Holes by Louis Sachar Date of Publication: 1999 ISBN: 044022859X Number of Pages: 256

REQUIRED READING ABILITY: Low
GENRES: Adventure, Mystery
THEMES: Family, Loyalty, Coming of Age, Good versus Evil, Survival, Life versus Death, Prejudice, Fate and Destiny

SUMMARY:
Stanley Yelnats is cursed, all because of his rotten pig-stealing great-great-grandfather (whose story is told in flashbacks, interspersed between Stanley’s recent experiences). Stanley is convicted of a crime he says he didn't commit and sent to Camp Green Lake to serve his time.

Stanley is forced to spend hours in the blazing sun digging holes. He is told that digging holes will build character. It isn't long before Stanley discovers that he is digging holes because the Warden is searching for something buried there.

During Stanley's stay at Camp Green Lake he meets many interesting boys. One of the boys he meets is Zero. Stanley and Zero develop a friendship. When one day Zero escapes from Camp Green Lake, Stanley realizes that he must go after his friend and return him safely to camp or he will die in the desert heat. While Stanley and Zero are trying to find their way back to camp, they discover the solution to the mystery of Camp Green Lake, its relationship to Stanley’s great-great-grandfather, and a link in their pasts.

WHO WOULD LOVE THIS BOOK: A kid who...

• is alive and breathing (i.e. I have not yet met an individual who did not LOVE this book.)
• loves coincidences
• loves flashbacks and the weaving of more than one story thread at a time
• likes a really evil, unusual villain or villainess
• likes surprises
• has a strong sense of justice
• hates to read “regular books”

WHAT ELSE?
This is a great book, and its wackiness makes it a prime reluctant reader book. It stands well on its own, and can be appreciated with or without the movie being seen.

RELATED LINKS:
Author's Site
Teacher's Resource Package
Lesson Plans
Math and Map Activities