When I first picked up Holes, I had no idea how deep this book would really be. It's realistic fiction, yes, but interspersed with almost fairy-tale like elements that keep the realism from being too gritty. It's hard to read at times because of how much you feel for Stanley and his plight, but stick with it and you will be amazed at how all the various plot threads come together. This is storytelling at its finest, miraculously clever, and fully deserving of all the hype and awards it has garnered. And the best part is, it hasn't aged a day. If you have never read this one, you have a "Holes" shaped-hole in your heart that needs filling. Highly recommended.