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Summary
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 Yelnatses. 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 that Camp Green Lake isn't what it seems. Are the boys digging holes because the warden is looking for something? But what could be buried under a dried-up lake? It's up to Stanley to dig up the truth.
Themes and moodShowHide
This novel blends elements of adventure and mystery as it follows the journey of a young boy sent to a juvenile detention center, revealing themes of fate and redemption. Its incorporation of humor and deep emotional currents offers valuable lessons for readers of all ages, making it an enduring favorite among middle-grade audiences and beyond.
Themes
- •generational curses and destiny
- •friendship and loyalty
- •the quest for identity
- •survival and resilience
- •the impact of environment on character
Era
contemporary
Reading Level
popular