Step

Ellis explores the first steps toward maturity via children’s 11th birthdays in this empathic collection of 10 global stories, a companion to Sit. The American protagonist of “Alone” achieves autonomy by sneaking away from a class camping trip to face her personal fears and revels in the realization that “no one knows where I am” by spending two nights on her own in a nature preserve. But many other protagonists have little control over their circumstances, such as Oma in “Rubber,” whose family nearly drowns trying to reach Europe with other refugees on rubber rafts, and Hungarian Lazlo in “Shoes,” whose father attempts to induct him into a neo-Nazi organization. Regardless of settings and conditions, each child uncovers inner strength, or gains a new understanding of their world, on that pivotal day. Ellis succinctly creates 10 sympathetic characters, highlighting the difficult situations and emotional challenges faced by a range of children around the world. Read individually, each story is affecting; as a whole, the collection is a potent representation of the onset of mature thought and emotional complexity. Ages 9–12. (Mar.)