Holes

Story

Stanley Yelnats’ family is under a curse of bad luck. It’s therefore no surprise when he is falsely accused of theft and sent to a juvenile corrections facility in the Texan desert. Every day, the boys at Camp Green Lake dig holes in the scorching heat. However, it isn’t long before Stanley begins to dig up more than just dirt.

Why we chose it

A witty and moving novel with strong characters and a skilfully constructed plot.

Where it came from

American author, Louis Sachar (1954 - ), was inspired to write about Camp Green Lake after a particularly sweltering summer in his hometown in Texas. After he had set the scene, the plot and characters gradually came into being. Sachar says it took eighteen months to write the novel – the same length of time as Stanley’s sentence.

Where it went next

The novel was hugely successful, winning numerous awards including the 1999 Newbery Medal for the year’s “most distinguished contribution to American literature for children”. The novel has been recognized as ‘Notable Children’s Book of the Year’ by several publications and was adapted into a successful feature film by Walt Disney Pictures in 2003.

Associated stories

Sachar has written two companion novels to Holes - Stanley Yelnats’ Survival Guide to Camp Greenlake (2003) and Small Steps (2006), a sequel following the story of Armpit, a secondary character in the first book. Other stories by Sachar include the Wayside School series and There’s a Boy in the Girl’s Bathroom (1987).