Rating:  Summary: In a world of so much evil, good prevails! Review: I read this book in one evening. I kept reading wanting to know what in the world would anyone find buried in a "used to be" lake. The main character, Stanley, seems to be a drifter from the start. Soon we discover he is a boy of much compassion and strength, as well as smarts.
Rating:  Summary: What an odd book?!? Review: I read this book just when the movie was out in the theatres. I was going to see the movie, but wanted to be a nerd and read the book before hand. I usually have a 90% average in english, but when I was reading this book, I found it very hard to keep track of what was going on. In other words, it was very confusing, and so odd. I mean I guess it is a fiction novel, and I'm sure that Louis Sachar means well, but it is way too confusing. If he really wanted to include all of that information, why didn't he just make two books, the origional, and then a sequal to it. It would be alot easier for younger readers to understand!!
Rating:  Summary: Creepy Grown-ups Cannot Be Trusted Review: I read this book outloud with my son who is in third grade. It is on the Accelerated Reader list for our school. The adults in this book are terrifying. Although this book has an appealing sort of dark humor that may attract kids, I wouldn't recommend it to a young audience. Perhaps 5th graders would be sophisticated enough to understand the strange sadistic fantasy played out by the "Camp" leaders. The subplot that takes place in the olden days is woven throughout the book, and has merit.
Rating:  Summary: The best book ever!!!!!!! Review: I read this book probably two years ago and when I was looking for books to buy and came across this one, I had to write a review!!! This is the best book I have ever read! It is intriguing and very exciting!! I say if you are looking for a good book, this one is DEFINATELY a must have!
Rating:  Summary: Engrossing for all ages Review: I read this book to my 12 year old in yet another attempt at persuading him that books can be as good as video games. We both looked forward to his bedtime so that we could get another installment.
Rating:  Summary: Surprise in the bottom of a hole Review: I read this book to my 8th grade classes as part of their Read Aloud time, and they soon wanted the whole period for the book. It caught them with the contemporary situation in which Stanley found himself, and held them with the real boys under the touch guy images. There are many instances of foreshadowing so the reader wonders what will happen and hang on to every word to discover if their predictions come to pass. It will become evident why the boys are digging the holes, and they discover the kind of treasure that isn't buried in the ground...friendship and perseverance. This book will be on my bookshelf every year.
Rating:  Summary: This is a fantastic book Review: I read this book to my eight year old and we both loved it. It is both complex and magical, travelling through several parallel universes in different time frames that are nevertheless mystically tied together. The complexity of the story is good for developing young minds. You can't just listen to or read this story. You have to think about how Stanley in time frame 1 is relevant to Stanley in time frame 2 and how both are relevant to Stanley in time frame 3, as the characters echo through generations. You have to pay attention to which time frame you are in in each chapter. In this way, the book is reminiscent of D'Engle's book "A Swiftly Tilting Planet", which also links generations in different time frames together in a mystical way, OR Nobel prize-winning author Gabriel Garcia Marquez's "One Hundred Years of Solitude." The book also examines racial relations and the tangled web of the ancestries of all people in the melting pot that is the US, making it a uniquely American and uniquely relevant book. I just can't say enough good things about this book. You definitely should read it.
Rating:  Summary: What a great book Review: I read this book to my third grade class and they could not get enough. Each day after lunch they eagerly waited for me to continue the story. I higly recommend this book as a read aloud.
Rating:  Summary: This Book Is Good, and That's the 'Hole' Truth Review: I read this book together with my nine year-old daughter, and I must say that it is one truly amazing book. We both enjoyed it very much. Holes is the story of Stanley Yelnats, a young boy sent to a work camp for stealing shoes from a homeless shelter. This camp has no fences, as it is the only known place with water within several miles. Every day, Stanley and the rest of the camp has to dig holes exactly five feet wide and five feet deep. Stanley matures quite a bit while at the camp, and he develops friendships with several of the other boys. The comradery built is remarkable and the overall story makes for really entertaining reading. Throughout the book, there are several flashbacks to Camp Green Lake 110 years ago. The reader gets a glimpse at Stanley's heritage, as well as the story behind the curse of his "no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing-great-grandfather." Overall, it is an excellent book. Louis Sachar does a superb job of "filling in the holes," and ties everything up together. Each flashback has a distinct purpose, making for a very cogent storyline. The plot twists are plentiful, which allows the book to leave a nice lasting impression. Holes is a must read for families with young children.
Rating:  Summary: A book for all ages! Review: I read this with my class and teacher and we just loved it! Not only us students but our teacher!
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