Holes (Paperback)

by Louis Sachar (Author) "There is no lake at Camp Green Lake..." (more)
Key Phrases: shovel into the dirt, sweet feet, gold tube, Camp Green Lake, Mary Lou, Big Thumb (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Holes, PaperbacknStanley Yelnats is under a curse. A curse that began with his no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather and has since followed generations of Yelnats. Now Stanley has been unjustly sent to a boys' detention center, Camp Green Lake, where the warden makes the boys "build character" by spending all day, every day, digging holes. It doesn't take long for Stanley to realize there's more than character improvement going on at Camp Green Lake. The boys are digging holes because the warden is looking for something. Stanley tries to dig up the truth in this inventive and darkly humorous tale of crime and punishment--and redemption. nGrade Level: 4-8

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Yearling (May 9, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0440414806
• ISBN-13: 978-0440414803
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3,321 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #62,676 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

169 of 183 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Story that has it All, August 2, 2000

By	Roz Levine (Virginia) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

This review is from: Holes (Newbery Medal Book) (Hardcover)

Stanley Yelnats and his family have never had anything but bad luck, so it's not really a surprise to him when he is falsely accused and convicted of theft. Given the choice of jail or Camp Green Lake, Stanley chooses Green Lake because he's never been to camp before. Unfortunately, Camp Green Lake doesn't have a lake and it isn't really a camp. It's a juvenile detention facility. And to build character, the warden, who paints her fingernails with snake venom, has each "camper" dig a hole five feet deep by five feet wide by five feet long every day, even Saturdays and Sundays. What Stanley and the rest of the boys don't know is that the warden isn't just building character, she's looking for the lost buried treasure of outlaw, Kissing Kate Barlow. So begins Holes, a terrific, action filled story, full of great characters with strong voices, exciting, funny scenes and enough twists and turns to keep your kids reading non-stop to the end of the book. Louis Sachar has written a masterpiece full of humor, insight, wisdom and the triumph of the human spirit and he deserves all the awards this book won. A must read for children aged 9 - 12 and a great addition to all home libraries.

38 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gripping, December 8, 1999

By	Gloria Bonelli (Pine Bush, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Holes (Newbery Medal Book) (Hardcover)

I initially wanted read Holes to see what all the fuss was about and to determine if I should buy it for some nieces and nephews for the holidays. Well, I read it in one sitting - just couldn't put it down.

The piece is very disturbing at first, demanding and bleak but realistic with a touch of the magic to come. The beginning can be a little hard to get through, almost depressing. But the rewards are ample and well worth the emotional journey.

Stanley Yelnats is an unlikely yet likeable protagonist who's evolution and growth is gradual and encouraging and totally believeable. I can imagine that many young adolescents will really relate to this "outsider". He gives us all hope. Yet for all Stanley's troubles and adventures, Sacher has given him a pair of loving and totally supportive parents. Yes, Stanley is the hero who comes to the rescue, but his parents are not fools and, in the end, do some growing of their own. How refreshing!

I'll not only give this book to various youngsters on my holiday list, but several adults will find it in their stockings as well.

Grab an onion, a canteen of fresh water, put your shovel down and enjoy!

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Newbery Medal book young people WILL read!, October 23, 2000

By	Volkert Volkersz (Snohomish, WA United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Holes (Newbery Medal Book) (Hardcover)

As an elementary school librarian, I have been disappointed with many of the recent Newbery Medal winning books, mainly because it seemed like adults were selecting books that they thought young people SHOULD read. Many recent Newbery winning books just sit on our shelves.Therefore, when I added "Holes" to our collection, simply because it had received the medal, I expected to see yet another title collecting dust. To my surprise, this book has been constantly checked out since we received it, and young people, especially boys, are always talking about this book.As some of the other reviews have suggested, this book is a bit quirky, but some of the mysterious features of the story propel the reader forward and Sachar does a nice job of filling in the holes by the time you reach the end.Stanley and "Zero" are two boys down on their luck, who become friends in a terrible place. As fate would have it, the misfortunes that brought them together turn out to be interrelated."Holes" is another new book that gets young people to read, much like the Harry Potter phenomenon. Not only that, it gets them to think and talk about what they've been reading. Based on that, this book is recommended.