Title: Holes
Author: Louis Sachar
Genre: Middle grade fiction
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Source: Print copy from the public library
First line: There is no lake at Camp Green Lake.
Stanley Yelnats has terrible luck, and it’s all because of his dirty rotten no-good pig-stealing great-great-grandfather. For generations, his family has suffered under a curse of bad luck, and Stanley’s simply the latest victim. He has been convicted of a crime he didn’t commit and sentenced to Camp Green Lake, a juvenile detention camp for troubled boys. At the camp, he meets the Warden and her sidekick, Mr. Sir. Their method of reforming the boys is to force them each to dig a hole every day, five feet wide and five feet deep. It soon becomes clear that the digging isn’t random; the Warden is looking for something.
Holes is one of my daughter Natalie’s favorite books – one of the few that she has read more than once. She kept trying to convince me to read it aloud to her and the boys, but I was resistant since we’d already seen the movie (a movie which, by the way, follows the plot of the book fairly closely). I gave in, though, and I am so glad I did! As much as we enjoyed the movie, the book is truly a classic of children’s fiction. Josiah, my nine-year-old, is usually the least vocal about our read-aloud books, but he told me more than once, “I really like this book, Mom.”
As we read the story of Stanley and the Yelnats curse, we also learned the history of Camp Green Lake and why it dried up, as well as the reason the Warden is digging up the lake bed. In spite of the injustice Stanley suffers at Green Lake, he changes in ways he never could have imagined, and also meets Zero, a fellow inmate who has had as bad a run of luck as Stanley has. The two forge a friendship that has astonishing repercussions for both of their futures.
This book is full of things that kids love. There are crazy characters: the Warden, with her rattlesnake venom-infused fingernail polish; Mr. Sir and his sunflower seed habit; Kissin’ Kate Barlowe, the female outlaw who kissed each of her victims; and Madame Zeroni, the woman at the heart of the Yelnats curse. There are fiercely poisonous spotted lizards. There are lots and lots of onions and a mysterious concoction called Sploosh. There is a tragic tale of forbidden love and vengeance, and there is a terrific ending. Holes will go down as one of our favorite read-aloud experiences.
Twitter: youvegottaread
says:
My kids love the movie, and I’ve been at them for some time now to either get the audio or have me read it to them. I get bad faces from my daughter, who thinks she is too mature for all that, which drives me nuts. I’m going to work on them again. I think it would be fun.
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Twitter: booksandmovies
says:
Sandy – maybe if you tell her all four of my kids – ages 14 down to 9 – loved it equally? Plus, I did, too, and I’m almost 40.
I read this with my grade eight group, and they loved it too. Like Sandy my kids thought they were too big for it. Hmm. I may pull it off the shelf just one more time. Thanks for a great review.
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Twitter: booksandmovies
says:
Irene – hope you can get your kids to give it a try!
Twitter: bookjourney
says:
I adore this book and enjoyed the movie too (love the theme song)
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Twitter: booksandmovies
says:
Sheila – I don’t remember the theme song – I’m going to have to watch it again so I can hear it!
Twitter: bookjourney
says:
Sometimes – I sing it…. LOL It sticks in your heard – something about “digging up them holes”
Sheila (Bookjourney)´s last post ..Berg Fest – Come and Join In The Festivities!!!
I remember my son reading this and loving it. It sounds like he loves it for good reason.
Twitter: booksandmovies
says:
Kathy – yes, he did.
Twitter: mindywithrow
says:
I’ll have to recommend this to my nieces and nephews. Sounds like one they can all enjoy!
Twitter: booksandmovies
says:
Mindy – definitely one that crosses ages and genders!
Twitter: avidreader12
says:
This is a fun one. I saw it performed as a play this fall and it wasn’t quite as good.
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Twitter: booksandmovies
says:
Melissa – that’s too bad that it didn’t hold up as a play.
Twitter: BethFishReads
says:
I somehow missed the book and the movie! I’ll have to share it with my young nephews.
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Twitter: booksandmovies
says:
Candace – I hope they like it.
I love this book and the movie is really good too!
Kathleen´s last post ..A Look Ahead
Twitter: booksandmovies
says:
Kathleen – we like the movie, too.
This book was very entertaining and was a great read. I was impressed by the way Stanley
went after Zero, when Zero left the camp. This really showed the bond they had developed
and how close they had become. I was amazed by how the author was able to tie the pasts
of both of Stanley and Zero, and make a remarkable finish. Overall, this was a great book,
and I recommend it to everyone.
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