The first book in this trilogy, Stepping on the Cracks, is narrated by Margaret. Margaret and her best friend Elizabeth both have brothers fighting in World War II. The girls are not only worried about their brothers, but also about the school bully, Gordon Smith. Gordy makes the girls’ lives miserable. When the girls find out a secret about Gordy and his family, they try to use it to their advantage at first, but are quickly drawn into trying to help Gordy.

Following My Own Footsteps takes up where the first book left off–this time with Gordy as narrator. Gordy, his mom and siblings have moved to live with his grandmother. Under her care, Gordy begins to work harder in school, and even makes a friend. Then Gordy’s dad returns, and Gordy must decide what to do.

In As Ever, Gordy, Gordy returns to his hometown to live with his big brother and family. Everyone remembers Gordy as both a failure and the class bully, and that’s how they continue to treat him. Gordy soon falls back into his old ways and although his feelings for his old enemy Elizabeth have changed, he doesn’t know how to change his behavior.

The best part of this trilogy was the way the narrator switched from Margaret to Gordy. In the first book, you sympathize with the girls’ point of view, and even though you feel bad for Gordy, you don’t really like him much. He’s just too mean, and he reminds you of every bully you’ve ever known. But once Gordy begins to tell his story, you immediately understand why he acts the way he does. The change in Gordy’s character is all the more understandable and real, because it’s seen from two points of view.

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