Holes

**APA Reference**: Sachar, L. (2008). //Holes.// New York, NY: Frances Foster Books. **Novel Summary**:  //Holes// is a novel by Louis Sachar about a young boy named Stanley Yelnats who is accused of stealing the shoes of a famous athlete. Though innocent, Stanley is sent to Camp Greenlake, a camp for juvenile delinquents, and is forced to dig holes out in the desert every day as part of his sentence. When Stanley digs up a piece of the past, however, he discovers that there are secrets buried beneath Camp Greenlake, as well as the key to his freedom. In //Holes//, Louis Sachar weaves a tale of adventure, friendship, and mystery that any age can enjoy. **Novel Critique**:  //Holes//, by Louis Sachar, is a great novel for young adolescents. It is easy enough to read to be appealing to a reluctant reader, and yet boasts an intricate plot that is as fascinating as it is complex. Stanley Yelnats is not only relatable, having been bullied throughout school for his size and bad luck, but also a positive role model in his perseverance and kindness towards his friends. Sachar uses literary devices such as flashbacks to create several different story lines that converge excitingly and is sure to keep the reader on the edge of their seat. //Holes// is a fantastic and appropriate choice for adolescent readers. **Teaching Ideas for Core Subjects**: Math: Social Studies: Language Arts: Science:
 * Adolescent Novel Review Wiki for Holes by Louis Sachar **
 * by Elyse Head **
 * Stanley has to dig a hole each day that is as wide and as deep as his yardstick is long. What is the volume of one of these holes?
 * X-Ray’s yardstick is shorter than Stanley’s by an inch and a half. What is the difference in the volume of his hole, compared to Stanley’s?
 * Zero has been at Camp Greenlake for four years. If he has had to dig one hole each day, what is the total volume of dirt that he has dug up so far?
 * In //Holes//, Stanley digs up the lipstick tube of Kissin’ Kate Barlow, a famous bandit of the Wild West. Students can research well-known western bandits, like Kate, and put together a biography of their lives, like Sachar does in his novel.
 * Camp Greenlake used to be an actual town before the drought came. Students can research ghost towns and list the causes of their abandonment. This assignment could tie into the Dustbowl as well.
 * <span style="color: #050f3e; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">Kate Barlow’s love interest was killed by the townspeople because he was black and she was white. Have a discussion about racial discrimination and the different ways in can appear in society today.
 * <span style="color: #050f3e; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">Sarchar uses flashbacks to fill the reader in on important information, as well as to create other relevant storylines. Have the students write their own “flashbacks” in the form of short, personal memoirs.
 * <span style="color: #050f3e; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">Sachar uses a lot of symbolism in his novel. Have a class discussion on the meanings of the drought, the mountain, the preserved peaches, etc.
 * <span style="color: #050f3e; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">Stanley is trying to put together a lesson plan to teach Zero how to read and write. Create a vocabulary list of words you think Zero should know.
 * <span style="color: #050f3e; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">Stanley and his friends are scared of the highly poisonous lizards that roam through Camp Greenlake. Research some other animals that are indigenous to the desert climate. Where do they find water? What do they eat?
 * <span style="color: #050f3e; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">There is no lake at Camp Greenlake because a decades-long drought dried up all the water. What are some natural causes of desertification and where do they occur?