I've been curious about the story of Holes by Louis Sachar for quite some time. It was published after I passed through the middle reader/young adult genres. And yes, I admit, I didn't know much about it until the movie. I didn't see the movie, so I still didn't know much other than that the Newbery committee thought it was pretty good. The Young Adult Challenge gave me a reason to give it a look.Holes is the story of Stanley Yelnats, a boy who is accused of stealing the sneakers that fell out of the sky. Turns out they were a famous pair of sneakers. The debacle leads Stanley to a stint as a hole digger at Camp Green Lake, a corrections facility for juveniles.
The story introduces some interesting storylines. It mentions interracial relationships, race relations, Old World/New World philosophies, homelessness, and identity, to name a few.
I could have done without the derogatory remarks towards Girl Scouts, and the stereotypical use of cosmetics regarding the Warden and Kissin' Kate, but maybe that's just me?
Recommendation: A book that feels all over the place becomes nicely packaged in the last few chapters. Delightful.
2 comments:
It's a pretty good book, isn't it? =) I watched the movie first, then decided to buy the book! Here's my review of it.
Have you read Sachar's other book, Small Steps? It's supposed to be some continuation from Holes, I think.
Josette: I've read several of his books but not that one. I'll have to add it to the list!
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