holes

"Ifyoutakeabadboyandmakehimdigaholeeverydayinthehotsun,itwillturnhimintoagoodboy."SuchisthereigningphilosophyatCampGreenLake,ajuveniledetentionfacilitywherethereisnolake,andtherearenohappycampers.Inplaceofwhatusedtobe"thelargestlakeinTexas"isnowadry,flat,sunburnedwasteland,pockedwithcountlessidenticalholesdugbyboysimprovingtheircharacter.StanleyYelnats,ofpalindromicnameandill-fatedpedigree,haslandedatCampGreenLakebecauseitseemedabetteroptionthanjail.Nomatterthathisconvictionwasallacaseofmistakenidentity,theYelnatsfamilyhasbecomeaccustomedtoalonghistoryofbadluck,thankstotheir"no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather!"Despitehisinnocence,StanleyisquicklyenmeshedintheCampGreenLakeroutine:risingbeforedawntodigaholefivefeetdeepandfivefeetindiameter;learninghowtogetalongwiththeLordoftheFlies-styledpackofboysinGroupD;andfearingthewarden,whopaintsherfingernailswithrattlesnakevenom.ButwhenStanleyrealizesthattheboysmaynotjustbediggingtobuildcharacter--thatinfactthewardenisseekingsomethingspecific--theplotgetsasthickastheirony.It'sastrangestory,butstrangelycompellingandlovelytoo.LouisSacharusespoker-facedunderstatementtocreateabizarrebutbelievablelandscape--aplacewhereMajorMajorMajorMajorofCatch-22wouldfeelrightathome.Butwhilethereishumorandabsurdityhere,thereisalsoadeepunderstandingoffriendshipandasearingcompassionforsociety'sunderdogs.AsStanleyunknowinglybeginstofulfillhisdestiny--thedualplotscomingtogethertorevealthatfatehasbigplansinstore--wecan'thelpbutcheerforthegoodguys,andalltheYelnatseverywhere.(Ages10andolder)--BrangienDavis--Thistextreferstoanoutofprintorunavailableeditionofthistitle.PW'sstarredreviewofthe1999NewberyMedalwinnerdescribeditasa"dazzlingblendofsocialcommentary,talltaleandmagicrealism."Ages10-up.(May)Copyright2000ReedBusinessInformation,Inc.--ThistextreferstothePaperbackedition.Grade5-8-StanleyYelnatsIVhasbeenwronglyaccusedofstealingafamousbaseballplayer'svaluedsneakersandissenttoCampGreenLake,ajuveniledetentionhomewheretheboysdigholes,fivefeetdeepbyfivefeetacross,inthemiserableTexasheat.It'sjustonemorepieceofbadluckthat'sbefallenStanley'sfamilyforgenerationsasaresultoftheinfamouscurseofMadameZeroni.OverweightStanley,hishandsbloodiedfromdigging,figuresthatattheendofhissentence,he'll"...eitherbeingreatphysicalconditionorelsedead."Overcomebytheuselessworkandhisownfeelingsoffutility,fellowinmateZerorunsawayintothearid,desolatesurroundingsandStanley,actingonimpulse,embarksonariskymissiontosavehim.HeunwittinglylaysMadameZeroni'scursetorest,findsburiedtreasure,survivesyellow-spottedlizards,andgainswisdomandinnerstrengthfromthequirkyturnsoffate.Inthealmostmysticalprogressoftheirascentoftherockedificeknownas"BigThumb,"theydiscovertheirowninvaluableworthandunwaveringfriendship.EachoftheboysispaintedasadistinctindividualthroughSachar'sdeftlychosenwords.Theauthor'sabilitytoknitStanleyandZero'scompellingstoryinandoutofahistoryofintriguingancestorsiscaptivating.Stanley'swit,integrity,faith,andwistfulinnocencewillcharmreaders.Amultitudeofcolorfulcharacterscoupledwiththeskillfulbraidingofethnicfolklore,Americanlegend,andcontemporaryissuesisabrilliantachievement.Thereisnoquestion,kidswillloveHoles.AlisonFollos,NorthCountrySchool,LakePlacid,NYCopyright1998ReedBusinessInformation,Inc.--Thistextreferstoanoutofprintorunavailableeditionofthistitle."StanleyYelnatsIVhasbeenwronglyaccusedofstealingafamousbaseballplayer'svaluedsneakersandissenttoCampGreenLake,ajuveniledetentionhomewheretheboysdigholes,fivefeetdeepbyfivefeetacross,inthemiserableTexasheat.It'sjustonemorepieceofbadluckthat'sbefallenStanley'sfamilyforgenerations...Thereisnoquestion,kidswillloveHoles."--Starred,SchoolLibraryJournal--ReviewSacharinsertshumorthatgivesthesuspensesteepedges;thetoneisasfullofsurprisesastheplot.--TheNewYorkTimesBookReview,BetsyHearne--Thistextreferstoanoutofprintorunavailableeditionofthistitle."StanleyYelnatsIVhasbeenwronglyaccusedofstealingafamousbaseballplayer'svaluedsneakersandissenttoCampGreenLake,ajuveniledetentionhomewheretheboysdigholes,fivefeetdeepbyfivefeetacross,inthemiserableTexasheat.It'sjustonemorepieceofbadluckthat'sbefallenStanley'sfamilyforgenerations...Thereisnoquestion,kidswillloveHoles."--Starred,SchoolLibraryJournal