Small Steps was written by internationally acclaimed American author Louis Sachar. The novel was first published in 2006 by Delacorte Press (US) and Bloomsbury (UK). Louis Sachar is an award-winning young adult mystery and comedy writer, best known for his Wayside School series (1978-2020), and his novel Holes (1998), which won the John Newbery Medal and the National Book Award. Small Steps is a sequel to Holes and focuses on Theodore “Armpit” Johnson, a supporting character from Holes, and a fellow former inmate at Camp Green Lake, Rex “X-Ray” Washburn. Armpit is trying to keep out of trouble and move on with his life. He secures an honest job and looks after his friend Ginny, but when X-Ray proposes a “risk-free” money-making scheme, Armpit cannot resist, and trouble ensues. When Armpit meets Kaira, a famous singer struggling with her own issues, his life gets even more complicated, and he becomes involved in events that threaten to derail the progress he has made. Small Steps is told in the third person with an omniscient point of view. The narrative is told primarily from Armpit’s perspective, but Kaira’s, Jerome’s, and Ginny’s perspectives and backstories are also explored as various subplots and converging storylines develop.

The paperback edition used for this study guide was published by Ember in 2011.

Content Warning: Small Steps includes instances of both direct and indirect racism as Armpit, a tall, muscular Black teenager, confronts others’ assumptions about him based on his size, build, and race. It also includes references to Ginny, a character with cerebral palsy, being teased and called a “spaz” and a “retard” by peers who do not understand her disability.

Plot Summary

Theodore “Armpit” Johnson, a 16-year-old Black teen, lives in Austin, Texas, with his parents. The other half of their modest duplex is home to Ginny McDonald, a ten-year-old white girl with cerebral palsy who is also Armpit’s close friend and confidant. Two years prior to the story, Armpit was released from Camp Green Lake Juvenile Correctional Facility. He now works for a landscaping company, still digging holes, but for a kind and generous boss. Determined to turn his life around, Armpit is also taking speech and economics in summer school so that he can make up for time lost while he was at Camp Green Lake and graduate high school. Armpit is working at the mayor of Austin’s house when Rex “X-Ray” Washburn, a friend from Camp Green Lake, arrives with a money-making proposal. X-Ray convinces Armpit to help him finance a ticket-scalping scheme for an upcoming Kaira DeLeon concert because he has seen that $55 tickets are reselling for several hundred dollars. Armpit reluctantly agrees on the condition that X-Ray does the work and keeps them both out of trouble. After making a profit, Armpit asks Tatiana, a girl from his speech class, to go to the concert with him using the last two tickets. X-Ray has a buyer for the tickets, but he reluctantly agrees to give them to Armpit instead. On the day of the concert, Tatiana cancels on Armpit, so he invites Ginny, who, giddy with excitement, accepts. Just before the concert starts, security taps Armpit on the shoulder and ask to see their tickets. Armpit and Ginny’s tickets turn out to be counterfeit. In the confusion that follows, Ginny has a seizure, which the police and security officers assume is drug-related. The police also assume that Armpit gave Ginny the drugs. Armpit is viciously beaten and prevented from explaining Ginny’s cerebral palsy. Fortunately for Armpit, the mayor is at the concert and intervenes. The mayor does not leave Armpit and Ginny’s side; she ensures that Armpit is not blamed and is allowed to care for Ginny. On hearing how two of her fans were mistreated, Kaira invites Ginny and Armpit backstage where they have a perfect view of the concert. Kaira invites Ginny and Armpit to her dressing room for ice cream after the concert, allowing a spark between Armpit and Kaira to grow.

When Armpit confronts X-Ray about the fake tickets the following day, X-Ray explains that the buyers desperately wanted the tickets, so to keep everyone happy, X-Ray made copies of the tickets for Armpit and sold the originals. Although Armpit is still angry with X-Ray, he asks X-Ray for a ride to the hotel where Kaira is staying. Armpit is meeting Kaira for breakfast, an unexpected benefit of X-Ray’s mistake. The next day Armpit is questioned by Detective Debbie Newberg, who has been assigned to investigate the counterfeit tickets. Armpit invents a seller and denies knowing anyone called Armpit or X-Ray. Unexpectedly, Kaira sends Armpit a letter in which she expresses her love for him. She calls Armpit to explain her letter (which she may not have meant to send) and invites him to her concert in San Francisco. The day before Armpit leaves for San Francisco, Armpit and X-Ray are accosted by ticket scalpers, Felix and Moses, who have been targeted by the police due to the counterfeit ticket investigation. Felix and Moses beat X-Ray, who blurts out information about Kaira’s letter. Felix threatens to expose Armpit and X-Ray unless Armpit sells them Kaira’s valuable letter.

Armpit believes his only choice is to go to San Francisco, explain the situation to Kaira, and ask her to write another, innocuous letter to give to Felix. Armpit and Kaira have a wonderful, romantic time in San Francisco, which abruptly ends when Armpit tries to explain about Felix and the letter. Kaira is furious, believing Armpit to be a fake and only interested in her money. During an argument in a cafe, Kaira throws coffee at Armpit before storming out.

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to Kaira or Armpit, Kaira’s obnoxious manager (and stepfather), Jerome, is plotting to kill Kaira for her money. Jerome is having an affair with Kaira’s tour organizer, Aileen, with whom he has already embezzled millions of Kaira’s earnings. They plan to kill Kaira and frame Armpit. His criminal record and intimidating looks make Armpit the ideal scapegoat. When Kaira gets back to her hotel room, Jerome assaults her with a baseball bat. Kaira’s bodyguard, Fred, interrupts Jerome’s attack, but Jerome stabs him and continues to beat Kaira. When Armpit goes to Kaira’s room to apologize and return the letter, he interrupts Jerome’s attack. After a vicious fight, Armpit overwhelms Jerome, saving Kaira’s life. Kaira and Fred both survive, but Kaira’s injuries are so severe that her vocal cords are permanently damaged. Armpit, heralded as a hero in all the newspapers, returns to Austin. Detective Newberg visits Armpit to tell him that her investigation has been dropped. She reveals that she knew he was involved in ticket scalping, but says “No harm, no foul” and lets it go. Kaira does not contact Armpit again, but after several months Armpit hears her on the radio, singing wistfully about their relationship, and how she is taking “small steps” that might “bring me near to you” (256). The song is heartfelt and touching, with a simple piano accompaniment, but Armpit knows he has his own important “small steps” to take before he can worry about someone else.