Holes-Review+by+McGrath

  (Powell's Books)  __Holes __ by Louis Sachar was published in 1998 by Scholastic. It is a 232 page adventure story that most students under the age of 15 have probably read. They made a movie about it a few years ago, but most people still find the book worthwhile. The story has several settings—it is like many stories in one. It jumps around a lot, but it's not too hard to follow. The main storyline is about Stanley Yelnats, a boy who commits a crime and is sent to a workcamp out in the middle of the desert where everyone is expected to dig a hole every single day that is about 5 feet wide in a circle and 5 feet deep. Some of the stories take place in the distant past. One is about his distant relative in the past who was cursed by a magical woman. Another story is about something that happened about 100 years ago in the area where the work camp is. The stories all add together to create a mystery. As we read, we wonder why the boys at the workcamp all have to dig holes. We also wonder what is making all the people who work at the camp act the way they do. Through the chapters, the three stories all start to explain each other, and things get very exciting as Stanley and another boy, Zero, end up running away together, risking death to find their freedom. Louis Sachar has a genuine classic here. The book is very memorable because the characters are interesting and delightful. It is easy to read, and the many stories keep the story fresh and provide just enough questions and answers to make this a true page-turner. Sachar seems very qualified to write this book. When I read it, I believed every word. There was nothing I didn't like about the story. The truth is that once I started it, I couldn't put it down. I absolutely recommend this to anyone. Even my mom liked it! This is a wonderful story. If you are looking for a fun adventure, you should definitely give this story a try. =  Works Cited   = Powell's Books. (n.d.). //Powell's Books//. Retrieved December 9, 2010, from Holes (Yearling Newbery) by Louis Sachar: [] home