Louis Sachar's latest, Small Steps tells us what happens to Armpit (from Holes) after he returns home from juvenile detention. I was happy to meet Armpit again. I liked him in Holes so I was wishing him well even before I opened this book.

Small steps are what Armpit is taking to try to stay out of trouble. He has learned in counseling that if he takes small steps he will have less chance of falling. The book opens with Armpit working, going to school, and walking the straight and narrow.

Along comes X-Ray to gum up the works and from then on there was an edgeof danger that kept me anxiously turning pages. Because small steps can lead one into trouble as well as leading one out, and Armpit allows X-Ray to talk him into some foolish things.

I loved the characters in this book. I knew Armpit and cared about him. His young neighbor was a surprising side-kick and Armpits tenderness toward her not only added to the tension--would he be accused of hurting her?--but made me care more about him.

Setting was not painted with any depth but certainly well enough for me not to get lost. Prose was good, not great. But these were not things I noticed as I read. I was completely taken with the story so I didn't miss the description and beautiful prose.

What I marked off for was that Armpit had just a little too much good luck in the tale. It's fiction. I know. Heroes are supposed to be larger than life, supposed to find treasures belonging to their great grandpas, supposed to have some good luck to counteract all the bad luck they've been through for most of the book. Still, one scene knocked me out of the story. I won't tell you which one because I don't want to spoil the story for you.

It wasn't long before Sachar dragged me back into the story, though, by hinting at danger for Armpit in every chapter. Crisscrossing new threats over old ones. With Holes the author proved himself to be a master as twisting threads, weaving individual strands together into a satisfying tapestry. I felt that he did the same thing with Small Steps. Everything worked together.

For my Christian readers, this is not a Christian story. There is some cursing in it. Not much, but some. There is also no punishment for breaking the law, talking back to parents, or acting irresponsibly. Instead of bringing punishment, these things are, in some ways, rewarded. In that sense the book is pretty true to life. God is merciful to sinners here and often the wicked enjoy great wealth on earth.

So I highly recommend this book. I think as kids watch Armpit trying to figure out what life is about and where he's going, they will also think about where they are going. That is a good thing for kids to think about. The author doesn't offer any answers. His lesson is that we should take small steps toward betterment. Stay out of jail, go to school, get a job. He doesn't deal with eternal issues at all. I'm fine with that. I don't like it when an author deals with eternity and gets it wrong, but if he leaves eternity out of it and just makes kids question, that's fine with me. They can find their answers elsewhere.

So I give Mr. Sachar's brilliant book four enthusiastic stars. I greatly enjoyed it.

---back to reviews Home Copyright © 2005 Sally Apokedak