Holes is the 1999 Newbery Medal winner for most distinguished American children's book.
©1998 Louis Sachar; (P)1999 Random House, Inc., Listening Library, An Imprint Of Random House Audio Publishing Group
"A brilliant achievement. There is no question, kids will love Holes." (School Library Journal)
"Sachar inserts humor that gives the suspense steep edges; the tone is as full of surprises as the plot." (The New York Times Book Review)
"Beyer's buoyant, boyish manner ensures that Sachar's witty novel, winner of both the Newbery Medal and the National Book Award, makes a smooth transition to audio." (Publishers Weekly)
"Holes"
Excellent story, well told. I couldn't quite give it 5-stars because I thought the narration was a bit stilted. But the story held my interest all the way through - the mixture of past and present was woven together well and tied up the loose ends very nicely.
"A Wonderful and Enduring Story"
Holes has been one of those classic stories that people tend to remember for years after they have read it. This is a marvelous tale about the interconnectedness of life, in which things that have happened in far-away places and times start a sort of karmic chain of events that ultimately comes full-circle and has life-changing consequences for our young protagonist. Old debts must be paid and old wrongs must be righted before Stanley Yelnats will be able to gain his freedom from Camp Green Lake. This is a great listen for children, young adults and grown-ups.
"Fun Read"
This is an excellent audible book. I truly enjoyed the manner in which it was read by the narrator. The charachters were interesting, and well developed, and the plot was engaging. I highly recommend this read, especially for a young adult/pre-teen.
"An unexpected delight!"
The title of this book always left me uninterested. But since it was so incredibly popular with kids I decided I should check it out and it is terrific! The narrator captures the spirit of Stanley Yelnats perfectly and you can't turn it off. The ending is a pretty neat and it really illustrates the old cliche "what comes around goes around." I recommend this for young and old alike.
"The Story is Awesome, Read the Book Instead."
The story was great, the major let down was the awful narration. The characters did NOT come to life and truly suffered for it in this retelling. The narrator's lack of diversity and passion really made a great story drag. The singing in particular was bland and did not capture the very poignant moment in the story that the song represents. Really a shame.
The story itself is great, the way that everything is interwoven is fabulous. Sachar is known for being witty and fun, this look at a more serious tale still had the lighthearted style of Sachar while presenting a more somber narrative.
I'd say read the book, skip the audible version, it will be a much better experience.
"Great Narration of a Great Story"
There are so many important issues raised in this story, and yet the author avoids preachiness or moralizing. It's no wonder this book has won awards.
The narrator perfectly captures the slacker voice, bringing Stanley and the other boys to life. This is marvelous.
"It was great!"
I really enjoyed the book. My students loved the story and we answered questions at the end of every chapter. I love the bookmark feature - makes teaching it a lot easier.
"Wonderful read"
Truly an entertaining book. Somewhat funny, an interesting and a well developed story. The only thing wrong with it is that it ended too soon.
"Fun, fast read. Loved IT!"
What a great book! All the kids in my family love it and so do I! The narrator is great, and the story is very, very fun.
"I love this book"
I never thought I would enjoy this book as much as I have. I have listened to it at least 6 or 7 times now. The story is so amazing. I very much enjoy the narrator. If you have seen the movie you need to get the book.