Module 4: Holes

Summary:
Stanley Yelnats stole Clyde Livingston's shoes and now he gets to go to an all boys camp in Texas called Camp Green Lake. It sounds like a nice place to be until he learns he must dig a five foot by five foot hole every day. The digging is meant to "build character" because after all "it's not a Girl Scout camp." Eventually Stanley learns that the warden has them digging holes for a reason. The camp sits on an old dried up lake, and there are items that have been buried for quite some time that the warden would like to call her own. Stanley makes an escape at camp one day following the path of one of his camp friends who also runs away. Together they survive on onions and old jarred peaches and come back to give the warden a run for her money.

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

Impressions of the book:
Holes is a brilliantly written book where the characters seem to come alive and are filled with so much personality. As I read the book I had a clear image in my head of the camp, Stanley's camp mates, the warden, and Mr. Sir. Stanley, although in a horrible location, is so endearing, especially when he writes home to his mother telling her what a great time he's having at camp. Even though he's been fasely accused of his crime and is working off his punishment, he makes the best of his situation. Sachar uses many great writing techniques in this story. I especially enjoyed how he flashed back and forth in time to give the reader background information on what had occurred in the past and how it relates to what is happening in the book. Holes is Louis Sachar at his best!

Reviews:
Follos, A. (1998, September). [Review of the book Holes]. School Library Journal, Vol. 44, Issue 9, p. 210.
Stanley Yelnats IV has been wrongly accused of stealing a famous baseball player's valued sneakers and is sent to Camp Green Lake, a juvenile detention home where the boys dig holes, five feet deep by five feet across in the miserable Texas heat. It's just one more piece of bad luck that's befallen Stanley's family for generations as a result of the infamous curse of Madame Zeroni. Overweight Staneley, his hands bloodied from digging, figures that at the end of his sentence, he'll "...either be in great physical condition or else dead." Overcome by the useless work and his own feelings of futility, fellow inmate Zero runs away into the arid, desolate surroundings and Stanley, acting on impulse, embarks on a risky mission to save him. He unwittingly lays Madame Zeroni's curse to rest, finds buried treasure, survives yellow-spotted lizards, and gains wisdom and inner strength from the quirky turns of fate. In the almost mystical progress of their ascent of the rock ediface known as "Big Thumnb," they discover their own invaluable worth and unwavering friendship. Each of the boys is painted as a distinct individual through Sachar's deftly chosen words. The author's ability to knit Stanley and Zero's compelling story in and out of history of intriguing ancestors is captivating. Stanley's wit, integrity, faith, and wistful innocence will charm readers. A multitude of colorful characters coupled with the skillful braiding of ethnic folklore, American legend, and contemporary issues is a brilliant achievement. There is no question, kids will love Holes.

Use in a library setting:
This book could be used to discuss right and wrong, friendship themes, or loyalty. Students could make a chart or some other type of technology project that features examples of these themes in the book.