by Louis Sachar
Holes is a very clever and engaging read. You can tell it will be quite interesting from the moment you meet the main character, named Stanley Yelnats (His last name is his first name backwards!). Stanley is falsely accused of a crime and sent to a camp where the administrators force him and the other children to dig holes all day. It's his mission to find out why. A mystery that will keep you guessing, with moments of sadness and hilarity, Holes is a well-written, unique novel. I recommend this book to ages 10 and up.
Cecilia's Review: **** out of five
"You dig holes, you build character." That's what Stanley Yelnats is told when he is sent to a camp for kids that could have been sent to jail. Stanley is a good kid. He is innocent of the crime he was sent there for, but he is the only one that knows that. This book is very unique. It is the story of Stanley at the prison camp and also the story of Stanley's dirty-rotten-pig-stealing great-grandfather. In the end, these two stories combine in a surprising twist. This is probably more appealing to boys than most books we review, but that doesn't mean girls can't enjoy it- hey, I loved it!