Parents' Guide to

A Step Toward Falling

By Andrea Beach, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Thoughtful coming-of-ager about looking beneath the surface.

A Step Toward Falling Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

age 16+

Based on 1 parent review

age 16+

Just fine

I liked the overall message a lot, but the journey to get there felt a little tedious.

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much swearing

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1):
Kids say (2):

With her second YA novel, Cammie McGovern again demonstrates her talent for creating believable, compelling, and relatable characters. Teens will enjoy Emily and Belinda's journeys to becoming young adults who know what they're capable of, won't place limits on themselves, and aren't afraid to face the unknowable future.

The writing's lively, and the story provides a lot of food for thought. Some of the parallels McGovern constructs between this modern-day story and the classic Pride and Prejudice are a bit contrived, and serious Jane Austen fans won't be surprised by who turns out to be worthwhile and who doesn't. But most teens won't mind as they learn from and root for the engaging Emily and Belinda.

Book Details

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