Small Steps

By Louis Sachar

Two years after being released from Camp Green Lake, Armpit is home in Austin, Texas, trying to turn his life around. But it’s hard when you have a record, and everyone expects the worst from you. The only person who believes in him is Ginny, his 10-year old disabled neighbour. Together, they are learning to take small steps. And he seems to be on the right path, until X-Ray, a buddy from Camp Green Lake, comes up with a get-rich-quick scheme. This leads to a chance encounter with teen pop sensation, Kaira DeLeon, and suddenly his life spins out of control, with only one thing for certain. He’ll never be the same again.

In his first major novel since Holes, critically acclaimed novelist Louis Sachar uses his signature wit combined with a unique blend of adventure and deeply felt characters to explore issues of race, the nature of celebrity, the invisible connections that determine a person’s life, and what it takes to stay on course. Doing the right thing is never a wrong choice – but a small step in the right direction.


From the Hardcover edition.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
• Release date: Jul 23, 2010
• ISBN: 9780385673976

Louis Sachar

When Louis Sachar was going to school, his teachers always pronounced his name wrong. Now that he has become a popular author of children’s books, teachers all over the country are pronouncing his name wrong. It should be pronounced “Sacker,” like someone who tackles quarterbacks or someone who stuffs potatoes into sacks. Mr. Sachar's first book, Sideways Stories from Wayside School, was accepted for publication during his first year of law school. After receiving his law degree, he spent six years asking himself whether he wanted to be an author or a lawyer before deciding to write for children full-time. His books include Sideways Stories from Wayside School, Wayside School Is Falling Down, Wayside School Gets a Little Stranger, and Holes, winner of a Newbery Medal and National Book Award.

Reviews for Small Steps

[howifeelaboutbooks · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Armpit is an African-American teenager who has a criminal record due to a misunderstanding. Despite having spent time in a detention facility, he's a good kid trying to get back on the right track by taking summer school classes in order to graduate on time and working for a landscaping company. His only friend is Ginny, his white, ten-year-old neighbor who has cerebral palsy. When X-Ray, a friend from juvie, comes to Armpit with a money-making scheme, he finds himself agreeing even though he doesn't want to. This gets him involved with scalping, counterfeit tickets, and the affection of the current big pop star. I always appreciate Sachar's dry humor, and this book definitely delivers.

Also - I didn't realize this was the 2nd part of Holes, which I haven't read, so I think credit should be given for this book being able to stand alone!

[fingerpost_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Armpit has been out of the juvenile detention center for a couple of years now, taking small steps towards doing the right thing and living an honest, clean life. His friends are his 10 year old next door neighbor, a white girl with cerebral palsy, Ginny, and his friend from the detention center, X-Ray. X-Ray gets Armpit involved in a scheme to scalp tickets to an upcoming concert by pop superstar Kiara DeLeon.Kiara DeLeon is hugely successful, but bored out of her mind, with her life managed by her loathsome manage/stepfather, and always being shadowed by a bodyguard. A chain of events brings Armpit, Ginny, and Kiara together at her Austin concert.Unbeknownst to anyone but the reader, there is also a plot afoot to murder the teen superstar. This sub-plot weakened the story a little. Most of the book is a good introspective tale of Armpit's struggles to go straight in life, and the surprise meeting with Kiara is rather sweet for a while... but the crime novel ending seemed a bit of a stretch, and a little rushed as well.

[read8a8lots · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A great sequel

[witchyrichy · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A somewhat formulaic sequel to Holes, a book I loved. It's almost a short story but a perfect length for upper elementary school readers.

[benuathanasia · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Part of me feels I enjoyed this more than Holes. It seems especially poignant, especially in the past year or so. Armpit was a compelling character and X-Ray was a perfect foil. The Felix subplot never wrapped up, so that was disappointing.

[mslmc_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This sequel to "Holes" focuses on Armpit, and is completely different than Holes. The story does have just as many twists and comes together in a happy ending, so readers who loved Holes will probably like this one as well.

[ennie_2 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

"Armpit" is attempting to put his life back together when his orbit intersects with a teen pop star and complications ensue.

[yvettekolstad · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I recommend this book to students if they enjoyed reading Holes, but for me personally it was a disappointing read. Though the book includes the memorable characters (from Holes) Armpit and X-Ray, that's where the similarities end. The book does develop a few interesting female characters, including one with cerebral palsy. Most of my students seem to enjoy this book. The moral, "Take small steps," is definitely one middle schoolers can relate to.

[librisissimo · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Substance: Continuing the story of two of the boys from "Holes" (X-Ray and Armpit), but without the really edgy content and warped perspective that gave the first book its appeal. More of a run-of-the-mill teen-age feel0good story, but does contain many positive messages. Suitable for late-middle-school and high-school because of drugs, sex, language.Style: More straight-forward than "Holes", easy to read but not dumbed-down.Note: Sachar was a well-known junior / YA writer before "Holes" and has reverted, I think, to form.

[shifrack00 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I love Louis Sachar all the time, and this is no exception. Not as clean as "Holes" but more to chew on than his other books. Geared a bit older than some of the other ones.

[su_library_student · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Nice easy read. This continues the story of one of the characters from Holes--Armpit. Armpit is away from Camp Green Lake and trying to turn his life around, which is often much harder than you would think. X-Ray, also a character in Holes, plays a large part of the story mainly making Armpit's life more difficult. Armpit, otherwise known as Theodore, has many adventures along the way and learns that he must take small steps to reach his goals instead of trying to take big ones that sweep him off his path to good.I would highly recommend this book especially if you like Young Adult fiction. This book was extremely easy and entertaining. The story flowed easily and was suspenseful enough to keep you wanting to read more.

[hackmac_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Woah! Honestly, I didn't expect the "sequel" of Holes to be something of this sort. Holes seems like a children's book in comparison. Well, it's just that Small Steps deals with much more serious problems and issues, and is therefore intended for slightly older readers. All the same, it's wonderfully-written. I'm still a no. 1 Louis Sachar fan!

[bibliophile26 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This is a sequel of sorts to Holes. One of the characters, Armpit, is back home with his family. He befriends a young disabled girl and meets a famous pop star, with whom he has a brief romance. It was a very strange book and I think Sachar should have let Holes stand alone.

[lateacher_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Two years after being released from Camp Green Lake, Armpit is home in Austin, Texas, trying to start a new better life. But it is hard when you have a record, and everyone thinks that you are bad. The only person who believes in him is Ginny, his 10-year old partly disabled neighbor. Together, they are learning to take small steps. And he seems to be on the right path, until X-Ray, a friend from Camp Green Lake, comes up with a plan to get rich. This turns into a situation where they could meet with a teen popstar, Kaira DeLeon, and suddenly his life is all different from before.

[ewyatt_16 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Fans of Holes will enjoy seeing what happened to Armpit after he leaves Camp Green Lake.

[lizzysiddal · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Follow-up to "Holes" in which Armpit and X-Ray try to put their lives in order, not always very successfully. Doesn't quite have the edginess of its predecessor, but still a worthwhile read.

[eduscapes · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In this follow-up to the award-winning Holes, Sachar focuses on the character of Armpit from Camp Green Lake. Armpit must make the "small steps" needed to survive in today's world. Also returning is X-Ray who tempts Armpit with the prospect of easy money. New characters include a young neighbor and a famous singer. Although lacking the interesting historical connections of Holes, this book once again explores authentic issues facing young adults.

[isaacw_48 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This isn't excactly a sequel to Holes (another book by Louis Sachar) but it does have some of the same characters. The book takes place two years after Armpit gets released from Camp Green Lake. It is a very itneresting book and I liekd it a lot!Louis Sachar did a very good job of wriing this and portraying the characters emotions.

[jguidry-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved this sequel to Holes. It was a great depiction of a young man taking small steps to get his life back on track after his time in juvenile detention. Sachar really showed how much Armpit had matured from his time at Camp Greenlake and the months after. He had a lot going for him and some trouble set against him (his old pal X-ray). But the best part was his relationship with Jenny, a young girl who lives next door with cerebral palsy. It was amazing to see how his decisions were affected by wanting to be a better man for her. This was a humorous, character-driven book and I loved every minute of it!

[clmattox · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed this book. It is the sequel to Holes. Small Steps follows one of the characters, Armpit. It's about him after he gets out of Camp Green Lake. He is back home and gets into new situations there.

[frood42_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Kaira is a lonely teen pop star, managed by her controlling stepfather; Theodore (Armpit) Johnson has returned from Camp Green Lake and strives to keep his life together-- he works for a landscaper, takes summer classes, and has a close friendship with his young neighbor, Ginny. However, Armpit's friend X-Ray develops a scheme that, when it goes horribly awry, will bring Kaira and Armpit together when Kaira's life is in terrible danger. Like its predecessor Holes, this sequel uses good humor and storytelling to confront a number of social issues, including race, class and celebrity culture. Armpit finds himself discriminated against and being treated unfairly by the police because he is a large, African-American man (and even his own parents assume he uses drugs). He works digging holes for minimum wage, yet encounters people willing to spend a hundred times that just for concert tickets. However, this sequel lacks the whimsey of Holes (there are no yellow-spotted lizards) and its villain is disappointingly flat and one-dimensional and not as delightfully villainous as the Warden. Small Steps works alone as a solid teen novel with a riveting plot that does not shy away from difficult issues, however, fans of Holes looking for a similar story may be disappointed. For middle school readers.

[chrisriesbeck · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is more a spin-off than a sequel to Sachar's best-selling Holes, with 2 non-central characters from that book, now in their teens. Meant for a slightly older audience, it's much more straightforward in the telling, without the loopy humor, irony, and creativity of the previous book. It does however have a better developed main character in Armpit, a thoughtful, honest, hard-working African-American male. Armpit is back to digging holes, but for pay this time. Armpit is trying to follow the advice he was given to take small steps to avoid being swept away by the current of life. Armpit has just five simple goals, one of which is to lose the nickname Armpit. The other character from Holes is X-Ray, a decent at heart scam artist who looks for too many shortcuts and drags Armpit down with him. But X-Ray is just the engine for the plot. The real second character is a rising young spoiled female pop singer whose path eventually crosses Armpit's. Unfortunately, this character rarely rises above the cliche. Far more interesting is Ginny, Armpit's 10-year neighbor with cerebral palsy and wisdom beyond twice her years. Equally interesting, if only briefly met, are two more women of perception: Cherry Lane, the mayor, and Debbie Newberg, the detective. The plot, of which there's quite a bit, hums along and resolves quickly but satisfyingly. Recommended for fans of YA and Holes, but don't as many laughs.

[shimmer_droplet_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

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.

[tiffanyak_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a good continuation of the story of Armpit from 'Holes'. While you don't need to read 'Holes' to read this book, it would help you understand the references to Camp Green Lake and help you know about who Armpit and X-Ray are and how they know each other.Armpit is now home from Camp Green Lake and trying hard to get his life back together. He has an honest job and is going to summer school in order to hopefully graduate someday. Dedicating himself to the philosophy of taking small steps towards a better future, he's doing well. But then, his old friend X-Ray shows up with a get-rich-quick scheme, and the ensuing events will launch Armpit on yet another adventure, and put him in danger of legal trouble once again.If you liked 'Holes', then this is a good read. While I wasn't happy with the ending, I would recommend this book for young readers.

[thornestaff · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In this companion (or sequel?) to Louis Sachar's acclaimed "Holes", "Small Steps" follows the story of Armpit (who prefers to be called Theodore now), one of the kids from Camp Green Lake, as he tries to lead his life after being released.Of course, his path is not quite so smooth as he had hoped, and his old acquaintaince from Camp Green Lake, X-Ray, shows up with a get rich quick scheme for Theodore's hard-earned money. Their plan is foiled, but in the process Theodore meets a famous pop star, and is given first class treatment. But no story of Sachar's would be complete without some twists and turns that turn a run of the mill story into a great page-turner. And, if you're curious, you'll discover how Armpit got his nickname.

[ctmscyam · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Have you ever read the book Holes by Luis Sachar? Well if you did and thought it was a good book, then you will like the sequel Small Steps as well.This is a story about a boy that goes by the name of Armpit. He was just released out of a camp for "bad boys, " Camp Greenlake. His life starts going horribly wrong he gets picked on, he doesn't have many friends, and is stuck in summer school! But this all changes one night at a concert with his next door neighbor Ginny.Armpits next door neighbor Ginny was born with Cerebral palsy, but Armpit doesn't mind this making them best friends. Armpit and Ginny both help each other throughout life making small steps.Small Steps could possibly be one of my all time favorite books! Although I really did not care for some of the romantic scenes

[carebear36 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Louis Sachar is such an amazing writer. He is so talented in switching from humorous writing to serious writing. This novel follows Armpit after his release from Camp Green Lake. I absolutely loved Holes and this was an amazing followup. Sachar did an excellent job of tying in heavy messages about race and people who are differently-abled in a way that is easy-to-understand for young readers.

[seanb.b3 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I think the book was definitely not as good as the first one. Because it was set in the city and had x-ray and armpit it was to me not that good. When it also included the pop star I started to not like the book. But it was also a weird coincidence that armpit and x-ray lived in the same place as each other. But the end was my favorite part because finally got to go to the concert and then the singer found out there was fake tickets but it didn't bother her.

[pussreboots · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Small Steps by Louis Sachar is a companion piece to Holes. Theodore is home and wants to improve himself by taking "small steps." These steps include avoiding violence and getting rid of the nickname "Armpit." His only problem — X-Ray continues to be up to no good and is trying to drag him down.Theodore's best friend is a learning disabled girl who lives next door. He wants to take her to a concert staring her favorite singer, Kaira DeLeon. X-Ray though messes things up and Theodore and his friend end up in a whole heap of trouble.But as is so often the case in a Sachar book, trouble is always just the beginning. Bad things lead to tangents and magical moments.It was nice to spend time again with "Armpit" and get to know him better as a strives to better himself. Although I had read Holes first, Small Steps stands alone just fine.

[ctmstogo · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

 Small Steps, by Louis Sachar was a good book that I enjoyed reading. Although it had its good points, it also had its bad points and over all I think that this book deserves 3 ½ stars.Small Steps is the sequel to Holes, by Louis Sachar and is about an African-American who just got out of a juvenile hall for getting in a fight. His nickname is Armpit. Armpit is trying very hard to get his life back on track but is almost immediately caught up in the wrong thing. His friend wants him to illegally sell tickets to a concert with him to make money. Armpit is caught with counterfeit tickets and is in big trouble. He ends up meeting and falling in love with the famous pop-singer who was singing at the concert and has to save her life.This book had some strong points and some not so strong points to it. One thing that I enjoyed about this book was the way that the author made the main character. He is very believable and it feels like he is almost alive. It feels like you are talking to him and meeting him in real person. He is very kind and generous which really makes you want him to succeed in the various conflicts of the book.One thing that I didn’t like about this book was the plot. It seemed to skip around a lot and never seemed to have a particular path. In addition to this, the end of the book seemed a little anti-climactic. The author tried to leave it at a cliff-hanger but I would have liked a little more information and a bigger ending. This would have made for a better lasting impression on the book. I enjoyed this book and have read the first book in the series as well. I thought that the first book was excellent and was a little disappointed at the sequel. I rated this book 3 ½ stars.