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    Holes
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    Holes
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    Holes
    Ebook242 pages3 hours

    Holes

    By Louis Sachar

    4.5/5

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    About this ebook

    WINNER OF THE NEWBERY MEDAL AND NATIONAL BOOK AWARD
    ONE OF TIME MAGAZINE'S 100 BEST YA BOOKS OF ALL TIME

    The iconic, multi-million bestselling novel, in a 25th anniversary edition with exclusive new material inside. An unmissable modern classic.

    Stanley Yelnats' family has a history of bad luck, so when a miscarriage of justice sends him to Camp Green Lake Juvenile Detention Centre (which isn't green and doesn't have a lake), it's not exactly a surprise.

    Every day he and the other inmates are told to dig a hole each, five foot wide by five foot deep, reporting anything they find. Why? The evil warden claims that it builds character, but this is a lie. It's up to Stanley to dig up the truth.

    A masterpiece of storytelling that combines sly humour with irresistible, page-turning writing.

    New 25th anniversary edition includes exclusive material from author Louis Sachar, a foreword from acclaimed author Phil Earle and brilliant readers' notes from Scott Evans (The Reader Teacher).

    'A witty, moving read that grabs you and never lets up'     Daily Telegraph
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBloomsbury Publishing
    Release dateFeb 1, 2010
    ISBN9781408810279
    Unavailable
    Holes
    Author

    Louis Sachar

    When Louis Sachar was going to school, his teachers always pronounced his name wrong. Now that he has become a popular author of children’s books, teachers all over the country are pronouncing his name wrong. It should be pronounced “Sacker,” like someone who tackles quarterbacks or someone who stuffs potatoes into sacks. Mr. Sachar's first book, Sideways Stories from Wayside School, was accepted for publication during his first year of law school. After receiving his law degree, he spent six years asking himself whether he wanted to be an author or a lawyer before deciding to write for children full-time. His books include Sideways Stories from Wayside School, Wayside School Is Falling Down, Wayside School Gets a Little Stranger, and Holes, winner of a Newbery Medal and National Book Award.

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    Reviews for Holes

    4.5/5

    366 ratings370 reviews

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    • 5/5
      Stanley Yelnats and his family are cursed, all thanks to his "no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather." When Stanley is suspected of stealing a pair of shoes, he is sent to Camp Green Lake, where the kids are forced to dig holes. Later, Stanley breaks the family curse. This book is great for teaching cause and effect and character development. Students can discuss what they would do if they were in Stanley's position. They could also write letters home as if they were at Camp Green Lake. Teachers could also have students compare the book to the movie.
    • 5/5
      One of my friends described this as "Shawshank Redemption for teens". It really was a great book and the movie was even better, which is rare. You could tell that all the actors were having a blast doing this one. I highly recommend both.
    • 4/5
      Stanley was incorrectly arrested for and convicted of a crime, so he had to pick between jail or Camp Green Lake. He picks camp, which isn’t the type of camp he wished it was. All day, every day, he and his fellow inmates have to dig holes where the lake once was. Each hole has to be five feet deep and five feet wide, and they’re to tell the warden if they find anything interesting. That piques Stanley’s curiosity, and he’s convinced that the holes are being dug to find something specific - he just has to find out what, and then prove it to the authorities. Very interesting story with Sachar’s signature wit.
    • 4/5
      I always loved the movie and that is why I picked up the book to read. In surprise the movie is actually pretty close to the book. Of course there's a little more details on the book.
      Anyways this book is great!
    • 5/5
      This may have been written for children, but I think everyone should read it. So many layers in this book, and I like how all these were brought to a successful culmination by the end of the book. Now I want to search out the sequel to this book and spend some more time with some of the characters he created from Camp Green Lake.
    • 5/5
      Funny songs, funny movies, funny books…these usually don’t win prizes. Holes is a funny book that won prizes. But Holes is not funny in the way that Sideways Stories is funny; Holes is a quieter, sadder sort of funny.Stanley Yelnats is sent to a camp for delinquent boys. He is said to have stolen a pair of celebrity shoes. All day long, Stanley digs holes as punishment. But is that the real purpose of the digging of holes?I loved this book. Everything comes together at the end in an unexpected way. Stanley grows from being a fat, scared kid into a fit, clever boy able to hold his own against all sorts of bad guys.
    • 5/5
      A young boy who is wrongfully convicted of theft is sent to an all-boys camp where he is forced to dig holes all day in the hot sun. While there, his family's sordid past begins to unravel as history reveals itself one hole at a time. This book takes the reader back and forth between modern day and a time when a small town love story took a turn for the worse. Every detail is carefully thought out until the connections between past and present come together in one wonderful discovery. Students love reading and discussing this book together, and it always leads to rich conversations.
    • 5/5
      Spectacular. Loved every minute of it. The plot is brilliantly put together and the story is brilliantly told.
    • 5/5
      Sachar, L., (2000). Holes (Yearling Newbery). New York: Yearling.This Newbery Award winner is a timeless story about young adulthood and acceptance. Bad luck always seems to follow Stanley and his family, but who is to blame? Is it his "no-good-dirty-rotten- pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather," or is it that fate has a way of turning even a bad situation into an experience to learn and grow by. The personalities behind the characters in this book do touch on the realities of life for teens today and for the most part they are credible. For example, Stanley was being bullied, and this is something that many kids have to face. Even though the digging of the holes might be a little far-fetched, it is by digging these holes that Stanley is able to form that strong friendship with Zero. It is also a story of courage and perseverance and young teens today can learn from Stanley to never give up.
    • 4/5
      Probably one of the best explorations in irony for the younger set. If you've seen the movie, there's not a lot of point to reading the book. The author's screenplay put pretty much every scene and even the literary attitude into the film. The film also "filled in some holes," especially in a backstory involving the Kissing Bandit, to the detriment I think of the film. The book ends (no spoilers) telling the reader that there are many holes in the story the reader will have to fill in. A much better decision. Less is more.
    • 5/5
      This was one of my favorite books that I read. I loved this book because of the characterization of Stanley and because of the descriptive vocabulary. Stanley was characterized as a helpful, determined boy who only wanted the best for his friends and family. I think the way the author characterized Stanley was great because he was such a positive main character that could teach the reader valuable lessons. For example, Stanley took time to teach his friend, Zero, to read and write. He did this only out of the good in his heart and to help a friend. I also loved the use of descriptive vocabulary. The author wrote, "He was on a long bus ride to nowhere. The bus was not air-conditioned, and the hot, heavy air was almost as stifling as the handcuffs." This descriptive vocabulary allows the reader to put themselves in Stanley's shoes and feel his discomfort and fear as he drove to this correctional camp. It helps the reader paint an image in their mind of the environment he was in. The main message I took from this book is to work to your full potential and to always help others when you can.
    • 3/5
      Stanley Yelnats' family has a history of bad luck going back generations, so he is not too surprised when a miscarriage of justice sends him to Camp Green Lake Juvenile Detention Centre. Nor is he very surprised when he is told that his daily labour at the camp is to dig a hole, five foot wide by five foot deep, and report anything that he finds in that hole. The warden claims that it is character building, but this is a lie and Stanley must dig up the truth. In this wonderfully inventive, compelling novel that is both serious and funny, Louis Sachar has created a masterpiece that will leave all readers amazed and delighted by the author's narrative flair and brilliantly handled plot.
    • 5/5
      One of my favorite books. A great read for students in the upper grade level. To bring mystery but also learn about ones past family history.
    • 4/5
      I loved this book! It is a great read for one reason, because it has different parts in time in one book. I like how there is the present, Stanley at camp, and the past telling the story about his ancestors! This made the book interesting, different, and made me feel more engaged as a reader. Another reason I love this book is because it teaches the reader that sometimes authority can be wrong! The judge sentenced Stanley to the camp which was a corrupt place. The warden was corrupt and in power and I feel like it made the book more honest because she was not perfect or good. The big idea of this book was the importance of family and friends. Stanley and Zero's bond was amazing and Stanley's desire for family was great to read about.
    • 5/5
      Summary:This is a story about a boy named Stanley. He was in the wrong place and was charged with a crime that sent him away to a boys camp. The children are forced to dig holes. Stanley finds lipstick in one of the holes and they are forced to dig all around that area. They are searching for a buried treasure. In the end the very mean warden is arrested and the boys get to keep the treasure for themselves.My Response:This is one of my favorite stories ever, it teaches children to make the best out of a situation. Mostly if you stay positive a positive outcome will happen.Classroom Extensions:1.This is a great book to read during a friendship thematic unit.2. This would be a great book to have kids read in literary circles.
    • 5/5
      unique and perfect. cried at the end. then again, i cry at mastercard commercials.
    • 5/5
      The book holes is about a boy named Stanley. Who is accused of stealing shoes. Then he has to go to some camp and dig holes. He has to dig a hole everyday and it has to be shovel length deep and width. Stanley finds out who had really stolen the shoes because he is at the camp to but he is still nice to him. He becomes friends with the guys who really stole the shoes but one day he runs away so Stanley goes after him in the desert. They find a onions and a river to survive on. They found the treasure that they have been digging for the whole time. The rating I gave this book is a five. One reason i gave this book I five is that its really good. Another reason is that its really exciting. A third reason is that its is funny sometimes. Another reason it is mysterious. A sixth reason is that the begging and ending are really good. That is why i gave this book i five star.
    • 5/5
      Holes is definitely one of my favorite books. I give it five stars. If your a person who likes mysteries this will be one of your favorite books to. It all starts when Stanley Yelnats is accused of something he didn't do. Stanley is sent to a camp called Camp Green Lake. He is forced to dig a hole five feet deep by five feet wide because the camp's warden says it builds character. The other "campers" are told that if they find anything interesting while they dig they are to report it to their counselor. Soon Stanley finds out that the campers are digging holes to find something, not to build character. Will Stanley find out what's really happening at Camp Green Lake, or will he put himself in a situation where the risks could cost his life? Read to find out.
    • 4/5
      This is a great read! This book is an award winning best seller. It tells the story of a bad boy who digs a hole everyday in the sun and turns into a good boy. This story tells the lesson about discipline and commitment and responsibility. This is a great book to keep in the classroom and do projects with because children can take away many life lessons from it. The writing style is cohesive and organized. There are no illustrations because it is a chapter book, however, from the text, children can use their imagination to picture the scene and the grueling work the characters must endure each day.
    • 5/5
      I think this was an awesome book! I loved the interactions between the characters such as Stanley and Zero, and I also like how even though we don't see much of their interactions with their families, that it still plays a big influence on how their characters became who they are (for instance, Zero doesn't know of his mothers whereabouts but we still see how close of a relationship he had with her and how it adds to his character). I like the plot, and the suspense that it builds throughout, waiting to find out what they're digging for, and if they'll ever find it, and where it will lead when they do... The big picture of Holes is friendship, and fate.
    • 4/5
      Holes is a humorous and entertaining story. The story is well crafted by the author and as the book ends, the pieces of the plot fall into place perfectly. This light-hearted story can be enjoyed by readers of all ages. Teens should be able to identify with the awkward and overweight Stanley and enjoy his character's gradual transformation and triumph. I believe this book would even be a good choice as a Hi-Lo book.
    • 3/5
      Stanley Yelnats gets sent to a reform camp, where troubled boys dig holes all day long. How he navigates his fellow inmates and finding out why he's digging in the first place opens up Stanley for a big adventure, and solves an age old mystery.Contemporary Realistic Fiction I liked this book well enough, it was recommended highly by a roommate. It's not as great as he makes it out to be, or as it's lauded to be, but it's fun enough and I could see it being a hit with the 8 to 10 crowd.This seems like it's a little heavy handed for the classroom. Some of the language may not fly, but for those boys and girls 8 - 10 that need a boost it may do the trick. It's cool enough for those guys and the language is simple enough to hold them through the TV style plot.
    • 4/5
      I loved this book about Stanley's journey at Camp Green Lake. It is a classic book about a new friendship built while struggling to get through a hard time. This book would be great for 5th or 6th grade. It is very entertaining and would really grasp the students' attention.
    • 5/5
      Stanley Yelnats is blamed for stealing a pair of sneakers and is given a choice of going to two places: Jail or Camp Green Lake. Stanley decides to go to Camp Green Lake, imagining a fun vacation.But Camp Green Lake is not a vacation, and definitely not a FUN vacation. Camp Green Lake is not really a camp. There’s no lake. There’s nothing green for miles around. A warden makes the boys dig holes under the brutal sun. Each hole needs to be five feet wide and five feet deep. It’s not long before Stanley realizes that the warden is making the boys dig holes because she is searching for something…What’s more – the family curse, the mystery of the holes, the drought that destroyed Green Lake, and the legend of Kissing Kate Barlow, an infamous outlaw of the Wild West all blend into a single tale that reveals the truth of Camp Green Lake.
    • 4/5
      I believe this is a great read for elementary and middle school students for a number of reasons. The language used by the author allows readers to get to know Stanley Yelnats, a young boy sent to a juvenile summer camp for a crime he did not commit. The writing smoothly flowed between Stanley's experience at Camp Greenlake and flashbacks to Green Lake hundreds of years before the drought to construct the relationship between Stanley and his ancestors that lived long before him. The book pushes readers to think about tough issues such as race, criminality, and abuse but are addressed in an underlying manner that remains lighthearted to readers. This book stresses the overall message that people are in charge of their lives and define their own destinies.
    • 4/5
      It was good...but I saw the movie first! It was very easy to read that way!
    • 4/5
      A pretty good book with a plot that keeps you interested the whole way through. We read it in school in 5th (?) grade, and I liked it so much that I bought it.
    • 5/5
      Some books blow me away with plot twists. Others hook me with characters. With HOLES, it was the structure that got me, and how well the structure relates to the subject matter of the story. In HOLES, Sachar presents a story that's chock full of literal and figurative holes--the ones being dug by Stanley and his friends as well as the bits of plot that are seem to be missing at first, but which get filled in as we go along. We'd seen that before from Sachar with SIDEWAYS STORIES FROM WAYSIDE SCHOOL--a collection comprised of stories with a strange tilt on reality, all set in a school that's comprised of stories that have been turned on their side. It's an amazing literary device.
    • 3/5
      I enjoyed finally reading this book but saw the movie first, a few years ago. Love the movie, probably more than the book. Probably has something to do with the fact that I saw the movie first. Yea, I'd have probably given the book at least four stars if I'd read it prior to seeing the movie.
    • 4/5
      Summary: Stanley came from a long line of Stanley Yelnats which seemed to have befallen under a curse originating from their Latvian forefather who reneged his oath to carry the Gypsy Madame Zeroni up a mountain. His had the worst misfortune of being accused of stealing a celebrity’s pair of sneakers and was sentenced to Camp Green Lake for behavioral adjustment. It was a desolate camp where poisonous lizards that could kill a person crawled in hiding places in the soil.He soon discovered that he, along with the other boys, were sentenced for more hardship in the hot, dry place in Texas under the scheming and unscrupulous Warden. He learned that they were just used to find the buried treasure of the legendary Kissin’ Kate Barlow, the Texas Outlaw. His companions were also unruly and offensive, although they were the only gang he had. Eventually he found a friend in Zero/Hector, whom he taught how to read, and in return, helped him dig holes. This made the other boys envy them and tease them about it. It led to a riot.He found an item that belonged to Kate Barlow and gave it to X-Ray, who then presented it to the Warden. This made the Warden supervise the digging herself, making Stanley realize that there might be treasure in his hole. Giving it to X-Ray, she thought it was around his hole. He kept this to himself.Mr. Pedanski hurt Zero with his degrading remarks, angering Zero. He hit the counselor’s face with a shovel and fled toward the wilderness.Stanley’s concern for Zero was too strong, that he escaped the camp and braved the hot dry lake in search of his friend. He found him at last, in the middle of dryness, and he had survived on hundred year old preserves found in a stranded boat used by Kate Barlow’s love, Sam, the onion peddler.Remembering the family story of his great grandfather being robbed by Barlow and surviving in the desert by climbing “God’s thumb”, a mountain seen on the far horizon, they decided to hike toward it in the hopes of finding water. Zero got sick of the “Sploosh” preserves, and had to be carried up the mountain by Stanley. With the last of their strength and enduring all sorts of physical challenges, they reached the high mountain spring and found abundant onion plants that became their food. Here, Stanley hatched the plan to dig up Barlow’s treasure at the camp. After weeks at the spring, they packed onions and water, containers taken from camp and the boat, went down the mountain and reached camp in the evening, all in days travel, pausing to rest at the abandoned boat.After locating Stanley’s hole and alternated digging, they hit pay dirt. They found a suitcase, but before they could know what’s inside, the Warden and her henchman had caught them. They were about to take the find, when poisonous lizards, coming from the hole that they dug, crawled all over Zero and Stanley. The Warden thought they would die because of the lizards, but they were left unharmed. The lizards didn’t bite people who ate too much onions. Because of the long wait lasting till daybreak, Stanley’s lawyer, Ms. Morengo, and the Attorney General of Texas were able to reach them on time.Ms. Morengo had exonerated Stanley of the crime accused of him and had come to have him released from the camp but the Warden, eager to take Barlow’s treasure from him, had tried to detain him with false arguments. Ms. Morengo, with her legal expertise, saw through her machinations and, together with the Attorney General, placed the camp under strict government control, and they also freed the other boys from more digging. They finally released Stanley and Zero and were brought back to their families.The suitcase, belonging to Stanley’s great grandfather, contained Barlow’s jewels and financial documents that were worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. Ms. Morengo took care of legalities, after which Stanley and Zero became rich inheritors. Finally, Stanley broke his family’s string of misfortunes, while Zero, with his share, was able to find his long lost mother. Through them, the “curse” was lifted, and Kate Barlow’s death was finally given justice.Personal Reaction: I love to read books that have movies made about them. I like to see how different the books and movies are. The books are always better to me. They give so much more detail.Classroom Extension: I would have the kids write how they feel about how the kids in the books were treated and if they thought it was fair.