How did I get it?:
I borrowed it from school!
Synopsis:
Stanley Yelnats is under a curse. A curse that began with his no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather and has since followed generations of Yelnatses. Now Stanley has been unjustly sent to a boys’ detention center, Camp Green Lake, where the boys build character by spending all day, every day digging holes exactly five feet wide and five feet deep. There is no lake at Camp Green Lake. But there are an awful lot of holes.
It doesn’t take long for Stanley to realize there’s more than character improvement going on at Camp Green Lake. The boys are digging holes because the warden is looking for something. But what could be buried under a dried-up lake? Stanley tries to dig up the truth in this inventive and darkly humorous tale of crime and punishment—and redemption.
Thoughts:
As you may know if you’re a regular reader of my blog, I teach in a primary school (4-11 years old), our older children studied Holes last year and I’m afraid to say I hadn’t heard of it. The English co-ordinator at my school said I had to read it. It took me a while but I’ve finally done it and I can see why they were raving about it. It’s such an exciting read which is incredibly easy to devour. I’m so pleased that they study this book as I can imagine it inspires them so much!
Holes centres around Stanley Yelnats who is falsely accused of stealing a pair of shoes. He is sent to Camp Green Lake which is a cam for criminal boys. The boys have to get up early each day and dig massive holes. If they find anything unusual they are to report it and they will be rewarded with some time off digging. The warden isn’t looking for fossils or anything like that. There’s something darker going on.
I found this story to be really exciting. This book isn’t your average children’s book. It’s quite a mature book. The content is dark, but funny at the same time. It’s also completely whimsical. There’s so much packed into its less than 3o0 pages. There are rattlesnakes, poisonous lizards with red eyes, black teeth and white tongues. It really is a feast for your imagination.
I loved how there were multiple story lines within this story. It was really clever how they began to merge together. I don’t usually get on with books that flip from generation to generation but Louis Sachar did it very, very well indeed.
Would I recommend it?:
Of course!
