Module 4 - Holes by Louis Sachar

Bibliography:

Sachar, Louis. Holes. (2008). New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. ISBN: 0374332665

Summary:

Stanley is a young boy who has a history of bad luck because of a curse put on the family because an ancestor who broke a promise to carry Madame Zeroni up a mountain to drink the backward flowing water. Because of this, and because of Stanley being in the wrong place at the wrong time, Stanley gets accused of stealing a pair of sneakers belonging to a famous baseball player that were going to be auctioned for charity. At court, Stanley gets the option of going to camp or jail. Stanley chooses camp- Camp Green Lake. At camp the children there are made to dig a hole five feet deep and five feet wide in all directions in a desert each day. Digging a hole soon after coming, Stanley finds a lipstick case, but another boy takes it and claims he found it in his hole to get the day off. As it turns out, the Warden is looking for treasure buried by the Kissing Kate Barlow.  Forced to dig each day, Stanley becomes friends with a kid named Zero. They make a deal that in exchange for Stanley teaching Zero to read, Zero would help Stanley dig his holes. But one day, Zero becomes so upset at the treatment of the adults at camp, he runs away. Because there is nothing surrounding the camp but a vast desert and because no one would miss Zero, the adults let him leave. Stanley, after a couple of days, decides to run away too in order to search for his friend. When Stanley finds Zero, Zero is very weak and sick. They decide to go to the distant mountain that looks like a thumb instead of going back to camp because Stanley had a grandfather who got lost in the area once and said it was “God’s thumb” that saved him. Zero collapses on the way there, and Stanley carries Zero the rest of the way. Because Zero is a descendent of Madame Zeroni, the curse is now broken (although Stanley doesn’t know this yet). Once they reach the thumb, they find mud and dig up water, also finding onions. They live on muddy water and onions for a few days before deciding to go back to camp to see if they could find the buried treasure before leaving the area with a bag full of onions and water to make it to the nearest city. The boys go back to the hole where Stanley found the lipstick case and dug until they found a suitcase. The warden then makes her entrance and demands the case, but is forced to wait as Stanley and Zero are covered in the deadly yellow-spotted lizards. But, the lizards don’t bite the boys since the lizards do not like onions. Because the curse is now broken, a lawyer shows up in time to save Stanley and Zero and put a stop to the Warden’s so called camp. The boys end up making a lot of money from the things inside the suitcase and are finally happy with their lives.

Impressions:

I am really glad I chose this book as a part of my reading for this week. The book was very humorous and satirical, and just plain entertaining. I had watched the movie, and so I kind of knew what to expect, but it still blew me away at how great a book it was. The book shows the importance of liking yourself. When you like yourself then you have the courage to stand up for yourself and the things you believe in. You have the strength to make the right choices and help others out. Stanley grew stronger at camp, but not because he was digging holes. I really liked how everything tied together in the end; everything from Kate Barlow, to Stanley’s ancestors, all comes to a dramatic conclusion in the end.  

Reviews:

" How Stanley rescues his friend Zero, who really stole Sweet Feet's tennis shoes, what the warden is desperately looking for, and how the Yelnats curse is broken all blend magically together in a unique coming of age story leavened with a healthy dose of humor." 

Lombardo, Cindy. (September 01, 1999). Library Journals LLC [Review of the book Holes]. School Library Journal. Available from booksinprint.com

"The author's ability to knit Stanley and Zero's compelling story in and out of a history of intriguing ancestors is captivating. Stanley's wit, integrity, faith, and wistful innocence will charm readers. A multitude of colorful characters coupled with the skillful braiding of ethnic folklore, American legend, and contemporary issues is a brilliant achievement. There is no question, kids will love Holes."

Follos, Alison. (September 1, 1998). North Country School, Lake Placid, NY [Review of the book Holes]. School Library Journal. Available from booksinprint.com

Suggestions For Use:
I think this book would be great to use as a read aloud that lasted a few weeks. It would interest the kids and have them coming back to hear more the following week. It might even have them checking out or buying the book themselves so they can read it even sooner. Each week could be started by talking about what happened last and what they think will happen next. After reading the book, a discussion could be had about what the kids liked about it and their favorite parts. The movie could also be watched and after watching the movie, a comparison discussion could be had about the similarities and differences between the movie and book and also about which format the kids preferred.