ISBN-13: 9780374332655
Grade: A
For some odd reason I never read Holes by Louis Sachar as a kid. I have no idea why since I read every other book he wrote. It must be that the universe wanted me to wait until I was an adult to read this. I use the term adult loosely as many of you already know.
Holes is an easily readable YA book about a kid Staney Yelnats who gets sent to a boys detention center for allegedly stealing a pair of shoes. He is given the option of going to jail or going to Camp Green Lake, and when given the choice figures camp sounds better than juvie. This juvie detention center is run by some sadistic people who force the boys to dig a 5 foot by 5 foot hole every day because it builds character. We also meet a cast of characters with nicknames such as Armpit, Zero, X-Ray, Squid, Zig Zag, Magnet, Twitch and Barf Bag. Added to the story is a one-legged gypsy curse, an onion salesman and his mule, and an outlaw named Kissin Kate Barlow. What follows is a YA story that only Louis Sachar could do justice. There's just enough humor and a lot of excitement. This was definitely a page turner, with chapters being only a few pages long.
What I've learned since finishing this book is that there was a movie based on it. I had no idea (insert 'you live under a rock' comment), but now I must find a copy of it at the library. Maybe this was the universe telling me to save the best Sachar book for last. I do think I should re-read the Wayside books as an adult to see if they are as fun as I remember them being. Those will get added to the stack of to read books, which is growing at an ungodly rate since I have zero self control.
And for those who may wonder why so many YA books. One of my childhood friends is a YA librarian and has me hooked on YA books. Don't dismiss them as just for kids as a lot of those books are written so much better than adult books. My darling librarian is just about the only person whose book recommendations I can truly trust. I won't dare point fingers at the person who recommended Eat, Pray, Love, said person is also responsible for recommending My Sister's Keeper. Since getting turned back onto YA books, my goal is to conquer the entire YA section of both branches of my library as well as my hometown library.
But seriously, you guys should read Holes if you haven't already and give Louis Sachar books another read.
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