A critically acclaimed young-adult novel by Louis Sachar that masterfully blends mystery, adventure, humor, and coming-of-age storytelling.

The story follows Stanley Yelnats, a boy who believes his family is cursed because of a mistake made by his great-great-grandfather. After being wrongly accused of a crime, Stanley is sent to Camp Green Lake, a juvenile detention camp in the Texas desert.

At the camp, the boys are forced to dig large holes every day, supposedly to build character. However, Stanley soon realizes that the warden has another motive. As he uncovers secrets hidden beneath the dry lakebed, the novel weaves together multiple timelines involving family curses, lost treasure, friendship, and justice.

Through clever plotting and memorable characters, Holes gradually reveals how seemingly unrelated events from the past are connected to Stanley's present.