Last week, my daughter's fourth-grade reading class was assigned the very highly acclaimed and just as highly decorated Louis Sachar novel, Holes. Naturally, that meant that I was all set for my late-night reading. And at the end of four very productive hours, I have to conclude that all the acclaim garnered by this book is absolutely not enough.
When Stanley Yelnats is caught in the wrong place at the wrong time, it was just another in a "series of unfortunate events" to strike the Yelnats family. Dogged by misfortune for generations due to a family curse inflicted upon his great-great-grandfather by a one-legged gypsy, Stanley, matter-of-factly, attributes his being shipped off to a juvenile correction facility - for a crime not committed - on the curse. Little does he know that the forces of the great unknown were just about to align the stars in his favor, and provide him with means to redeem not just himself, but the entire Yelnats clan. But first, he has to discover the true meaning of friendship and loyalty and trust, and the sacrifices one has to make realize them.
A word of advice. Extreme attention must be paid to seemingly insignificant details. What seems like fluff might actually be a very important cog in the grand scheme of this epic. As the story travels back and forth in time and place, plots and sub-plots, it is imperative to read every single word, line, paragraph, page, chapter of this book rather carefully.
On a side-note, before I read the book, I was a little concerned with its choice as reading material for a young fourth-grade class. And, after reading the book, I did question the appropriateness of exposing my innocent cherub to the travails of detention camps, the mindless violence that surround them, racism as it existed a century or so ago in this great country, love stories that warm the cockles of ones heart. But, the author did do a wonderful job of tempering his outpourings. And, as I now realize, my daughter is certainly much more mature and capable than I give her credit for. Has to be the 21st century!
Holes is definitely must-read for every ten-plus year old AND his or her care-givers. In fact, this book is what I would call a perfect candidate for one of those parent-child book clubs.
Rating: * * * * * * (out of 5) - no mistake here
Age: 10+
