Holes by Louis Sachar

Stanley Yelnats is wrongly accused of stealing the shoes of a famous athlete and is sent to a camp where juvenile delinquents build character through engaging in physical labor–digging holes. Soon, Stanley realizes Camp Greenlake seems to have motivations for digging holes other than simply “building character,” and the generations-old story of the Yelnats’ family curse is unraveled bit by bit.

Reading Level: 8-12
Read Aloud Age: 8+

Stanley is a slightly awkward, genuinely pleasant kid who grew up in a good family with parents who care about him. The other boys at Camp Greenlake couldn’t relate much with that kind of life. Stanley tries to strike a balance between making friends while staying out of the trouble going on around him. While the other boys’ behavior is frequently self-serving at others’ expense, Stanley shows himself to be self-sacrificing, caring, and respectful even toward boys who take advantage of him. He’s a lovable character who strives to make the best of things.

I read Holes for the first time as an 11–13-year-old and didn’t feel phased by the content (in fact, it was one of my favorite books), but I did have some hesitations when it came to my own kids reading it. The writing is accessible for ages 9 and up, but for kids ages 9-12 parents may prefer reading it together so intentional discussion can be prompted for any difficult subject matter.

This is the book that Good Book Mom’s 10-year-daughter read cover to cover in one day!

Questionable Behaviors:
In the setting of a reform camp for teens who have been involved in criminal activity of some sort, you can expect to find dialogue about crime such as stealing spoken about proudly or in a joking manner. Insults are hurled. Camp staff doesn’t always treat the campers (or each other) with professionalism and respect. Stanley’s camp counselor says about another boy that his nickname is Zero because, “there’s nothing in his head.” One camper steals from the camp guard. Stanley later steals the guard’s truck and crashes it trying to flee from the camp.

Campers are physically rough with each other (including fistfights, a choke hold, and using a shovel as a weapon). The camp warden slaps the guard, injuring his face pretty badly. During a flashback about how the family curse came about, a drunk sheriff tries to get a woman (Kate) to kiss him. The sheriff sentences a black man to death for kissing Kate, a white woman, and the black man is killed. Later Kate returns and shoots the sheriff as revenge. One camper says the female warden has “hidden microphones and cameras all over the place,” including in the showers (the book never confirms or denies this, and Stanley wonders if the idea stems from paranoia).

A major subplot in the book is the how and why of the curse on Stanley’s family. His family attributes whatever goes wrong in life to bad luck because of the curse. During a flashback, a woman curses Stanley’s great, great grandfather because he didn’t follow through on a promise to her. At the end of the book, Stanley unknowingly reverses the curse by accomplishing the promise, and his family’s luck changes.

While I did my best to add everything parents would want to know here, this list may not be exhaustive.

This review is written by Good Book Mom contributor, Gina. To learn more about Gina, click HERE.

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