One More Step

Deborah Dowson is a Canadian children’s librarian living in Powell,
Ohio.

Fourteen-year-old Julian is the self-professed smartass and troublemaker
in the family. He doesn’t like his mother’s new boyfriend, and he
isn’t going to keep it a secret. In fact, he behaves as rudely to
Jean-Paul as he dares to, in order to make his feelings known. His
father has his own family and all of his “steps” (stepsiblings) are
okay, but his father drinks too much and never seems to have time for
him. Going on vacation with Mom and Jean-Paul is not what Julian would
consider a fun thing to do, but when a planned ski trip with his father
is cancelled due to an accident caused by drinking, he doesn’t really
have a choice. The trip to Quebec City turns out to be more fun than
Julian imagined, with tobogganing in front of the Chateau Frontenac and
lots of festivities with Jean-Paul’s extended family. For the first
time, Julian sees the possibility of real commitment and the basis for
trust.

From the attention-grabbing first page, this Orca Soundings publication
hooks the reader into a book that is full of wit, energy, and heart. The
writer successfully employs a teenager’s language and style, giving
the protagonist and the story a true-to-life perspective. The honesty
and humor of One More Step will win over even the most reluctant teen
reader. Highly recommended.