Holes

By Louis Sachar

Review by Randy

The opening paragraph grabs the reader’s attention.

·Put reader right into the action

·Make reader imagine the unimaginable (ie. It’s not everyday that a 13 year old girl is accused of murder…)

·Don’t start with “the book I read was…” That’s way too BORING! Hook us into the plot!

Imagine, you’ve been sent to a correctional facility camp for a crime you didn’t commit. This camp is called Camp Green Lake, there is absolutely nothing green about it, there isn’t a lake either. You have to dig five foot long and five foot wide holes with the hot sun beating down on you, everyday for the rest of your sentence.

The title and author are worked in naturally

·Don’t say, “My book was The Giver” when you can say, “Jonas, a twelve year old boy and the main character of Lois Lowry’s Newbery Award winning novel The Giver, must make decisions that impact his entire society.”

Stanley Yelnats, a young boy that is sent to a torture camp, is the main character of Louis Sachar’s Newbery Medal winning novel Holes, must face an evil warden, yellow spotted lizards, Big Thumb, and a lot more.

The overall idea and plot are discussed, without giving away the ending

·Keep it short and sweet, even if it’s a long book

·Just give the reader the gist of the book. Be clear, make sense, don’t give away the ending

This book is about Stanley Yelnats getting sent to Camp Green Lake for a crime he didn’t commit. Stanley meets Zero who becomes his best friend. They run away from camp and climb Big Thumb together. Stanley and Zero find treasure that has Stanley’s first and last name on it. At the end of Stanley’s sentence, his lawyer took him and Hector back home and away from Camp Green Lake.

Describe one exciting incident in detail

·Again, don’t give away the ending

·Be clear enough so that someone who HAS NOT read the book can follow

Stanley and Zero (Hector) climb Big Thumb (a mountain shaped like a giant thumb) and find fresh water and ripe onions.

End the review with your opinion and recommendation

·Who might like this type of book? (Sports fans? People that love to laugh? History buffs? Late night readers that like to be freaked out?

·What did you think? Is it worth reading? If it won an award, is it worth the hype?

Anybody that likes well written, funny, and adventurous books will absolutely love this book. I thought it was an awesome book, and I finished it in five days.