Holes

I bought Holes by Louis Sachar for my neighbor’s son, who absolutely loves to read, and it turned out to be the perfect choice. He was hooked from the very first chapter! The story of Stanley Yelnats and the mysterious Camp Green Lake is clever, funny, and full of twists that keep young readers excited to turn the page. Louis Sachar does an amazing job blending adventure with deeper themes like friendship, fairness, and courage. Even though it’s written for kids, it’s the kind of book that sticks with you long after finishing it. The short chapters, easy writing style, and engaging plot make it super accessible, especially for kids who enjoy books with mystery and humor. If you’re looking for a great gift for a child who loves reading, or one you want to encourage to read more. Holes is a fantastic pick. My neighbor’s son devoured it, and now he wants to read more books by the same author!

“If only, if only,” the woodpecker sighs, The bark on the tree was a soft as the skies..." You know, I really dig this book. So, I do confess that I have watched the 2003 film countless times (hard to believe it is almost 20 years old…time flies) and so hearing that the film follows the book fairly closely there were no big surprises here. That still didn’t lessen the experience of a fantastic book. In fact, I would definitely say the book is a notch above for me and easily on of my favorites. I have sort of a love/hate relationship with young adult type novels. Oftentimes, they are either way too over the top schmaltzy and dripping with too much sentimentalism and not enough meat on their bones, or they are the opposite: filled with pretentious, unlikable “too cool for school” characters who get on a reader’s nerves, or there is too much in the way of unnecessary language, violence, etc. to be labelled a “young adult.” There is none of this in Holes. I’m sure everyone knows the basis of the story. Stanley Yelnuts inadvertently and mistakenly is sentenced to Camp Green Lake (ironic name) for his sentence. The boys at the facility are forced to give holes as a part of their “rehabilitation” and “character building.” But it seems clear that something is going on here. To me this is the definitive young adult novel in that it is breaks from the tropes of many young adult fare. It is everything that is fantastic about a novel. It has not only an exceptional story line, but also has two other alternating stories interweaved brilliantly within the plot that tie into Stanley’s story, among one of a family curse from years ago because of Stanley’s “no good, rotten, pig-stealing” great grandfather. Holes is heartfelt and inspiring and feels as much about overcoming, as friendship, importance of family, and coming to terms with tricky life situations. In a way it is a coming of age as well. There’s an innocent, naive quality to Stanley (who is our narrator) that is so refreshing and rewarding, and he’s easily someone you want to root for as you read about each upcoming predicament. Fabulous book, and it has become an instant favorite for me!

Mr. Sachar wove this plot with a design, a pattern, that illuminates and elevates. Probably the best book I have ever read, and I come at it for the first time at 71 years old. I speculate on all the middle school children who learned noble values from “Holes.” The story and Mr. Sachar’s exquisite telling must have birthed a faith in many youth— faith that life and others recognize and reward true goodness. The young readers must have learned about friendship, responsibility, and loyalty. The tale spinning gifted many rewards along with laughter, suspense, and tears. I devoured the story almost nonstop since I downloaded it this afternoon from Amazon.

I read Holes with my two boys (ages 12 and 13). I somehow never read it when I was younger, even though it’s one of those books that people always talk about as a classic. For us, it ended up being a little underwhelming. My boys thought it was just okay, and I felt similarly. The story was interesting, but at times it felt a bit repetitive. That may have been intentional, but it didn’t fully land for me. That said, this book is written for a younger audience, so the storytelling is simpler and more straightforward than many of the books I usually read. I can see how it would be a really fun and memorable story for kids encountering it at the right age. Overall, it was a quick read and an interesting experience to share with my boys. We’re planning to watch the movie next, and I’m curious to see how it compares to the book.

me and my son love the movie, it was so fun to read the book together, too.

Kids loved it.

This book was meant for young readers, but I'm 70 and just getting around to reading it. It has been a long time since a book has had a scene that made me laugh out loud. Who ever thought a story about digging holes could be so entrancing? Very simply, I enjoyed every minute of reading.

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