Holes

Holes is recommended for ages 8-10 (Grades 3rd-5th). The story takes place at a juvenile detention camp and deals with justice, friendship, and figuring out the truth about the past. It won the Newbery Medal and is one of those books that pretty much every kid should read. Great for 4th and 5th graders.

Yes, Small Steps (2006) is a companion novel that follows Armpit and X-Ray after they leave Camp Green Lake. It works on its own, but it's more meaningful if you've read Holes first. If your kid loved Holes, Small Steps is a great follow-up.

Read the book first — it lets your kid picture Camp Green Lake, the endless holes, and all the characters in their own imagination before seeing the movie's version. The 2003 film starring Shia LaBeouf is one of the best book-to-movie adaptations out there (Louis Sachar wrote the screenplay himself), but reading first means the twists hit way harder.

Holes is at a Grades 3rd-5th reading level with a Lexile measure around 660L. The writing is really easy to follow, but the story weaves together three different timelines, which adds a puzzle-like quality that makes it extra fun to read. A great choice for kids who like figuring things out.