Holes

Title: Holes

Author: Louis Sachar

ISBN: 9780439244190

Published: Aug 1998

Other books in the series:

Characters: Stanley Yelnats, Zero, Mr Sir, The Warden

Reading Level: 4th grade

Interest Level: 4th-6th grade

Summary: Stanley Yelnats is pretty sure he can blame his bad luck on his no good, dirty rotten pig steal great great grandfather. Stanley's bad luck gets him blamed for stealing a pair of famous athletes baseball shoes and sent off to Camp Green Lake . The thing is there isn't a lake at Camp Green Lake. What there is is a vast desert covered in holes. See at Camp Green Lake troubled kids are forced to dig a hole every day. Each hole needs to be 6ft wide and 6ft deep. They are told it's because this will build character but Stanley is pretty sure that the Warden, who runs the camp, is looking for something. They are under orders that if they find anything interesting while digging to report it immediately to Mr Sir. One day Stanley finds a gold tube with the initials K.B. on it. X-ray told Stanley he was to give it to him so X-Ray could pretend he found it and get the day off. The rest of the boys are then forced to dig where X-Ray claims he found the tube, for what they don't know. Stanley soon forges an unlikely friendship with Zero, who agrees to dig part of Stanley's hole everyday in exchange for Stanley teaching him to read.  But one day while out digging Zero flips out and runs into the desert. Stanley tries to steal the water truck and take after him but crashes it into a hole.  Stanley decides to take after Zero on foot. But how long can two kids survive in the desert? And what is it that Mr Sir and the Warden are looking for? 

Review: I really enjoy Sachar's story telling. He takes what seems like unrelated stories and unrelated characters and weaves them all into one cohesive story. The back and forth between the Stanley and Zero's story and then the old story of Kissing Kate is a nice transition in the story. It gives insight into the story and the history of Camp Green Lake. Sachar keeps the reader on the edge of their seat as Zero and Stanley go on a treasure hunt in the desert. 

Reader Annotation: Stanley Yelnats is at Camp Green Lake for a crime he didn't do. Now he is stuck digging holes in the desert but Stanley is convinced that there is something hidden in that desert.

Main Themes: treasure, family secrets, juvenile delinquents 

Read Alikes: The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin, Hoot by Carl Hiaasen

Why for tweens? Tweens will love this story of hidden treasure and family curses. They will get into the mystery of why the boys are digging holes.