Annabel's family is complicated (and diagrammed on the cover of the book). When she travels from New York to visit her father and his new family in Australia, she has one thought in mind -- to convince him to come back. She sees her new stepsiblings and stepmother as the ones who stole her father from her so, despite their initial friendliness, she is determined to be cool to them. But, of course, this doesn't go as planned. Her father is happy with his new family in a way that he never was before, and she finds herself liking her stepsister, Lucy. But more difficulties are on the way -- while she was gone, her mother got remarried to the father of a boy in her class.
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The Steps
(2003, Fiction - Family Life, Written by Rachel Cohn)
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Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings(Flash is loading. If this text does not disappear you need to install the latest flash version)
Not age appropriate for kids under 11, age appropriate for kids over 14; suggested age 11. -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Troubling glorification of teen material values.
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 11–14
What to watch out for
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Violence:
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Sex:
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Language:
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Consumerism:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
About The Steps
Parents need to know that though your kids will like it, you probably won't appreciate the author's acceptance of shopping and clothes-obsession as normal. Better is her handling of the children's running away -- when they return, their parents meet them with a policeman with pictures of other runaways who weren't so lucky.
Read our full review by Matt Berman
Families Can Talk About
- Families can talk about running away and finding other solutions to problems at home. Have you ever been tempted to run away? Why? Parents can also discuss the importance of open communication in conflict resolution.
Our Members Say
Most Recent Reviews
- I rate this title iffy for age 2 and give it
It was very nice
- I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
- I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
A must-read book for everybody with steps or half siblings
i loved the book it was a realy great book it left me in a lot of suspense i though annabel would of never survive all da new family members coming in her life.i no excaly wat she is going though
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