Holes (original 1998; edition 2000)

I first read Holes after seeing Louis Sachar in a television interview talking about how he came to write it, how he took the two stories that it’s made from and inseparably intertwined them. I read it and was enchanted by it from the start. Every word had the simplicity and authority of a Grimm’s fairytale, immediately marking it out as a classic. Every word was necessary. At the end I came away thinking that I had just been communing with a piece of sublimely perfect literature, and felt blessed to have come in contact with it. This is a rare feat. I’ve read a number of Louis Sachar’s novels since, but Holes is the only one that manages to renew my sense of well-being time and again. ( )

Stanley finds some shoes from the famous athlete. The shoes literally fall from the sky and land on Stanley's shoulder. The judge does not believe Stanley and so he is guilty and sent the lake camp in Texas but that great lake is now a hot lonely desert. All juveniles there are forced to dig holes and work too much. The boys realize why they are digging and they are in search of a "treasure" so Stanley runs away and things unfold from there....

This is a favorite of mine that I've been realizing lately would be a great whole-class book. It's packed full of the literary elements that we want to teach, but it's also just a really fun read. I'm surprised that many students have not already read this one with lots of great messages. ( )

This book is entertaining and has twist ending, it’s heartfelt and is an adventure for your mind. I read this book because it was in my house and soulded appealing.

This is a book that a unit could be developed around. All of the content areas could be included.