Looking Back... In an effort to transfer my book journal entries over to this blog, I'm going to attempt to post (in chronological order) an entry every Friday. I may or may not add extra commentary to what I jotted down in these journals.
Childrens
1998 Farrar Straus & Giroux
Finished on January 23, 2002
Rating: 3.5/5 (Good)
Newberry Medal Book, 1999
Publisher's Blurb:
Stanley Yelnats is under a curse. A curse that began with his no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather and has since followed generations of Yelnats. Now Stanley has been unjustly sent to a boys’ detention center, Camp Green Lake, where the boys build character by spending all day, every day digging holes exactly five feet wide and five feet deep. There is no lake at Camp Green Lake. But there are an awful lot of holes.It doesn’t take long for Stanley to realize there’s more than character improvement going on at Camp Green Lake. The boys are digging holes because the warden is looking for something. But what could be buried under a dried-up lake? Stanley tries to dig up the truth in this inventive and darkly humorous tale of crime and punishment—and redemption.
My Original Thoughts (2002):
I've been hearing rave reviews about this book for several years, so I decided to give it a read. I enjoyed it, but didn't think it was great.
My Current Thoughts:
Holes is a fine book, but it didn't move me like other books for young readers, such as Wonder (R.J. Palacio), Stargirl (Jerry Spinelli), or The Book Thief (Markus Zusak).
This sounds familiar and I think i also read this years back. Like you, I wasn't inspired to grab more books such as Wonder. I had all my library books come in at once - ugh - so I am prioritizing by wait list numbers and due dates.
ReplyDeleteTina, I loved Wonder, Stargirl, and The Book Thief, but don't really gravitate toward children's books. When I worked at Barnes & Noble, I noticed them a lot more than I do now. Good luck with your library stacks. I've been trying to focus on my personal stacks, but every once in a while I venture into the library and come home with far more than I can possibly read before they're due back.
DeleteI remember really liking Holes. I read it with my daughter so maybe that helped me enjoy it since I saw it through her eyes.
ReplyDeleteHelen, I'll bet reading it with your daughter was a wonderful experience. I miss reading to mine! She's not much of a reader these days.
DeleteI don't read children's books but have heard a lot about this one that I did wonder about checking it out. I may one day. Now, The Book Thief was amazing wasn't it? I loved that book.
ReplyDeleteIliana, yes, The Book Thief was amazing! It's one I keep meaning to read a second time, but I don't want to risk spoiling that first impression.
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