{"schema_version":"bf_book_companion_v1","release_id":"20261010T034321Z-reviewed-full-unique-works","book":{"amazon_purchase_url":"https://www.amazon.com/dp/0385733151?tag=bookfrontie00-20","asin":"0385733151","authors":["Louis Sachar"],"book_id":"9780385733151","canonical_url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/small-steps-9780385733151","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9780385733151.jpg?v=3215574093bc65af","description":"SMALL STEPS is a contemporary young adult novel from Louis Sachar, the New York Times bestselling author of the Newbery Award–winning smash hit phenomenon book and movie/DVD sensation Holes , and The Cardturner . 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 ten-year-old disabled neighbor. Together, they are learning to take small steps. Armpit seems to be on the right path until X-Ray, a buddy from Camp Green Lake, comes up with a get-rich-quick scheme. X-Ray's plan leads to a chance encounter with teen pop sensation Kaira DeLeon, the Beyoncé of her time, and suddenly Armpit's life spins out of control. Only one thing is certain: he'll never be the same again. Combining his signature wit with a unique blend of adventure and deeply felt characters, Sachar explores issues of race, the nature of celebrity, the invisible connections that shape a person's life, and what it takes to stay the course. Doing the right thing is never a wrong choice—but always a small step in right direction.","forthcoming":false,"isbn13":"9780385733151","publication_date":"20080108","publisher":"Random House Children's Books","slug":"small-steps","subtitle":"","title":"Small Steps"},"discovery":{"categories":{"all":[{"bisac_code":"JUV039230","confidence_band":"medium","label":"Bullying","score":0.7582,"source":"bisac_hint_model"},{"bisac_code":"JUV039020","confidence_band":"medium","label":"Growing Up","score":0.752,"source":"bisac_hint_model"},{"bisac_code":"JUV039100","confidence_band":"medium","label":"Navigating Peer Pressure","score":0.7509,"source":"bisac_hint_model"}],"hint":[{"bisac_code":"JUV039230","confidence_band":"medium","label":"Bullying","score":0.7582,"source":"bisac_hint_model"},{"bisac_code":"JUV039020","confidence_band":"medium","label":"Growing Up","score":0.752,"source":"bisac_hint_model"},{"bisac_code":"JUV039100","confidence_band":"medium","label":"Navigating Peer Pressure","score":0.7509,"source":"bisac_hint_model"}],"publisher":[{"bisac_code":"YAF058000","confidence_band":"high","label":"Social Themes for Teens","score":1,"source":"onix_publisher_code"},{"bisac_code":"YAF058120","confidence_band":"high","label":"Friendship for Teens","score":1,"source":"onix_publisher_code"},{"bisac_code":"YAF058220","confidence_band":"high","label":"Finding Your Footing","score":1,"source":"onix_publisher_code"}]},"genres":[{"label":"Bullying","score":0.7582,"slug":"bullying"},{"label":"Growing Up","score":0.752,"slug":"growing-up"},{"label":"Navigating Peer Pressure","score":0.7509,"slug":"navigating-peer-pressure"}],"reader_fit":["Readers of contemporary young adult stories about turning life around"],"related_lists":[],"series":null,"similar_books":[{"authors":["Louis Sachar"],"book_id":"9780440414803","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9780440414803.jpg?v=ffe2fcab1b5495ed","score":0.7564,"title":"Holes","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9780440414803"},{"authors":["Louis Sachar"],"book_id":"9780385736633","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9780385736633.jpg?v=0e63e04336593770","score":0.6946,"title":"The Cardturner","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9780385736633"},{"authors":["Jack Gantos"],"book_id":"9780312641573","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9780312641573.jpg?v=dd930db8b633e906","score":0.6933,"title":"Hole in My Life","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9780312641573"},{"authors":["Louis Sachar"],"book_id":"9780385370226","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9780385370226.jpg?v=9171fbf1b8508534","score":0.6911,"title":"Fuzzy Mud","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9780385370226"},{"authors":["Louis Sachar"],"book_id":"9780380698714","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9780380698714.jpg?v=7fb2cebe70e2ff1f","score":0.6783,"title":"Sideways Stories From Wayside School","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9780380698714"},{"authors":["Mary Downing Hahn"],"book_id":"9780547076607","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9780547076607.jpg?v=96ece934018dd2bf","score":0.6778,"title":"Stepping on the Cracks","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9780547076607"},{"authors":["Adrian Fogelin"],"book_id":"9781561453887","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9781561453887.jpg?v=8762e14bfd0dffac","score":0.6742,"title":"The Big Nothing","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9781561453887"},{"authors":["Clare Vanderpool"],"book_id":"9780307930651","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9780307930651.jpg?v=34ef61cb46930afd","score":0.6706,"title":"Navigating Early","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9780307930651"}],"topics":[{"evidence_refs":["keyword:young adult books"],"label":"Young","score":0.303,"slug":"young"},{"evidence_refs":["keyword:teen books"],"label":"Teen","score":0.1318,"slug":"teen"},{"evidence_refs":["keyword:books for teens"],"label":"Teens","score":0.0896,"slug":"teens"}],"what_you_get":["Themes: Second chances, Race and celebrity, Doing the right thing.","Themes: Young, Teen, Teens.","Reading lane: Bullying and Growing Up."]},"llm_signals":{"confidence":0.9,"pacing":"unknown","reader_fit":["Readers of contemporary young adult stories about turning life around"],"themes":["Second chances","Race and celebrity","Doing the right thing"],"tropes":[]},"source_presence":{"amazon":true,"book_detail":true,"goodreads":true,"llm_signals":true,"similarity_seed":true},"stats":{"amazon_ratings_count":4843,"goodreads_ratings_count":22623,"goodreads_reviews_count":2133,"quality_score":0.9947}}