Holes

This was a great, economical adventure. Sometimes I find YA to set the quality bar too low, but this is a shining example of a story told well for a young audience, without sacrificing artistry. In fact, I preferred the YA angle on this tale, because in a novel for grown-ups, the descriptions of how bad the camp was, and the abuse from other inmates, would have gone on for, like, 150 soul-crushing pages. Sachar keeps it efficient, giving us enough detail so we know how bad conditions are, but without belaboring the point and getting too depressing.

He skillfully treads the line between pathos and whimsy throughout, and gives a satisfying ending that ties up every thread - even ones I didn't realize were still running through the story! There's a reason this is an award-winning book, and I recommend it to readers from middle grade through adulthood.