Holes by Louis Sachar Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Holes
Book Review: A Great Book!
Summary: 5 Stars
Holes is an absolutely delightful story. It does not fail to show the ugly side of humanity, when friendship and tolerance fail, and the human spirit sinks to ugly levels. Yet it also shows, triumphantly, what happens when friendship and tolerance succeed, when friends stick together, and what can happen when the human spirit overcomes adversity. The characters react believably with their circumstances, and are very likable, strong people. Stanley Yelnats is a terrific guy, believably flawed, yet someone who does the best he can with what he's got. I love this book, and I would highly recommend it.Book Review: A great book for anyone, young or old
Summary: 5 Stars
I just finished reading "Holes" with my son, who had been reading it for school. We are watching the movie as I'm typing this. I am constantly amazed at what a great book this is. It intertwines a current-day story with a story about the main character's ancestors, and the author does this with great skill.
It's the kind of book that you when you finish reading it, you're kind of depressed that not ALL books are this good.
I especially recommend it to kids who aren't that interested in reading. It's not an easy book to read, but it's so enjoyable that you can get kids to push through it, and then by the end when everything is tied up and makes sense, it brings a real sense of accomplishment.
Book Review: AS good as the movie
Summary: 5 Stars
I watched the movie first and then read the book. I was excited to see that the movie and book were very similar. It was an exciting story!Book Review: Amazing book for all ages
Summary: 5 Stars
"Holes" by Louis Sachar (1998). Random House, Inc: New York. 233 pages. Realistic Fiction. Grade level: 5.30.
Holes is about a boy whose life is affected by the past. Most notably, Stanley Yelnats, has a family curse from his "no-good-dirty-rotten pig stealing great-great-grandfather" who did not carry out a promise to a magic woman. Stanley's family blames most of their problems on this ancestor. Stanley's father is a poor inventor who works hard but has no luck. He is currently working on trying to invent a spray to remove foot odor. One day, Stanley is walking and a pair of sneakers fall from the sky so he naturally takes them home to his father. It turns out, the sneakers were from a famous basketball player who is donating them to charity. Staney is arrested and sent to Camp Greenlake for his punishment and "rehabilitation." Once he gets to the camp in Texas, Stanley quickly realizes that it is not a camp in the typical sense and there is no lake to be found. He is forced to dig one 5 foot by 5 foot hole each day in the scorching heat and report to the warden if he finds anything interesting. He is accompanied by other juvenile offenders who all fend for themselves and try to survive the grueling work and horrible living conditions. There are no fences, because if they ran away they would die in the desert.
The story also goes takes the reader on flashbacks to the time when the area actually was a lake in the early settling times. It was a small town that was an oasis in the middle of the desert. The one-room school house was run by Kate Barlow who happily taught the town's children and adults alike. Kate takes to the town onion seller who happens to be black. This is, of course, unacceptable at the time so the town kills him and runs her out of town. From that point on, she changes and becomes "kissin' Kate Barlow" an outlaw who prays on unsuspecting travelers and kisses them before she kills them. The town's luck and lake run dry and it becomes abandoned. Before she dies, she buries all of her treasure on the grounds of the lake. Stanley's great-grandfather was robbed by Kate Barlow, but not killed. He survived by "God's thumb" and miraculously lived although no one knew what that meant.
Back in present day, Stanley and another boy Zero run away from camp because they are fed up. They know they must go back or they will die. Stanley notices that a mountain nearby looks like a thumb and they decide to see if they can survive there. After days of walking in the desert, with no water and little food, they make it up the mountain. Stanley carries Zero and they discover a spring filled with onions which they eat until they are healthy again. In carrying this boy up the mountain, Stanley reverses his great-great-grandfather's curse. They decide to return to camp to find the buried treasure. When they get there, they find it but are caught. However, it turns out that the treasure is in a case labeled with Stanley's name on it, which was his great-grandfather's. A lawyer comes to get Stanley out of the camp because he is innocent and ends up closing the camp because it is illegal treatment of the boys. Stanley and Zero become rich and Zero finds his mother with his money. In the end, each character gets what they deserved.
I think this book was amazing. It was elaborately interwoven with past and present. It exposes the realities of fate while at the same time showing the strength and necessity of strong moral character. Stanley and Zero learn to believe in themselves. This book is inspiring and very entertaining. My only concern, is that the author could have discussed the racial issues in the story more. There is the interracial relationship in the past with Kate and also the way the boys at the camp relate to each other based on their races. This was not the focus of the book, which is probably why Sachar did not elaborate on these themes but I think it is a valuable subject to expose. Perhaps, it is merely up to the reader/teacher/parent to discuss the interplay of people of different races in the book. Overall, I was very impressed and would recommend this book to anyone of any age.
Book Review: Camp Green Lake
Summary: 3 Stars
Holes is a book about a young boy named Stanley Yelnats. His whole family is under a "curse" of bad luck. He ends up going to a camp that is just like jail all because he was accused of stealing a pair of shoes that really fell out of the sky. My favorite part of this book is when Stanley gets out of Camp Green Lake. He is so much happier and life is a lot better for him. Also, when his dad makes the cure for smelly feet. After he does that his family doesn't have back luck anymore. Last but no least my favorite part was when Stanley carried his friend Zero up the exact same mountain Stanley's grandfather carried Zero's great great grandmother, Madam Zeroni up the mountain, and he gets a treasure full of money.