I remember when the movie came out when I was younger. Never read the book until now that my son had to for school. We both loved it.

needed for my nephew's good book

It’s been a struggle to get my kids to read. They watched this movie several years ago I figure I would give this book a try and honestly this book is more interesting than the movie. It has a lot of details and parts that they left out It’s been a struggle to get my kids to read. They watched this movie several years ago I figure I would give this book a try and honestly this book is more interesting than the movie. It has a lot of details and parts that they left out in the movies. Even from the first three pages, my boys were sucked in into reading it. I highly recommend this book to any kids who are not interested in reading by far. This has been my best choice of books for them. The only complaint I have is the font is fairly small. 10 out of 10.

At some point in life, destiny will call you with some hard to believe coincidences. Please know that luck favors the prepared

I got this book because I used to have it when I was a child. I loved reading it when I was growing up . It’s a great book so I decided to buy it again.

In this engaging tale, an isolated, chubby victim of bullying faces compelling adventures that strengthen him, deepen his own self awareness and resilience, and increase his empathy for others. Louis Sachar’s deft hand accomplishes this without a shred of moralizing or pontificating and every reader should find something to relate to amidst the oddball humor, vivid imagery, and suspenseful plot. As a child I lived in a relatively safe world where English teachers foisted dark and tragic literature on us to ‘broaden our minds’. In today’s more dark and dangerous world of active shooter drills, I am so glad to know that inspirational tales like Holes exist to reassure children that perseverance through difficult struggles can lead to better times.

My son could not get enough of this book. He hates to read, but loves for me to read to him. He never wanted me to stop reading at night and couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen the next night. I would recommend this book.

“If only, if only,” the woodpecker sighs, The bark on the tree was a soft as the skies..." You know, I really dig this book. So, I do confess that I have watched the 2003 film countless times (hard to believe it is almost 20 years old…time flies) and so hearing that the film follows the book fairly closely there were no big surprises here. That still didn’t lessen the experience of a fantastic book. In fact, I would definitely say the book is a notch above for me and easily on of my favorites. I have sort of a love/hate relationship with young adult type novels. Oftentimes, they are either way too over the top schmaltzy and dripping with too much sentimentalism and not enough meat on their bones, or they are the opposite: filled with pretentious, unlikable “too cool for school” characters who get on a reader’s nerves, or there is too much in the way of unnecessary language, violence, etc. to be labelled a “young adult.” There is none of this in Holes. I’m sure everyone knows the basis of the story. Stanley Yelnuts inadvertently and mistakenly is sentenced to Camp Green Lake (ironic name) for his sentence. The boys at the facility are forced to give holes as a part of their “rehabilitation” and “character building.” But it seems clear that something is going on here. To me this is the definitive young adult novel in that it is breaks from the tropes of many young adult fare. It is everything that is fantastic about a novel. It has not only an exceptional story line, but also has two other alternating stories interweaved brilliantly within the plot that tie into Stanley’s story, among one of a family curse from years ago because of Stanley’s “no good, rotten, pig-stealing” great grandfather. Holes is heartfelt and inspiring and feels as much about overcoming, as friendship, importance of family, and coming to terms with tricky life situations. In a way it is a coming of age as well. There’s an innocent, naive quality to Stanley (who is our narrator) that is so refreshing and rewarding, and he’s easily someone you want to root for as you read about each upcoming predicament. Fabulous book, and it has become an instant favorite for me!