Rating: 
Summary: Will the Curse be Broken?
Review: Stanley Yelnats, the main character in Sachar's book, "Holes," is faced with some strange circumstances that he tries to make the best of. Stanley's life has never been easy due to the curse put on his family generations before him. So, he and his family have definitely had their share of bad luck. Stanley's bad luck becomes very bad luck, when he is wrongly accused of theft. Upon Stanley's conviction of theft, he chooses to go to Camp Green Lake for his sentence of eighteen months, because it sounds somewhat pleasant. However, Camp Green Lake turns out to be quite the opposite of pleasant, when Stanley and others are forced to dig holes 5'5'5' every day, all day long, seven days a week, in the hot sun. The boys in the detention center, Camp Green Lake, find out that the warden is actually using the boys to find a hidden treasure.
The boys in Camp Green Lake face many obstacles throughout the book. Yet, they all grow and become friends amidst the trials, even with the people in which they thought a friendship was impossible. For example, the book's big, "outsider," Zero is befriended by Stanley, which makes a very good and bold point to the other boys and the readers of this book. Stanley and the other boys: Squid, X-Ray, Zero, Magnet, Armpit and ZigZag face the counselor: Mr. Pendanski, the guard: Mr. Sir and of course the selfish warden while growing up and growing closer together. The boys change in different ways, from physical appearance to their thoughts and ideas of friendship, racism and loyalty.
Sachar, has done an excellent job in creating a vicarious experience for the readers of the book, "Holes." The reader can relate to and feel like they are suffering right along side the characters in this book at Camp Green Lake. Although, the story is fictional, it is not so far-fetched, that a young reader cannot relate to or picture themselves in the situation. The author uses very real and down to earth experiences and stretches them to make an unbelievable story come alive. The chapters in this book keep the reader completely enthralled and not wanting to stop reading. There seems to be an adventure on every page.
I especially liked how Sachar describes the setting and lets the reader feel a part of the setting. Not only does Sachar describe the present day setting, she also explains the settings of the past. Even though, flashbacks are hard for young readers to follow, I think that Sachar did an excellent job of keeping clear what setting and events took place where and when. This is also a very good interest point for students who have not been introduced to the whole idea of flashbacks in books yet. The novelty of flashbacks will capture their interest and be an excellent source of discussion in the classroom.
Rating:
Summary: Don't Give Up!
Review: Holes, by Louis Sachar, is a very interesting and suspenseful novel about a young man named Stanley Yelnats. Stanley was sent to Camp Green Lake, a camp for juvenile delinquents, because he was charged with stealing the shoes of a great baseball player. They were told that the reason for digging was to build character. The other members of Stanley's group were Squid, X-Ray, Armpit, Zigzag, Zero, and Magnet. One day, Zero ran away from camp, and after three days he hadn't come back. Everybody assumed that he was dead. On the fourth day Stanley went after Zero. He found Zero living under a boat. When the two began walking, they saw a large mountain with the shape of a thumb on top of it. Stanley found a pool of muddy water, and a huge patch of onions at the top of the mountain. Zero and Stanley became friends. One day, Zero told Stanley that he was homeless, and that his mother had left him. They went back to camp and dug a hole where they thought a treasure might be. While digging Stanley found the treasure chest. Stanley's name was on the chest for it had belonged to his great-grandfather. Stanley's lawyer arrived at the camp to retrieve Stanley because he had been proven innocent. The lawyer brought Zero back to Stanley's house. Zero finally found his mother and they became closer than ever.
I would definitely recommend this book because it is a great novel about a young man who overcomes his fears and challenges. This story teaches many lessons about dealing with the obstacles of life and life's many hardships. I was able to apply what the story taught, to my own life.
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic Book for All Ages
Review: There's a curse haunting the Yelnats family. The curse has followed generations of Yelants, and now it's time to haunt Stanley Yelnats. Why he should suffer, when the curse started because of his no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing great-great-grandfather, is beyond him. But he must. So Stanley is sent to a boys' detention center called Camp Green Lake, a place where there is no lake, like the name tries to make you believe, and where the residents spend all day, every day digging holes exactly five feet wide and five feet deep. Stanley quickly realizes that this whole "digging holes" thing isn't really a character improvement activity, but actually a search for something that the warden of the camp wants desperately. Stanley and the other boys try to dig up the truth, but will their curiosity bring grave consequences to them all?After seeing the movie I just had to read the book. I am absolutely amazed at how well that it's written. I couldn't even put it down. Sachar has created a strange, yet interesting and intriguing novel, filled with fun, curious characters, and strange twists and turns at every corner. Whether you are 8 or 80, you are sure to love this book. An absolute must-have. (...)
Rating:
Summary: one of my favorite kid books ever!
Review: I shouldn't say kid book - this book isn't just for kids. I am 22 years old and I love this story. I WISH that this book was around when I was younger!
This is the story about a boy named Stanley who's family has been cursed since his great-grandfather. Stanley's father is an inventor who has been trying to invent the cure for foot odor for years but to no avail. Stanley gets wrongly accused of stealing a pair of sneakers and gets put in a juvenille correctional "camp" ... But this "camp" is in the middle of the dessert and run by the meanest warden you could imagine. Here Stanley and the rest of the boys are made to DIG HOLES. that's right. they don't do anything but DIG HOLES in the middle of the burning hot dessert. Stanley makes a friend -but mostly enemies - and he thinks that he is going to be cursed forever --- until the pieces of this complex puzzle start to come together and Stanley inadvertanly finds a way to lift the curse off his family.
This book is truly amazing. A great story with an excellent back story. Realistic, lovable, and deep characters. Fast paced plot. Great reading for all ages!
Rating:
Summary: Stanman
Review: The book I am reading is Holes by Louis Sacher. The book is about a kid named Stanley Yelnets. The problem is that Stanley is walking home from school and Sweetfeet's shoes fall from the sky and hit Stanley's head. Then the police say that he stole the shoes. Stanley goes to court. He gets sent to Camp Green Lake. If you want to find out what happens, just read this book. I give it five stars.
Rating:
Summary: Kids Classic
Review: This is a book that most kids thinks is better than Harry Potter. The hero Stanley is a loser living with a loser family when he is mistakenly accused and found guilty of a serious theft. Instead of going to a juvenile detention centre he goes to a civilian run program where he has to dig holes in the hot Texas sun. The book has two broad layers. The reason for Stanley's predicament results from a historic curse his family has been subject to. The reasons for this are explained in a back narrative. Against this is the story of Stanley coping with his environment, learning how to live in a crazy system and making friends. The message of the book is reasonably good. The world is not necessarily a sensible place but one has to keep working at things. Bizarrely enough the reform camp is not that far of the mark of some that have existed. The book is easy to read and adult readers can read it in a couple of hours. Kids might take a bit longer but they would love it.
Rating:
Summary: Diggin' holes makes me thirsty!
Review: I'm not going to write much, just that this book was GREAT! Sachar really makes the reader feel like they're right there with Stanley...diggin' them holes! I felt Stanley's anxiety, I felt his thirst (!), and I felt his pain! The plot twists and turns kept me reading (all in one sitting)! I DEFINITELY recommend this book to kids, adults, and adult-kids. 10 stars!!
Rating: 
Summary: Holes book review
Review: "You may go to jail, or you may go to Camp Green Lake," the judge said to Stanley Yelnats, who was accused of stealing the famous basketball player, Clyde Livingston's shoes. Stanley told the judge "...the sneakers fell from the sky." What really happened though was that, "They hadn't exactly fallen from the sky. He had just walked out from under a freeway overpass when the shoe hit him on the head." Stanley chose to go to camp.
The camp was called Camp Green Lake, which is ironic because the first line of the book reads, "There is no lake at Camp Green Lake. There once was a very large lake here, the largest lake in Texas." Stanley had to a dig hole everyday. The hole had to be as deep and wide as the five foot shovel he used. The belief was, "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." The Warden, though, had another purpose for having the children dig, she was looking for something.
While Stanley was there he met some new friends for example Zero, X-ray, Zigzag, Magnet, and he was given the nickname Caveman. Throughout his life Stanley was picked on and this story is about the struggle of him becoming self confident. He had always been teased and blames his misfortunes on the family curse caused by his "no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather!" In the end Stanley is a hero for saving his friend and family from the curse. In addition he learns about true friendship, and solves the mystery.
We enjoyed this Newbury Honor book. Its humor and irony keep the pages turning. This wonderful novel appeal to all ages, while mature readers will find it to be entreating and educational, younger students will connect with the characters and learn life lessons from it. We highly recommend this wonderful novel that contains laughter and suspense all wrapped up in one.
Rating:
Summary: dig it up
Review: The book I am reviewing is Holes written by Louis Sachar. I give this book five stars because it is so good. I recommend this to everyone. This book is about a bunch of boys (bad boys) that go to Camp Green Lake. They dig holes to build character. I think you'll love it. If you'd like to know about what happens next, and who did what, I think you'll love to read this book!
Rating:
Summary: Dig it Up
Review: I thought the book Holes by Louis Sachar was awesome. I thought this, because that was the first chapter book I ever read. Now, I think reading is great. I gave Holes book five stars. I gave it five stars because it was really good. My favorite character was Stanley. He was my favorite character because he tried his hardest at digging those holes. The problem in this book was that Stanley's family could not afford enough money hire a lawyer, so he had to make a decision, either to go to camp or go to jail. I would recommend this book because it was a great story. I thought it was great for anyone to read. The book was about characters digging holes. They had to dig holes because it's a punishment for something bad they did. They're looking for a treasure. I saw the movie and it was a little different from the book. In conclusion, I think you should read books a lot to make you much smarter because reading makes you smart!
|
