Holes: The iconic childhood-defining phenomenon

Louis Sachar's Holes is a beloved classic in children's literature, and for good reason. This novel is a masterclass in storytelling, combining elements of adventure, mystery, and social commentary to create an engaging and memorable narrative that appeals to readers of all ages.Initially recommended to me by an author of a writing tutorial book, Holes quickly struck a chord with its familiar yet fresh storytelling. I soon realized that I had seen the movie adaptation of Holes, which only deepened my appreciation for Sachar's original work. As the writing tutorial author suggested, this book is a treasure trove of writing techniques, making it an excellent study for aspiring writers.The story follows Stanley Yelnats, a boy who is wrongfully sent to a labor camp where he and other boys are forced to dig holes in the desert. The plot masterfully weaves together multiple storylines, including the history of Stanley's family curse and the mysterious outlaw Kissing Kate Barlow. Through these interwoven tales, Sachar explores themes of fate, justice, and redemption.What makes Holes particularly remarkable is its accessibility. The language is straightforward and clear, making it easy for younger readers to follow, while the depth of the narrative ensures that older readers remain engaged. The characters are well-developed and relatable, each with their unique quirks and backstories that add richness to the plot.

Stanley Yelnats, overweight, bullied at school, and generally unlucky in life is found guilty of stealing a pair of sneakers he never took. He is sentenced to 18 months at Camp Green Lake, a correctional facility for young offenders.Camp Green Lake is in the middle of the desert - nothing is green and there hasn't been a lake there for 110 years. All that is there now is holes, lots of holes, and more holes are being dug every day by the unlucky "campers"; each hole being exactly five feet deep and five feet across.Who is to blame for Stanley's misfortune? Well, if you asked Stanley he would probably blame his "no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather" who was cursed by a wise woman a long time ago.I had never heard of this book until I saw it in the Kindle Summer Sale and I have subsequently found out that it is considered a modern classic in American children's literature. It well deserves that status as this book is brilliant - in fact it is better than that! It has become in one reading one of my all time favourite children's books.The deceptively simple plot is set both in the present day and 110 years ago when Green Lake was a thriving community. It just pulls you along for page after page until suddenly quite near the end, everything links up and in one flash of brilliance, it all makes perfect, wonderful and quite emotionally satisfying sense! There are just so many parts of the story that link up and loop back and join together that you will find yourself wondering how you missed them all and what others there are still to find! Absolute genius!The Kindle presentation is perfect. There are no formatting or typographical errors at all and even the few illustrations in the book are faithfully reproduced on the Kindle.Overall: 5 stars - This book is wonderful! No matter what your age, read it for yourself and find out just how good it is!

This book arrived on my shelves in that roundabout way that can sometimes yield such excellent results. I noticed that there was a film called 'Holes'. I saw a book called 'Holes' appearing in countdowns of favourite novels, and even on the BBC Big Read list. A few years later, I happened to see the film. Another year or two later and I suddenly thought 'Hey, I want to read that book!' So I ordered it and voila! There it was, on my shelves. And thank heavens this wonderful process went without a hitch, because I'd have missed a treat...Stanley Yelnats is on his way to Camp Green Lake, a remote correctional facility which runs on the basis that young offenders will become better people by digging holes across the vast empty lake bed. One hole every day, five feet across and five feet deep - and for heaven's sake, if you come across a yellow-spotted lizard, run for your life, because you do not want to be bitten by one of those. In between the narrative of Stanley's stay twist the old tales that have become Yelnat family myth: that of his great-great-grandfather Elya, whose broken promise led to an elderly Egyptian woman cursing him and his descendents, and of his great-grandfather, the first Stanley Yelnats, who was robbed by the notorious outlaw Kissin' Kate Barlow and left on the desert plain to die. As the novel progresses these tales begin to echo down the years, whispering clues and engineering coincidences, until Stanley begins to suspect there's more to the increasingly sinister Camp Green Lake than meets the eye...This book has everything. A wicked sense of humour and a divine sense of the bizarre. A haunting backdrop and a weepie moment or three. A motley crew of heroes and villains sweeping across the generations. Rattlesnakes and magic mountains, onions and sneakers - oh, and LOTS of holes. Look, just take my word for it, okay? Read it!

She loved it so much. Amazing book, read it all in two days! We’re definitely going to get the sequels soon.

It's a beautiful story. Read it to my 10 year old daughter, and I'm not sure who enjoyed it the most. A lovely book to read aloud. Really didn't want it to end and will definitely check other titles from Louis Sachar.