Holes finds its place among Sachar's best

Welcome to Camp Green Lake where, ironically enough, there is neither a lake nor anything green in the vicinity. Camp Green Lake is the strictest youth correctional facility in the state of Texas, where boys spend all day "building character" by digging holes five feet wide by five feet deep. The weather is hot and sticky, and its juvenile habitants are rationed only four minutes of shower time and limited water per day.

Louis Sachar's Holes is the story of Stanley Yelnats III, an average teenage boy from Texas who finds himself at Camp Green Lake, where he learns to separate fact from fiction on his journey from childhood to maturity.

Wrongly accused of stealing a baseball star's shoes at an auction, Stanley is sent to Camp Green Lake after landing in the wrong place at the wrong time. He blames his bad luck on a curse that was put upon his family when his great-great-grandfather stole a pig from a poor fortune teller. As Stanley becomes more accustomed to the camp, he makes friends and learns a lot about the history of his family's past and the secrets within Camp Green Lake.

From the moment Stanley sets foot in Camp Green Lake he senses a suspicious aura. He realizes that digging those five by five holes isn't meant just to "build character." Stanley learns the history behind Green Lake, Texas, which is centered around the notorious outlaw Kissin' Kate Barlow. Stanley Yelnats I was almost a victim of Kissin' Kate when his stagecoach was robbed and he lost his millionaire status. Luckily he escaped without the signature lipstick seal of death that Kate used to mark her targets.

Stanley also considers the story of his family curse, which began when Stanley's great-great-grandfather, Elya Yelnats, fell in love with a woman who was out of his reach. Elya was helped to win her heart by the fortune teller Madame Zeroni, but when he failed to fulfill his end of the promise to her, Madame Zeroni cursed him and his descendants to be "doomed for all of eternity."

While remembering these tales, Stanley decides to figure out what is going on at Camp Green Lake, and exactly what the boys are digging for. Stanley creates strong friendships with the regulars in his digging group: "Zero," "X-Ray," "Magnet," "Squid," "Armpit," "Rex," and "Zigzag." They give Stanley the alias of "Caveman" to mock his digging skill. Of the seven, Stanley's one true confidant is Zero, the young, quiet boy whose only specialty is digging holes. Together Zero and Stanley become an invincible team. Zero helps Stanley finish his holes faster, while Stanley makes Zero's time worthwhile by teaching him to read and write. The two embark on a journey to uncover Camp Green Lake's secret, while Stanley struggles to understand the hidden history of Green Lake itself. Together the two grow from each other's strengths and this helps them to survive out in the lonely desert.

Holes parallels the boys' life at Camp Green Lake with Kissin' Kate and Stanley's ancestors' lives 100 years earlier. The plot is essentially two stories that develop simultaneously; Stanley's adventures at Camp Green Lake, and flashbacks of his relatives experiences. The dual plots help to add suspense and intrigue.

The characters of Stanley and Zero are very realistic and though most readers will not be able to relate to their specific situations, they will still be able to connect with them. The two boys have believable personalities and their interactions with each other are realistic as well.

Sachar's writing in Holes is simplistic and clear, allowing the reader to focus on the story without being troubled by complex language. However, most of Sachar's work is directed towards children; the story and characters of Holes could be considered pre-teen and teen appropriate. While the plot line is advanced, the writing falls on a fifth grade level.

Sachar won 12 awards for Holes, including the Newberry Medal, the National Book Award and Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year. He has also written many other notable works for children, such as the very popular Wayside School and Marvin Redpost series.

Holes, by Louis Sachar, is a very original story that integrates the themes of hope and friendship within an adventurous quest for truth. Stanley develops on an individual level, but also establishes a life-long friendship with Zero. Some of the references seem to be for an audience older than 12, but Holes is a good book for people of all ages.