What’s on my nightstand? Small Steps, by Louis Sachar.

This book is billed as the sequel to Holes, but that’s a stretch. Rather, it takes two of the minor characters from Camp Green Lake and tells the story of their lives after they return home. In fact, I would go so far as to say it has no real connection with Holes, except that it was written by the same author and, like Holes, is an engaging, well-told story, with a character that is likable and sympathetic in spite of his sometimes poor judgment.

I really enjoyed the story. I was especially pleased with the outcome. Things don’t end on a perfect note; they are neither unbelievably good or unbelievably bad, but rather are believably ambiguous. The main character gets off easy and knows it, but it’s not exactly happily-ever-after, either.

Well done, I say. A perfect ending for the idea of Small Steps, which, I might add, is a concept I continue to wrestle.