Holes (1998) by Louis Sachar
I remember exactly where I was the first time I got lost in this book. I found it absolutely impossible to put down and read it all in one sitting at a quiet little park. Since then, I’ve read this book countless times. (I refuse to see the movie, of course.)
Stanley is sent to Camp Green Lake for a crime he didn’t commit. At this correctional facility, the boys are expected to dig a five foot hole every day in the blistering heat. Stanley Yelnats is not your typical hero, and I love that. I love that Louis Sachar takes such a relatively short kids’ book about a kid at a correctional facility and makes it into a grand adventure, complete with plot twists, villains, and mysteries, spanning generations. This is such a clever book and such an enjoyable read. I would recommend it without hesitation to adults. For children though, I definitely hesitate. Even though the story is an enjoyable one and the text can be read by elementary-aged readers, there are some very disturbing bits. I’m constantly tempted to read this with my children, and then I remember some of the more intense parts – fist fights, a racist mob, a sexual assault, and a murder. So… as much as I love this book, it might require a pre-read before handing it off to your young child.