Holes

Holes by Louis Sachar
Realistic Fiction/Chapter Book/Newberry Medal

This book is about Stanley, who was in the wrong place at the wrong time and ends up in a juvenile detention camp for a crime he didn't commit. While at the camp, Stanley meets a lot of interesting people, including a shy friend, Zero, and a mean warden. While at the camp, Stanley learns a lot about his family history of bad luck as well as the town's history, and the details all come together for a very surprising ending. 

This book involves a lot of different elements. It is not only the tale of a boy in a detention camp, but also an exploration of his family history, the town history, and the way these stories weave together. This book is very interesting and funny, and the overlapping stories make the story intriguing  This would be a great book to use for the basic standards in the Reading Standards for Literature, such as determining theme, comparing characters, drawing inferences from the text, and responding to literature.

Sachar, Louis. (1998). Holes. New York, NY: Scholastic, Inc.