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Summary:
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If you take a
bad boy and make him dig a hole every
day in the hot sun, it will turn him
into a good boy." Such is the reigning
philosophy at Camp Green Lake, a
juvenile detention facility where there
is no lake, and there are no happy
campers. In place of what used to be
"the largest lake in Texas" is now a
dry, flat, sunburned wasteland, pocked
with countless identical holes dug by
boys improving their character. Stanley
Yelnats, of palindromic name and
ill-fated pedigree, has landed at Camp
Green Lake because it seemed a better
option than jail. No matter that his
conviction was all a case of mistaken
identity, the Yelnats family has become
accustomed to a long history of bad
luck, thanks to their
"no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather!"
Despite his innocence, Stanley is
quickly enmeshed in the Camp Green Lake
routine: rising before dawn to dig a
hole five feet deep and five feet in
diameter; learning how to get along with
the
Lord of the Flies-styled pack of
boys in Group D; and fearing the warden,
who paints her fingernails with
rattlesnake venom. But when Stanley
realizes that the boys may not just be
digging to build character--that in fact
the warden is seeking something
specific--the plot gets as thick as the
irony.
It's a strange story, but strangely
compelling and lovely too.
Louis Sachar uses poker-faced
understatement to create a bizarre but
believable landscape--a place where
Major Major Major Major of
Catch-22 would feel right at
home. But while there is humor and
absurdity here, there is also a deep
understanding of friendship and a
searing compassion for society's
underdogs. As Stanley unknowingly begins
to fulfill his destiny--the dual plots
coming together to reveal that fate has
big plans in store--we can't help but
cheer for the good guys, and all the
Yelnats everywhere. (Ages 10 and older)
--Brangien Davis
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Recommendation:
Ever since I first read this
book about 4 years ago I've reread it about 8
more times! I liked this book right from the
start because it wasn't one of those books where
the beginning isn't really slow and boring but
starts out with lot's of action. I also enjoyed
the cliffhangers at the end of most chapters
which left you to wonder "What will happen
next?". The flashbacks to the past can be
confusing at first, but they give you a better
understanding of how Stanley got into his
predicament to begin with. The author does an
outstanding job of including details and
descriptions of Camp Green Lake and what the
charters looked like. Fabulous!
Since this book has more than one genre I
recommend it to anyone who enjoys any of the
following genres; adventure, mystery, fantasy.
Because the reading level is really easy, all
ages could enjoy Holes. This book is suspenseful
and will leave people wondering, "What will
happen next?". If you enjoy suspenseful books,
then you should really take a look at this one.
Clearly Holes is a well rounded book that has a
little of what everyone would like. I think that
this is a book that should be read and reread by
everyone.
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