Discusses the writing, characters, plot, and themes of this 1999 Newbery award-winning book. Includes discussion questions and activities.

Young Stanley Yelnats finds himself at Camp Green Lake, where digging a hole a day keeps the warden at bay and "builds character". An ancient family curse still dogs Stanley and he's thrown headlong into the adventure of his life. Stanley and his campmates will have to forge fast friendships to unearth the mystery of what's really going on in the desert.

Features a panel of middle school students discussing Louis Sachar's book, "Holes." In a spirited, lively discussion, they talk about the book's major characters, its themes and how it has affected their lives.

"In our polarized environment, the censorship and outright banning of children's books that some people deem to be controversial or objectionable remains a major concern for schools, libraries, and communities across the United States. Intellectual freedom champion, the American Library Association, created Teaching Banned Books to Kids, a guide that includes both contemporary books that have been banned and classic literature that continues to be...