Sonnenblick, Jordan. Stepping Off. Scholastic, 06/2024. 336pp. Fiction. Trade $19.99. 978-1-339-02317-5. GRADES 7–10. OUTSTANDING.
As sixteen-year-old Jesse’s reality becomes increasingly fraught, the escapist draw of his favorite place—the lake community in Pennsylvania—becomes ever more powerful. There he can avoid magnet-school pressures and his parents’ failing marriage, but also hang out with his female best friends, who double as crushes. When COVID exacerbates isolation, it becomes clear escapism isn’t working. It seems like everything is falling apart and Jesse must confront and communicate. A realistically flawed, appealing, and humorous exemplar of awkward heartbreak, Jesse negotiates both serious and ordinary adolescent concerns. Music, summer jobs, and a rich cast of multigenerational characters add interest. Main characters are white and Jewish. Review based on an ARC.
Melissa McAvoy—Retired