Holes

Rating:
Summary: Need A Lift?
Review: Any one needing a spirtual lift and feels that nothing in their life can go right and that they have the worst life in the world needs to read this book. This book is about a young boy who is sent to a "camp" and instead is expected to dig a hole as long, wide, and deep as his shovle every day in the blazing hot sun!

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Summary: Imagine digging a huge hole everyday!
Review: Are you looking for a breath taking realistic fiction book? Then you're looking for Holes by Louis Sachar. The main character's name is Stanley Yelnats whose great great grandfather was cursed and the curse will carry on for all his younger generations. Stanley is about eleven years old and he has been sent to Camp Green Lake because he was accused for stealing a pair of shoes, which belonged to a basketball star. This story takes place at Camp Green Lake, which is a boy's detention camp. Every day the boys have to dig a hole exactly five feet deep and five feet wide. Here the boys only get four minutes of shower!! Camp Green Lake isn't a lake but it was a lake, now it's just a dry piece of land with dozens of holes!! It never rains there. If you ever try to escape, people say you'd be buzzard food in days. Stanley realizes that the warden is looking for something. If any boy digs up something the warden finds interesting, he gets the whole day off. Stanley tries to dig up what the warden wants but his hands ache a lot. His friend escapes and Stanley thinks he's buzzard food. He also escapes to find his friend. He hopes he'll find what the warden wants out there and return with his friend before they're buzzard food. When they return, there are even more tragic problems that will happen. My reason for recommending this book is because it was so interesting, I couldn't put down the book down.

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Summary: Almost real-life story, but fiction
Review: Are you the kind of type you seem to be at the wrong place at the wrong time? Or are you the kind of type you seem to be at the right place at the right time? Either way, this book, Holes, by Louis Sachar, is for you. This book is about a boy named Stanley Yelnats, who seems to be at the wrong place at the wrong time, every time. Such is the case when a shoe falls from the sky and hits him on the head. That happened to be a famous baseball player's shoe, and he was arrested. Fortunately, he had a choice to go to a camp called "camp green lake. gSounds good? It wouldn't anymore when you get to stay there for 18 month. Plus, he was innocent! There, juvenile criminals dig HOLES (as in the title) to build character. You think you could dig holes on a lake? Perhaps not. But what if the lake dried up? That's exactly what happened. It never rained after a certain event happened in Camp Green Lake. The warden has something up her sleeve by letting the kids dig holes everywhere... The Yelnats family blames it on his No-good-pig-stealing-grandfather, who they think cursed the whole generation of the Yelnats family.
There are 3 stories going on in this book. 1. Now, where Stanley is at the camp.2. The past where Stanley's great-great-great grandfather takes place in Europe, at around 25. 3. The green lake where the great-great-great grandfather moved to America. He is around 35. The lake was still there at that time. All of the stories relates to each other. So itfs pretty fun comparing how the past affected the future. Stanley learns lots of lessons there- he also makes new friends with very weird nicknames with different personalities. And Stanley finds his destiny at the camp. This is an awesome book, but for some people, it might be confusing. Also, There are too many characters to remember. But besides that, this book is one of the best Ifve ever read. Also, trust me, this is one of the few books I WANT TO READ ON MY OWN because although it is fiction, it has a touch of mystery, and a handful of comedy in the book. The movie for HOLES came up too, so you should watch that too. I recommend the book for everyone, even adults.

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Summary: get 'em to read
Review: As a high school English teacher, I am constantly trying to get my students to read. When one of my students asked if I had the book I said, "No, but I will get it!" After recieving the book, I sat and read it. I couldn't put it down. Imagine my surprise when I went to take the book to school and found my husband reading it! I have known him for 10 years and have never seen him touch a book except to use it as a coaster! Now my students must wait for him to finish it! In school, my husband was one that hated to read. For him to pick it up and not want to give it up until he was finished is incredible!!

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Summary: We need more good adolescent literature like this book.
Review: As a high school English teacher, I don't often enough read the books that my students have read before they get into my classes. But after seeing students cling to literary fluff like those "made-for-adolescents" series of today (Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys, where are you?), I was so grateful to read a well-constructed, amusing, entertaining, and thought-provoking moral tale like the one Sachar has given us here. Books like this will appeal to the twelve-year-old in all of us!

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Summary: One of the Best of This Genre!
Review: As a member of several book groups from time to time members recommend reads from the world of children's literature and young adult titles. In the past few years I have read and loved The Giver by Lois Lowry, Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson, Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt and The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot. When I learned that a movie based on Holes bu Louis Sachar, starring Sigourney Weaver, Jon Voight and Henry Winkler was in the production stage, I decided to read this well loved book first. And once again reading this book confirmed for me that a really great read can be found in a genre we may feel is for a younger audience.

While on the surface Holes tells a rather simple story of how an ancient curse affects a present day tale, this book touches on more profound themes which will keep any reader turning the pages quickly. Chief among the themes is loyalty, independence, siolation, segregation, evil vs. good and above all else, love. Told with humor and compassion, this book takes its rightful place among other wonderful titles and in my opinion is destined to become a classic in years to come.

Stanley Yelnats is a young man sent to the Green Lake Detention Camp for Boys after he is accused of stealing a pair of snearker from a famous basketball player at an auction. Stanley's mother urges Stanley to look upon this event as an opportunity to have fun since he's never been to a camp. But as Stanley will soon learn, Green Lake Camp is neither green land, a lake nor an ordinary camp. It is instead a camp where a group of young boys are at a facility overseen by The Warden, a woman, and Mr. Sir. All that Stanley and the others are told they must do is dig holes of a specified size under a broiling sun and report on what they find as they dig. What is never explained to them, though, is why they are digging these holes and what they are supposed to find. We as readers, though, learn about a curse from long ago, what the boys are really looking for and a woman bandit and the man she loved and lost. But most of all we learn how Stanley's family heritage in a tale from long ago and how it brought him to Green Lake.

Considered a book for young adults, the author Louis Sachar presents two paralell stories which had me gulping down the pages. Not only do I recommend this book to younger teenage readers but also to adults who enjoy a bit of humor and poignancy. This is a one of a kind book and I look forward to rereading it again and again.

Rating:
Summary: Great story, good writing, enjoyable use of my time
Review: As a mom I've made it a point to read what my kids read. This means I've had to suffer through the likes of Goosebumps, Babysitter Club, and Captain Underpants. But it also means I get to read some real winners like "Holes." Though I have not been able to bring myself to read Louis Sachar's Wayside school books, I decided to try "Holes" as it won the Newberry (another goal I have is to read all the Newberry's). What a great time I had reading this book! It was hard to put down. The characters were believable, funny and endearing. And I really like it when a book surprises me with the ending instead of being able to figure it out halfway through. Parents, don't be afraid to read this book - you'll have a good time. Also, the movie is very true to the book and is well worth your time.

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Summary: Sachar Rises to a new level
Review: As a retired media specialist I've always enjoyed reading Sachar to my students. I was pleasantly surprised to see he won the Newbery. I've always thought the Newbery committee to be slanted towards heavier books. This is not the typical Sachar, but he has reached a more complex level without losing the appeal to many student readers. There's much to think about here. To me it ranks with some of the best Newbery Selections. Somewhere with Maniac Magee and The Giver.

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Summary: Best Newbery Medal winner I have read in years!
Review: As a school library/media specialist, I will strongly recommend this book to my students. You will laugh and you will cry and you will not want to put this book down! Adults and students will both love this book.

Rating:
Summary: Engaging, entertaining, enraging, pure enjoyment
Review: As a teacher I am always looking for new stories to suggest and share with my students. Sachar has provided a gem with "Holes". He has continued his ability to entertain and make his readers think. Sachar is has definitely earned his Newberry this time. I have just started reading "Holes" to my fourth graders and they love it so far. The connections that Sachar uses throughout the story keep my students intent on the story. His use of humor keeps them thoroughly entertained.