The Holes and John Smith
The story revolves around John Smith, a teenager who gets wrongly accused of stealing and is sent to Camp Green Lake, a juvenile correctional facility in the Texas desert. As punishment, John and other inmates are forced to dig holes in the desert every day, five feet wide and five feet deep. The warden believes that digging holes will help the boys build character.
By Edward W. Ludwig · First published 1993 · Genre: Science Fiction, Adventure, Mystery · 4,579 words
First lines
_He was something out of a nightmare but his music was straight from heaven. He was a ragged little man out of a hole but he was money in the bank to Stanley's four-piece combo. He was_ -- whoops! .
What this Textopian page supports
The Holes and John Smith is listed on Textopian as a novel by Edward W. Ludwig, dated 1993 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: Edward W. Ludwig
- Date: 1993 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Science Fiction, Adventure, Mystery, Thriller, Drama
- Length: 4,579 words
- Structure: 1 section, 158 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Holes and John Smith by Edward W. Ludwig
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Holes and John Smith?
- How does this novel by Edward W. Ludwig fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Science Fiction first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Science Fiction — The plot revolves around futuristic technology and speculative scientific concepts.
- Adventure — The narrative includes a journey and exploration with significant challenges.
- Mystery — The story involves solving a puzzle or uncovering secrets.
- Thriller — The writing style creates suspense and excitement.
Tags
Mystery · Thriller · Suspense · Adventure · Fiction · Novel · Literary Fiction · Psychological Thriller · Dark Fantasy · Horror Elements · Supernatural · Paranormal