One of my favorite debates in my sixth grade English class is why Holes is a fantasy book, and not realistic fiction. The characters are so real to kids and the situation believable in so many ways that kids forget that nothing in life is quite this coincidental! In a full-circle style, Louis Sachar's masterpiece chronicles the life of Stanley Yelnats, who is one of the unlucky members of the Yelnats family. Bad luck seems to have followed the Yelnats family for generations, and it all goes back to Stanley's "no good, dirty rotten pig-stealing great, great grandfather". Stanley is accused of a crime he didn't commit, and is sent to Camp Green Lake for juvenile delinquents. There, all the incarcerated boys must dig a hole each day to "build character". The grueling work is only made worse by the cruel and uncaring staff. By resolving the family curse, saving the day for a group of juvenile delinquents, and proving that authority figures (i.e. adults) aren't always right, Stanley moves from "loser" to hero status. The main plot is intertwined with a flashback parallel plot, both of which come together at the end of the book. I can't help but compare it to a Seinfeld episode, where everything seems to come together and all coincidences are linked. The story is easy to read, and kids have loved it ever since the day it was published. I hate to see good books like this one made into movies, especially since it was a great book for kids who aren't great readers. Many of them just opt to see the film instead. However, the film is extremely well done, and it's a great reward for a kid who reads and finishes the book. Sachar proves he's a master storyteller in this one, which is light years more complex than his Wayside School series. Great for advanced fourth grade readers--all the way to seventh.Read full review
Amazing. If you are a parent I strongly recommend you purchase this for your child (ages 10 and up would be best). This book tells the story of Stanley Yelnats a young boy who is framed for a crime he didn't commit. As punishment, he is sent to a camp where he must dig a whole everyday in the desert. Through the book, Stanley and his friends uncover a secret that is hiding at the camp. What is the secret? Read the book and find out. This book really captured my imagination when I read it a few years ago. This is the type of book you will start reading and not be able to put down until the end. Even adults can read this book. It is really clever and extremely well written. Also, I just saw the prices and you can buy it here on eBay really cheap. I suggest that you get this for your child before you let them see the movie. In my opinion, the movie spoiled the fun of imagination. This is an amazing story that your child (or even yourself) will want to read many, many times.Read full review
I don’t know how I ended up with this book, but it had been on my shelf for years. Last summer when my grand daughter was visiting she asked if she could read it. Well, I’m the type of person that believes in censorship when it comes to eight-year-olds, so I read it first. What a pleasant surprise! I truly loved this book. It’s a very heart warming story about a boy wrongly accursed of stealing and sent to a detention camp in the desert. Bad luck runs in his family due to an old curse. Now it looks like it Stanley’s turn. But Stanley has a way of turning the tables. Oh, and as far as my granddaughter is concerned, she loved it!
One of the most entertaining books I have read in a long time. Stanley was convicted of stealing a pair of used, smelly but valuable celebrity sneakers. He claimed they fell from the sky, but he was not believed and sent by the Court to "camp." The "camp" is for wayward boys and this is story is about Stanley's time at the camp. Stanley was from a poor family and his mother was pleased that finally her boy was going to get to go to "camp." What in the world is more entertaining than teen-aged boys....particularly wayward ones in "captivity?" You have to read the book to learn about the Holes. I loved the book. It was an easy and way too fast read.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
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