"Small Steps"

by Louis Sachar, YA, 2006, 257p, rating=3.5

Two years after being released from Camp Green Lake, Armpit is home in Austin, Texas, trying to turn his life around. But it’s hard when you have a record, and everyone expects the worst from you. The only person who believes in him is Ginny, his 10-year old disabled neighbor. Together, they are learning to take small steps. And he seems to be on the right path, until X-Ray, a buddy from Camp Green Lake, comes up with a get-rich-quick scheme. This leads to a chance encounter with teen pop sensation, Kaira DeLeon, and suddenly his life spins out of control, with only one thing for certain. He’ll never be the same again.
In his first major novel since Holes, critically acclaimed novelist Louis Sachar uses his signature wit combined with a unique blend of adventure and deeply felt characters to explore issues of race, the nature of celebrity, the invisible connections that determine a person’s life, and what it takes to stay on course. Doing the right thing is never a wrong choice–but a small step in the right direction.  (book cover)

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. ;)