introduction of Ginny as a character that made me decide to continue with the book. Her relationship with Armpit makes me so happy (again, I’m a sucker for good communication and mutual understanding), and my favourite moments in the story often involved these two (notably, Armpit’s speech about Coo).
4) Louis Sachar’s allyship
Although written by a white (presumably able-bodied) man, the discussions of racism and disability were done surprisingly sensitively. This was published in 2006, and it still reads relevant today. I especially liked how Ginny’s cerebral palsy was included not just for diversity’s sake (like I sometimes see in other stories) but actually served to influence the other characters and plot. We were shown what Ginny was capable of, and nothing about it felt didactic. As for dealing with racism, I appreciated how Sachar included examples of both microaggressions and more egregious acts. Of course, there are limitations in this representation, but like with Ginny’s disability, it was important to me that Armpit’s race was not used purely in a one-off scene to show that “racism is bad,” but that it had a continuous and tangible impact on the direction of the plot.
5) SACHAR KNOWS MUSIC BABY
I just KNOW Sachar has been to some sick ass concerts in his youth because Kiara’s concert was the real fucking deal. HE KNOWS THE BASS IS SEXY.
6) Ticket hustling gave me secondhand anxiety
There is nothing more anxiety-inducing than having tickets you can’t sell and watching the concert date draw nearer. I had flashbacks to when Ticketmaster glitched and I ended up paying twice for tickets. (Unfortunately, that wasn’t the only time I was scrambling to sell.) I very much absorbed all of Armpit’s tension.
7) X-Ray’s whole personality changed
Having just read Holes and understanding X-Ray to be the leader of the boys, I did not expect him to be so weasely. This wasn’t so unsettling as it was interesting to see how different Stanley’s and Armpit’s views of X-Ray are.
8)
9) The ending was fast
There was like 20 mins left and a whole left to be resolved and I had to double check that there was no third book because the story didn’t seem like it would end in time. Well everything was resolved and we even got to see a bit of the future. But the whole m***** came as a surprise. It was then that I saw a hint of the surrealism that Holes had.
10) Audiobook is better
I didn’t read the physical book so I don’t know if this is true, but THE AUDIOBOOK IS SO GOOD. The narrator does such a good job, especially for X-Ray, but tbh he makes all the characters feel so real. I was so engaged that I kept postponing my sleep timer until I finally gave in and decided just to listen to the whole thing.
I didn’t intend to, but I stayed up till 4am listening to the audiobook.
1) It’s not at all like Holes
I almost dropped it at first because it felt so different. There’s none of the magic and whimsy, and it grounds the Camp Green Lake boys with real-world problems. Holes to me felt otherworldly, with its dried up lakes and thumb-shaped mountains and mystical curses, whereas Small Steps is much more familiar, with all the monotony of schoolwork and money issues and parents. But Small Steps doesn’t try to be like Holes. Aside from X-Ray of course and the few cameos of Sploosh, the world is unrecognizable yet still manages to touch your heart, just in a completely different way.
2) When you think the conflict has resolved and the story is coming to an end, MORE SHIT HAPPENS
I honestly thought the concert scene was gonna be the end, with Armpit finally being done with the whole ticket enterprise. LITTLE DID I KNOW... There’s not only one main conflict and resolution, but so many ups and downs such that you find yourself holding your breath for the characters, just when you had finally let the last one out.
3) Armpit and Ginny’s entire relationship
I think it was the introduction of Ginny as a character that made me decide to continue with the book. Her relationship with Armpit makes me so happy (again, I’m a sucker for good communication and mutual understanding), and my favourite moments in the story often involved these two (notably, Armpit’s speech about Coo).
4) Louis Sachar’s allyship
Although written by a white (presumably able-bodied) man, the discussions of racism and disability were done surprisingly sensitively. This was published in 2006, and it still reads relevant today. I especially liked how Ginny’s cerebral palsy was included not just for diversity’s sake (like I sometimes see in other stories) but actually served to influence the other characters and plot. We were shown what Ginny was capable of, and nothing about it felt didactic. As for dealing with racism, I appreciated how Sachar included examples of both microaggressions and more egregious acts. Of course, there are limitations in this representation, but like with Ginny’s disability, it was important to me that Armpit’s race was not used purely in a one-off scene to show that “racism is bad,” but that it had a continuous and tangible impact on the direction of the plot.
5) SACHAR KNOWS MUSIC BABY
I just KNOW Sachar has been to some sick ass concerts in his youth because Kiara’s concert was the real fucking deal. HE KNOWS THE BASS IS SEXY.
6) Ticket hustling gave me secondhand anxiety
There is nothing more anxiety-inducing than having tickets you can’t sell and watching the concert date draw nearer. I had flashbacks to when Ticketmaster glitched and I ended up paying twice for tickets. (Unfortunately, that wasn’t the only time I was scrambling to sell.) I very much absorbed all of Armpit’s tension.
7) X-Ray’s whole personality changed
Having just read Holes and understanding X-Ray to be the leader of the boys, I did not expect him to be so weasely. This wasn’t so unsettling as it was interesting to see how different Stanley’s and Armpit’s views of X-Ray are.
8)
9) The ending was fast
There was like 20 mins left and a whole left to be resolved and I had to double check that there was no third book because the story didn’t seem like it would end in time. Well everything was resolved and we even got to see a bit of the future. But the whole m***** came as a surprise. It was then that I saw a hint of the surrealism that Holes had.
10) Audiobook is better
I didn’t read the physical book so I don’t know if this is true, but THE AUDIOBOOK IS SO GOOD. The narrator does such a good job, especially for X-Ray, but tbh he makes all the characters feel so real. I was so engaged that I kept postponing my sleep timer until I finally gave in and decided just to listen to the whole thing.
June 4, 2017
A wonderful book that deals with relationships between races, staying on the right path, and hard work eventually paying off.
Also, the MC is good friends with his younger neighbor, who has a disability, and their friendly relationship is THE BEST GUYS. THE BEST.
14+ for drugs/drug testing, some mild sexual mentions, and maybe some language. (If there is, it's not more than two or three words over 200 pages.)
Also, the MC is good friends with his younger neighbor, who has a disability, and their friendly relationship is THE BEST GUYS. THE BEST.
14+ for drugs/drug testing, some mild sexual mentions, and maybe some language. (If there is, it's not more than two or three words over 200 pages.)
August 13, 2011
What's easy about being the sequel to Holes is that any implausibilities of plot are irreproachable, 'cause you can't hardly get more implausible than Holes and it was awesome. What's hard is simply that you're the sequel to Holes. Because it was awesome. High bar. I'm embarrassed to admit it took me 5 years to get around to actually reading Small Steps, the story of Armpit's X-Ray-influenced adventures back home in Austin, trying to get his life turned around after his time at Camp Green Lake. After Armpit reluctantly agrees to financially back X-Ray's ill-conceived ticket scalping scheme, a surprising - no, outlandish - but oddly credible sequence of events and poor decisions, offset by a few good decisions, gets him close to a teen pop star and in a mess of trouble. Armpit's unlikely friendship with Ginnie, the 10-year-old white neighbor girl with cerebral palsy, is especially winning. I carefully avoided reading any other reviews as I'm in the first flush of enthusiasm for this very worthy sequel to a favorite novel (and yes, it really did take me 5 years to read the sequel to something I claim as a "favorite novel". I suck.) and don't want to second-guess my 5-star rating. If there's any middle school kid alive who hasn't read this pair of books, they should do so now.
September 10, 2018
Not the absolute worst, but not good at all. Who asked for a sequel about Armpit? “Small Steps” lacks all the whimsy, comedy, & depth (no pun intended) that made “Holes” so great. It introduces certain topics like race, social class, & disability—but gives no take-away and teaches basically nothing about these issues. Sorry Sachar, but you should have stopped after “Holes”.
August 3, 2019
This is essentially the sequel to Holes, except instead of following Stanley Yelnats, it follows Armpit. He’s been keeping busy (digging holes of all things) and squirreling away some money, but then his friend X-Ray comes up with an idea about how to make a little money: ticket touting.
Of course, the plan backfires in several fairly spectacular ways, and it also has unexpected consequences for Armpit. At the same time, it’s a coming-of-age story that deals with everything from racism to pushy parents and attempted murder. So there are a lot of complexities here, and while it is I guess somewhere between middle grade and young adult novel, it’s a genuine joy to read.
If you’re looking for “literature” then you might not find it here, but if you just want a good story with a decent message behind it, you need look no further. It was also super sad in places while simultaneously making me feel warm and fuzzy inside. In that respect, it reminds me of both Holes and Stephen Chbosky’s The Perks of Being a Wallflower.
So would I recommend this? Of course I would, but I’d also recommend picking up Holes first. Both of them are fantastic and Sachar is a fantastic writer, and even before I’d picked this up I knew I wanted to add all of his books to my wish list. Then I picked this up from a charity shop, so I guess it’s a sign. Awesome!
Of course, the plan backfires in several fairly spectacular ways, and it also has unexpected consequences for Armpit. At the same time, it’s a coming-of-age story that deals with everything from racism to pushy parents and attempted murder. So there are a lot of complexities here, and while it is I guess somewhere between middle grade and young adult novel, it’s a genuine joy to read.
If you’re looking for “literature” then you might not find it here, but if you just want a good story with a decent message behind it, you need look no further. It was also super sad in places while simultaneously making me feel warm and fuzzy inside. In that respect, it reminds me of both Holes and Stephen Chbosky’s The Perks of Being a Wallflower.
So would I recommend this? Of course I would, but I’d also recommend picking up Holes first. Both of them are fantastic and Sachar is a fantastic writer, and even before I’d picked this up I knew I wanted to add all of his books to my wish list. Then I picked this up from a charity shop, so I guess it’s a sign. Awesome!
December 8, 2007
I was reluctant to read Small Steps since Holes is my all-time favorite book and I had heard several negative things from readers concerning how Armpit and X-Ray were handled.
After reading the book, I can see where some people might be disappointed (it's not Holes). However, I found Sachar's ability to weave several stories together to be captivating. His strength of creating "acting true to who they are characters" is on display as Theodore finds himself interacting with diverse characters.
The book has a more grown-up feel to it than Holes and the ending isn't as satisfying, but it definitely fits with the story.
After reading the book, I can see where some people might be disappointed (it's not Holes). However, I found Sachar's ability to weave several stories together to be captivating. His strength of creating "acting true to who they are characters" is on display as Theodore finds himself interacting with diverse characters.
The book has a more grown-up feel to it than Holes and the ending isn't as satisfying, but it definitely fits with the story.
July 31, 2023
Sadly, not as good as Holes. A good enough book in its own right, but it loses when compared to Holes. Maybe not fair to do, but since it is the follow-up to Holes, it is only natural to compare the two. The ending was kind of sad. I can see someone wanting to write an epilogue ending to it.
3, not bad but not the book that preceded it, stars.
3, not bad but not the book that preceded it, stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 20, 2023
Fun sequel to read. The first 50 pages I really had to get into the story, but then I really liked this simple story. Wished there would have been more characters in it from book 1.
December 11, 2025
Small Steps is a follow up novel to Holes, the classic book by Louis Sachar. This one follows Armpit after leaving Camp Green Lake and trying to stay out of trouble. Unfortunately X-Ray is still in his life, but fortunately he has his parents, his boss, and Jenny, his next-door neighbor who has cerebral palsy to look after him. Sachar is obviously so clever, and this book took twists and turns I didn’t anticipate! However, it’s not the enormously impactful Holes, and I’ll likely forget about it after a while.
January 5, 2012
(3.5)
I enjoyed Holes so I thought I'd read another from this author. I was not disappointed. This was a surprisingly gripping story. An off-shoot from a couple of the characters in Holes, Armpit and X-ray return in this novel. Armpit putting to work what his counselor had advised him to do ..take small steps, hence he set 5 goals for himself: graduate from high school, get a job, save his money, avoid situations that might turn violent, and lose the name Armpit. X-ray of course had to jiggle those goals a bit and adventures ensued. Before he knew it, he was in the realms of the possibility of going to jail, caught in the admiration of a pop star, and in the throws of a percolating violence.
What I liked most about this novel was it's heart ...relationships and choices. Armpit's heartwarming bond with Ginny, Armpit's loyalty with his friend X-ray, the endearing love affair between Armpit and Kaira, and the choices that Armpit made that built his winsome character. Overall, echoing the last comment of the blurb sums it up perfectly, "...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.".
I wasn't kidding about this being gripping. I saw all the seeds being planted for a horrible outcome for Armpit and even though I was convincing myself that it had to end positive for the sake of YA readers, you never know for sure.
I like the take small steps idea. It might be my new mantra for the new year. Just might be the answer to giving me focus. ;)
I enjoyed Holes so I thought I'd read another from this author. I was not disappointed. This was a surprisingly gripping story. An off-shoot from a couple of the characters in Holes, Armpit and X-ray return in this novel. Armpit putting to work what his counselor had advised him to do ..take small steps, hence he set 5 goals for himself: graduate from high school, get a job, save his money, avoid situations that might turn violent, and lose the name Armpit. X-ray of course had to jiggle those goals a bit and adventures ensued. Before he knew it, he was in the realms of the possibility of going to jail, caught in the admiration of a pop star, and in the throws of a percolating violence.
What I liked most about this novel was it's heart ...relationships and choices. Armpit's heartwarming bond with Ginny, Armpit's loyalty with his friend X-ray, the endearing love affair between Armpit and Kaira, and the choices that Armpit made that built his winsome character. Overall, echoing the last comment of the blurb sums it up perfectly, "...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.".
I wasn't kidding about this being gripping. I saw all the seeds being planted for a horrible outcome for Armpit and even though I was convincing myself that it had to end positive for the sake of YA readers, you never know for sure.
I like the take small steps idea. It might be my new mantra for the new year. Just might be the answer to giving me focus. ;)
November 4, 2014
I thought that this book was sorta weird compared to holes it was less exciting I didn't really get the same feeling as I did in holes I got hooked to holes but I am not saying I hated it I am just saying that the book had no connection to holes. There are 4 main characters in the story Armpit, X-Ray, Ginny, and Kaira Deleon. The book has a way of wanting me to keep reading even though I thought it was boring I think it's because the characters that are form holes ( Armpit X-Ray) you want to know if anything bad happens to them and Ginny you want to know what happens to her because she is handicapped with cerebral-palsy and it would be terrible if something happened to her because that would be very depressing and Kaira DeLeon if something happened to her it would be terrible because she is a famous rock singer it would be like if Katy Perry died of a heart attack when you least except it because she is a very famous singer according to the book. My rating of the book would be 3.5 out of 5 because it lacks action and at times is very boring but it also has good character connections there so strong that you feel like it's real life. I would recommend this book if you like boring yet satisfying books so basically you mine as well read the dictionary but the dictionary would have to have some really good characters in it to be related goodly to the book Small Steps.
October 9, 2018
The book “ Small Steps” is about two boy that was out of Camp Green Lake and their name was Armpit and X-Ray it all begin with Armpit being at school and have nice job that he does and earn some money for himself. But then after X-Ray show up that was where his happiness like started to get messing again.
The part that I like about the book was that Armpit work really hard to reach his goal after he was out of Camp Green Lake. The other one that I like was it make me want to read more because I wanted to know what would happen next in the story and every time I finish a page I would flip another. Last but not least I like about the book was that it has 2 part in the story.
The one thing I don’t like about the book is they should have add more than 2 character that was out of Camp Green Lake it would be nice if Stanley was in the story too.
I would recommend my friends and my classmates to read this book because it a really good book and they would find something interesting in the book.
The part that I like about the book was that Armpit work really hard to reach his goal after he was out of Camp Green Lake. The other one that I like was it make me want to read more because I wanted to know what would happen next in the story and every time I finish a page I would flip another. Last but not least I like about the book was that it has 2 part in the story.
The one thing I don’t like about the book is they should have add more than 2 character that was out of Camp Green Lake it would be nice if Stanley was in the story too.
I would recommend my friends and my classmates to read this book because it a really good book and they would find something interesting in the book.
August 29, 2009
Take Armpit, X-Ray, a teen star and a little girl called Ginny. Add a well-meaning mayor, parents who don’t understand, other parents who do, and one who doesn’t even want to. Mix in some ticket scalpers for the teen star’s concert; plus some impossible coincidences that just have to be the way they are because that’s how the magic of Sachar’s stories works. And rest assured it does work, beautifully, un-put-down-ably and, just like Holes, delightfully memorably too.
December 31, 2016
I'll admit, I was well over halfway through this book and wasn't sure I was I was going to like it at all. I felt like I was missing the point. But then I read the last fifty or so pages today, and felt glad that even though more than ten years had gone by since its release, I finally read SMALL STEPS, and it was worth it.
November 17, 2017
Uhhh 4.5/5? I dunno. This book is like really good and the ending was like waaayyy too sudden and it was like WOOOOAAAHH. And the ending was really sweet but not sweet enough to make me cry. I love how the main character changed and it's all about Armpit now instead of that other guy. Uuuhh yea. You should read this book, I guess. I recommend to 5-9
January 6, 2026
Though Stanley Yelnats is nowhere in sight, another forced laborer at Camp Green Lake, Theodore "Armpit" Johnson, picks up the slack as protagonist rather well in this second full-length novel of the Holes franchise. Following Armpit back to his sprawling hometown of Austin, Texas, we see the most physically formidable digger from Camp Green Lake trying to turn his life around and make good for himself and his parents. Armpit may not have always believed he had much potential, but his stint in a correctional facility has motivated him plenty to prove he isn't destined to spend any more time in jail. Since returning to Austin, Armpit's parents trust him a lot less than before the fight at a movie theater which put him in juvenile detention, but Armpit has delivered on his promise to change, landing a job with a landscaping contractor (digging holes, of course) and befriending Ginny, the ten-year-old girl who lives with her mother in the other half of his family's duplex. Ginny needs a little assistance to walk and perform some other simple tasks, born with cerebral palsy and drastically undersized for her age. The bleeding in Ginny's brain at birth didn't kill her, and didn't harm her beyond the reach of therapy to eventually cure, but she stutters her words sometimes, trying to take hold of the next one she desires to use but not always able to get a firm grasp on it at first. Armpit is there to help her however possible, to walk and talk with her and remind Ginny what she usually has no trouble remembering: she's like any other girl, but had some bleeding in her brain at birth. In return, Ginny provides Armpit with a focal point, someone who would be affected immensely if he crossed the line again and went to prison, a friend who believes in his goodness as not even his parents appear to nowadays.
Armpit's character rehabilitation seems to be going fine until another Camp Green Lake alum, X-Ray, pops up on the scene. X-Ray proposes they join forces in a quick moneymaking scheme that may technically be beyond the boundaries of the law, but isn't so far past that it's likely to get either of them in significant trouble. Capitalizing on the wildly popular upcoming concert of teenage singing star Kaira DeLeon isn't so bad, X-Ray reasons, and Armpit can't help listening. He knows Kaira's music well; the smooth sweetness of her soaring voice is magic to the ears, and Ginny is a major fan. As Armpit commits to X-Ray's plan, fronting a ponderous portion of the startup capital needed to get the operation off the ground, he wonders if he's making a mistake involving himself in questionable dealings. His mantra since coming home to Austin has been to concentrate on making himself respectable again by taking small steps in the right direction, not concerned about gaining all that ground back at once. "The important thing was to take small steps and just keep on moving forward. 'Life is like crossing a river. If you try to take too big a step, the current will knock you off your feet and carry you away.'" The counselor at Camp Green Lake warned Armpit about the high rate of repeat incarceration among young African-American males, so Armpit knows he'll have to fight the current if he doesn't want to go back to the slammer. But X-Ray is such an affable friend and business partner, and his offer promises so much money, so quickly...can it do any harm to go along for the ride?
What Armpit can't foresee is the crazy clash between worlds that occurs when he ends up at the very concert to which he's been scalping tickets, and right up close to the action after a fortuitous encounter with the one and only Kaira DeLeon. The trajectory of the narrative alters hugely after that, as Armpit gets to know the singing superstar and we see the unglamorous reality behind a madly hyped music tour. Kaira has it made in many ways, but her life has its lacks like anyone else's. Her family is a jumble, with dubious characters perched at the top of the food chain, but Kaira can't legitimately take control and start making her own decisions until she turns eighteen in another year. Kaira's and Armpit's problems are about to collide with the impact of two freighters going head to head, and the shockwaves could spread worldwide. The keeping of secrets has been weighing heavily on Armpit, but if certain people get their way about his relationship with Kaira, Armpit's ticket-scalping trouble will be the least of his worries. Does the world have it in for Armpit, and no matter how noble his intentions, he's destined to wind up back behind a cell door? Or could the hero within him, the patient and supportive friend who has shown up for Ginny every time he was needed, be victorious in the end? Armpit is no paragon of truth and righteousness, but perhaps he has the moral strength to at least keep taking small steps in the proper direction, and be an example to his friends to do the same, each in their own circumstances. He'll never know unless he tries.
"To me, a man is someone who is brave enough to love, and to let himself be loved."
—Kaira DeLeon, Small Steps, P. 116
Small Steps is grounded in Armpit's friendship with Ginny, whom he can love without any residue of resentment. Unlike Armpit's parents, Ginny hasn't lived through his past mistakes, so she isn't inclined to judge him by them. Unlike other adults and even kids, Ginny knows how it feels to be discriminated against by appearance and demeanor; her wispy frame and stutter are giveaways that not everything is right with her, just as Armpit's size, skin color, and reputation as a convict inform the world about him in ways that might be misleading. When Armpit could have retreated into self-destructive bitterness in response to the prevailing attitude toward his return to Austin, Ginny was there to make sure he didn't. For a time, at least, she was nearly everything good to him in the world. "But as much as Armpit helped her, she helped him even more. She gave his life meaning. For the first time in his life, there was someone who looked up to him, who cared about him. Together they were learning to take small steps." Those are powerful words, and resonated deeply with me, as someone who has known the grace that having a Ginny can bring into one's life. A person with such unswerving belief in you can be a game-changer. It can make you see the good person you could become if you tried earnestly enough. It might even give Armpit the ability to do the same for someone else, like when he advises Kaira on how to interact with a dying young fan. "Just look her in the eye. Let her know she's real." I suppose that's what we all need in the end, the validation of a caring soul that we are who we think we are, and regardless of the blunders that have marred the smooth course of our life, we are worth getting to know and worth loving, a real person who can share their heart with others and not be afraid they will recoil in disgust. With that assurance, there's no telling where small steps can lead.
At his best, Louis Sachar is an ingeniously inventive author. Holes won practically every youth book prize he could have asked for, including the 1999 John Newbery Medal, the Christopher Award, the National Book Award, and the Boston Globe—Horn Book Award. That's beyond outstanding. Small Steps wasn't Holes, nor was it as surprisingly meaningful as Stanley Yelnats' Survival Guide to Camp Green Lake, but it's a story every fan of Holes should find the time to read, and it did much for me. I would give Small Steps two and a half stars, and the tipping point for rounding that up or down is razor thin. I'm not sure I'll ever know which way I should round it. Louis Sachar has important things to say in this book, and I think we'll all be better for having heard him out. At the very least, you'll meet a few characters you wish you knew in real life, and might find yourself pining for another novel related to Holes. If those are the best things Small Steps does for you, then I have to believe the book was a success.
"And if someday my small steps bring me near
you,
Please don't rush to tell me all you feel.
You don't have to speak for me to hear you.
If I softly sigh,
Look me in the eye
And let me know I'm real. . . .
Then we'll take small steps,
'Cause we won't know where we're going.
We'll take small steps,
And we'll have too much to say.
Small steps,
Hand in hand we'll walk together,
And maybe we'll discover
A clue along the way. . . ."
—Small Steps, P. 256
Armpit's character rehabilitation seems to be going fine until another Camp Green Lake alum, X-Ray, pops up on the scene. X-Ray proposes they join forces in a quick moneymaking scheme that may technically be beyond the boundaries of the law, but isn't so far past that it's likely to get either of them in significant trouble. Capitalizing on the wildly popular upcoming concert of teenage singing star Kaira DeLeon isn't so bad, X-Ray reasons, and Armpit can't help listening. He knows Kaira's music well; the smooth sweetness of her soaring voice is magic to the ears, and Ginny is a major fan. As Armpit commits to X-Ray's plan, fronting a ponderous portion of the startup capital needed to get the operation off the ground, he wonders if he's making a mistake involving himself in questionable dealings. His mantra since coming home to Austin has been to concentrate on making himself respectable again by taking small steps in the right direction, not concerned about gaining all that ground back at once. "The important thing was to take small steps and just keep on moving forward. 'Life is like crossing a river. If you try to take too big a step, the current will knock you off your feet and carry you away.'" The counselor at Camp Green Lake warned Armpit about the high rate of repeat incarceration among young African-American males, so Armpit knows he'll have to fight the current if he doesn't want to go back to the slammer. But X-Ray is such an affable friend and business partner, and his offer promises so much money, so quickly...can it do any harm to go along for the ride?
What Armpit can't foresee is the crazy clash between worlds that occurs when he ends up at the very concert to which he's been scalping tickets, and right up close to the action after a fortuitous encounter with the one and only Kaira DeLeon. The trajectory of the narrative alters hugely after that, as Armpit gets to know the singing superstar and we see the unglamorous reality behind a madly hyped music tour. Kaira has it made in many ways, but her life has its lacks like anyone else's. Her family is a jumble, with dubious characters perched at the top of the food chain, but Kaira can't legitimately take control and start making her own decisions until she turns eighteen in another year. Kaira's and Armpit's problems are about to collide with the impact of two freighters going head to head, and the shockwaves could spread worldwide. The keeping of secrets has been weighing heavily on Armpit, but if certain people get their way about his relationship with Kaira, Armpit's ticket-scalping trouble will be the least of his worries. Does the world have it in for Armpit, and no matter how noble his intentions, he's destined to wind up back behind a cell door? Or could the hero within him, the patient and supportive friend who has shown up for Ginny every time he was needed, be victorious in the end? Armpit is no paragon of truth and righteousness, but perhaps he has the moral strength to at least keep taking small steps in the proper direction, and be an example to his friends to do the same, each in their own circumstances. He'll never know unless he tries.
"To me, a man is someone who is brave enough to love, and to let himself be loved."
—Kaira DeLeon, Small Steps, P. 116
Small Steps is grounded in Armpit's friendship with Ginny, whom he can love without any residue of resentment. Unlike Armpit's parents, Ginny hasn't lived through his past mistakes, so she isn't inclined to judge him by them. Unlike other adults and even kids, Ginny knows how it feels to be discriminated against by appearance and demeanor; her wispy frame and stutter are giveaways that not everything is right with her, just as Armpit's size, skin color, and reputation as a convict inform the world about him in ways that might be misleading. When Armpit could have retreated into self-destructive bitterness in response to the prevailing attitude toward his return to Austin, Ginny was there to make sure he didn't. For a time, at least, she was nearly everything good to him in the world. "But as much as Armpit helped her, she helped him even more. She gave his life meaning. For the first time in his life, there was someone who looked up to him, who cared about him. Together they were learning to take small steps." Those are powerful words, and resonated deeply with me, as someone who has known the grace that having a Ginny can bring into one's life. A person with such unswerving belief in you can be a game-changer. It can make you see the good person you could become if you tried earnestly enough. It might even give Armpit the ability to do the same for someone else, like when he advises Kaira on how to interact with a dying young fan. "Just look her in the eye. Let her know she's real." I suppose that's what we all need in the end, the validation of a caring soul that we are who we think we are, and regardless of the blunders that have marred the smooth course of our life, we are worth getting to know and worth loving, a real person who can share their heart with others and not be afraid they will recoil in disgust. With that assurance, there's no telling where small steps can lead.
At his best, Louis Sachar is an ingeniously inventive author. Holes won practically every youth book prize he could have asked for, including the 1999 John Newbery Medal, the Christopher Award, the National Book Award, and the Boston Globe—Horn Book Award. That's beyond outstanding. Small Steps wasn't Holes, nor was it as surprisingly meaningful as Stanley Yelnats' Survival Guide to Camp Green Lake, but it's a story every fan of Holes should find the time to read, and it did much for me. I would give Small Steps two and a half stars, and the tipping point for rounding that up or down is razor thin. I'm not sure I'll ever know which way I should round it. Louis Sachar has important things to say in this book, and I think we'll all be better for having heard him out. At the very least, you'll meet a few characters you wish you knew in real life, and might find yourself pining for another novel related to Holes. If those are the best things Small Steps does for you, then I have to believe the book was a success.
"And if someday my small steps bring me near
you,
Please don't rush to tell me all you feel.
You don't have to speak for me to hear you.
If I softly sigh,
Look me in the eye
And let me know I'm real. . . .
Then we'll take small steps,
'Cause we won't know where we're going.
We'll take small steps,
And we'll have too much to say.
Small steps,
Hand in hand we'll walk together,
And maybe we'll discover
A clue along the way. . . ."
—Small Steps, P. 256
May 2, 2017
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.
February 13, 2024
While technically a sequel to Holes, Small Steps is a) for a totally different audience and b) easily readable/understandable without having first read Holes. This book has none of the magic of Holes, but once I was able to separate the two in my head, it became a more enjoyable story. It's a good, fun book, but not a good, fun Holes sequel.
November 24, 2025
Amazing story, amazing message, amazing found family, amazing characters, amazing romance, amazing plot twist! Everything about this book was amazing! Fast paced, under 300 pages even though it had so much depth to the story, and it was a following story to one of my favorite movies: Holes!
This book was so good! I can't believe I put off reading it for over a year!!! This is your sign to read the books you're pushing off and avoiding! They're probably the best books ever! <3
This book was so good! I can't believe I put off reading it for over a year!!! This is your sign to read the books you're pushing off and avoiding! They're probably the best books ever! <3
November 3, 2025
It’s no holes but still a good read! Tore through it
December 16, 2021
Als ich „Löcher“ gelesen habe, wusste ich nicht, dass es noch eine Fortsetzung dazu gibt, musste sie mir dann aber natürlich zulegen, weil ich immer schön alle meine Reihen beenden möchte. Klappt, auch wirklich immer… (natürlich nicht, wenn mir ein erster Band schon nicht gefallen hat, warum soll ich die Reihe dann weiterlesen?)
Bevor ich genauer auf den Inhalt eingehe, möchte ich festhalten, dass ich den Titel sehr gut gewählt finde und auch das Cover für sehr gelungen halte. Erst dachte ich, es wäre ein Flugticket, es ist aber eine Eintrittskarte für ein Konzert der Sängerin Kaira, um die sich die Handlung auch dreht.
Es geht hier nicht nach „Green Lake“ zurück, sondern um das Leben eines Charakters danach, der anscheinend im ersten Band schon auftaucht. Ich schreibe anscheinend, weil ich mich überhaupt nicht mehr an Deo erinnern konnte, was aber nicht viel heißt, da mir außer Stanley keiner im Gedächtnis geblieben ist…
Es wird größtenteils aus seiner Sicht beschrieben, gleichzeitig gibt es aber auch immer kurze Abschnitte aus der Sicht von Kaira. Der Schreibstil gefällt mir nach wie vor sehr gut, er ist recht einfach gehalten, weshalb das Buch sich schnell lesen lässt. Die Kapitel umfassen meist keine zehn Seiten, wovon ich ja auch großer Fan bin.
Ich muss sagen, dass ich das Buch nicht gelesen hätte, wenn ich es nicht gebraucht für ein paar Cent erhalten oder aus der Bücherei ausleihen könnte, da „Löcher“ für mich eigentlich abgeschlossen war und ich keine Fortsetzung gebraucht hätte. Dennoch finde ich es ganz nett, dass der Autor einem weiteren Charakter eine eigene Geschichte gewidmet hat und die Leser*innen auch erfahren, wie das Leben der Jugendlichen nach dem Camp weitergehen kann.
Deo und Kaira waren mir beide von Anfang an recht sympathisch, gerade seinen Umgang mit der kleinen Nachbarin war sehr rührend und hat gezeigt, dass er ein guter Mensch ist. Allerdings fand ich ihn auch ein wenig naiv und zu gutgläubig, da alle Enttäuschungen, die er von X-Ray erfahren muss, meiner Meinung sehr vorhersehbar waren und ich es irgendwann nervig fand, dass er die falschen Versprechungen jedes Mal für bare Münze genommen hat.
Kairas Situation fand ich sehr realistisch, ich glaube, dass es vielen Menschen, die schon früh in der Öffentlichkeit stehen, auch so ergangen ist und obwohl ihre und Deos Lebenssituationen sich sehr von meiner eigenen unterscheiden, konnte ich mit beiden mitfühlen.
Fazit: Eine recht ordentliche Fortsetzung, die man nicht unbedingt gebraucht hätte, aber dennoch gelungen ist. Mich hat das Buch nicht umgehauen, aber ich gehöre auch nicht mehr zur Zielgruppe, das sollte man, meiner Meinung nach, in der Bewertung auch immer berücksichtigen. Wem „Löcher“ gefallen hat, wird auch dieses Buch mögen und ich denke, dass Leser*innen zwischen 12 und 14 viel Spaß mit dieser Geschichte haben werden!
3/5
Bevor ich genauer auf den Inhalt eingehe, möchte ich festhalten, dass ich den Titel sehr gut gewählt finde und auch das Cover für sehr gelungen halte. Erst dachte ich, es wäre ein Flugticket, es ist aber eine Eintrittskarte für ein Konzert der Sängerin Kaira, um die sich die Handlung auch dreht.
Es geht hier nicht nach „Green Lake“ zurück, sondern um das Leben eines Charakters danach, der anscheinend im ersten Band schon auftaucht. Ich schreibe anscheinend, weil ich mich überhaupt nicht mehr an Deo erinnern konnte, was aber nicht viel heißt, da mir außer Stanley keiner im Gedächtnis geblieben ist…
Es wird größtenteils aus seiner Sicht beschrieben, gleichzeitig gibt es aber auch immer kurze Abschnitte aus der Sicht von Kaira. Der Schreibstil gefällt mir nach wie vor sehr gut, er ist recht einfach gehalten, weshalb das Buch sich schnell lesen lässt. Die Kapitel umfassen meist keine zehn Seiten, wovon ich ja auch großer Fan bin.
Ich muss sagen, dass ich das Buch nicht gelesen hätte, wenn ich es nicht gebraucht für ein paar Cent erhalten oder aus der Bücherei ausleihen könnte, da „Löcher“ für mich eigentlich abgeschlossen war und ich keine Fortsetzung gebraucht hätte. Dennoch finde ich es ganz nett, dass der Autor einem weiteren Charakter eine eigene Geschichte gewidmet hat und die Leser*innen auch erfahren, wie das Leben der Jugendlichen nach dem Camp weitergehen kann.
Deo und Kaira waren mir beide von Anfang an recht sympathisch, gerade seinen Umgang mit der kleinen Nachbarin war sehr rührend und hat gezeigt, dass er ein guter Mensch ist. Allerdings fand ich ihn auch ein wenig naiv und zu gutgläubig, da alle Enttäuschungen, die er von X-Ray erfahren muss, meiner Meinung sehr vorhersehbar waren und ich es irgendwann nervig fand, dass er die falschen Versprechungen jedes Mal für bare Münze genommen hat.
Kairas Situation fand ich sehr realistisch, ich glaube, dass es vielen Menschen, die schon früh in der Öffentlichkeit stehen, auch so ergangen ist und obwohl ihre und Deos Lebenssituationen sich sehr von meiner eigenen unterscheiden, konnte ich mit beiden mitfühlen.
Fazit: Eine recht ordentliche Fortsetzung, die man nicht unbedingt gebraucht hätte, aber dennoch gelungen ist. Mich hat das Buch nicht umgehauen, aber ich gehöre auch nicht mehr zur Zielgruppe, das sollte man, meiner Meinung nach, in der Bewertung auch immer berücksichtigen. Wem „Löcher“ gefallen hat, wird auch dieses Buch mögen und ich denke, dass Leser*innen zwischen 12 und 14 viel Spaß mit dieser Geschichte haben werden!
3/5
November 17, 2012
I think this is much more obviously a middle-grade book than Holes. Holes has this irresistible, timeless charm that makes it absolutely fantastic to read at any age. (Or, well, any of the ages I've been, which, admittedly, is a fairly limited range.) Small Steps isn't a bad book, and there are some very strong aspects, but it's not terribly strong overall and I think that without the connection we have to X-Ray and Armpit through Holes, it might be less compelling.
Armpit's relationship with Ginny was easily the best part of the book. It was very touching, sweet, and nuanced, and it added a nice layer of realism to the book. It also ties into the underlying (or, well, pretty overt) theme of racism in the book, as their relationship is seen completely inaccurately by various characters due to their different races.
I thought the ending was also good - it's a little more ambiguous and less perfectly happy than Holes. It was definitively an ending, and was thematically tied up well, but it isn't all "happy ever after". The climax was a bit ridiculous, but not in a horribly detrimental way. Not super realistic, but then again, neither was Holes.
Otherwise, meh. The main plot was a bit convoluted and a bit boring - nothing like the carefully-plotted, innovative, and exciting Holes. It wasn't TERRIBLE, but it also wasn't especially great. The pacing was a bit off, as well.
I don't know, I think this a charming book and I think that it's probably one that middle-grade kids will really enjoy, but it just didn't blow me away. I got the feeling that this book was Louis Sachar indulging his desire to write about his Camp Green Lake characters - which, hey, more power to him... it just doesn't necessarily translate into a fantastic novel.
Armpit's relationship with Ginny was easily the best part of the book. It was very touching, sweet, and nuanced, and it added a nice layer of realism to the book. It also ties into the underlying (or, well, pretty overt) theme of racism in the book, as their relationship is seen completely inaccurately by various characters due to their different races.
I thought the ending was also good - it's a little more ambiguous and less perfectly happy than Holes. It was definitively an ending, and was thematically tied up well, but it isn't all "happy ever after". The climax was a bit ridiculous, but not in a horribly detrimental way. Not super realistic, but then again, neither was Holes.
Otherwise, meh. The main plot was a bit convoluted and a bit boring - nothing like the carefully-plotted, innovative, and exciting Holes. It wasn't TERRIBLE, but it also wasn't especially great. The pacing was a bit off, as well.
I don't know, I think this a charming book and I think that it's probably one that middle-grade kids will really enjoy, but it just didn't blow me away. I got the feeling that this book was Louis Sachar indulging his desire to write about his Camp Green Lake characters - which, hey, more power to him... it just doesn't necessarily translate into a fantastic novel.
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