holes

Sachar, L. (1998). Holes. New York: Yearling.

ISBN: 978-0440414803

Poisonous lizards… spiced peaches… work camp… sinister (and occasionally kindly) adults… curses and legends… rattlesnakes…arson… Holes is a little difficult to explain.

When Stanley Yelnats is falsely accused and arrested for stealing a pair of sneakers, he is sent to Camp Green Lake, a place that is neither green nor a camp, and with no lake in sight. There, Stanley is required—along with a motley crew of fellow troublemakers—to dig holes. Lots of holes. One five foot by five foot hole per kid, per day. The purpose of digging the holes isn’t clear to Stanley at first, but become a key clue in uncovering the mysteries of Camp Green Lake, as well as Stanley’s family legacy of bad luck.

Prolific children’s author Louis Sachar (whose other titles include the Wayside School and Marvin Redpost series) crafts an intricate tale of adventure and friendship, with exciting twists and turns along the way. The story jumps between the present and the past, and the connection of the two makes for a satisfying and surprising ending to this book.This is a great “boy” book; readers will enjoy the quirky characters and the search for buried treasure. There’s also a movie. Read the Newbery Award-winning book first.