A Hole in the World

Paul Shackleford got himself into some trouble. It began with a lie, innocent at first, that ended up being serious. His dad has decided to teach him a lesson. Mr. Shackleford says Paul has to spend the summer on a farm in rural Virginia, working as a farmhand. And Paul doesn't like it. Buried alive on a farm all summer? Just for lying to help a friend? Paul assures his dad he won't ever lie again. Why should he have to leave all his friends around the pools of Richmond and slop a bunch of hogs? Like it or not, Paul doesn't have much choice about working on the farm --- his dad is driving him and there's no getting out of it. When they arrive at the huge farm, owned by a distant relative, Paul gets out of the car and a big, barrel-chested dog named Einstein runs up and nips his rear end. But Paul was raised to be polite --- despite his lying incident --- and he is very nice to everybody, even the dog. He also works hard. Know what Paul's first job turns out to be? Mucking out the hog pen --- a hundred square feet of it. Then he has to tear down barbed wire fences and put them back up again. And throw bales of hay into the pickup truck under the blazing sun. But you know what? Paul finds out his dad was right. The farmers are not dumb. Strange, maybe. They hug and kiss a six-hundred-pound pregnant sow named Vanessa. And they think they see ghosts. One ghost, actually --- the ghost of Hennley, a farmhand who hung himself (the dog who bit Paul's backside was his dog.) Paul is especially intrigued by Hennley.Amidst all the work and the eccentricities, Paul learns many lessons --- about people, truth, loyalty, memories, and the power of words. Do words really hang in the air after they're spoken, still exercising their power? Is Hennley doing what he promised he'd do --- taking care of everybody on the farm? Will Paul really learn the lessons his father intended him to? (...)

Eric Schimler 7th grade the Walker School The book that I did for my reading journal is a Hole in the World by Sid Hite. This book is a recommended book for people of all ages. This book is about a kid, Paul Shackleford, who gets in trouble and is punished by having to work on a farm somewhere in Virginia. Paul's gets anew view of the world outside of his life in Richmond. Lots of conflicts such as the work that Paul had to do and the benefits such as meeting Rebecca and Einstein, a dog on the farm, and learning about the farms past and future. A major part in the book was when Paul and Rebecca went to Hennely Gray's cottage and read the note left by Hennely. This book teaches kids that you need to take responsibility for your actions. Read the book to find out whom Hennely Gray is, why Paul was sent to the farm, and if Paul survives his summer at the Hargrove's farm.

A Hole in the World by Sid Hite is about a 15-year-old boy named Paul Shackleford. He lies and is sent to spend the summer on the farm of distant relatives in rural Virginia. At the farm, with a greeting nip at his hindquarters he is introduced to Einstein, a remarkable dog that will play a significant role in his summer. He learns that Einstein belonged to a former employee who committed suicide. Paul also comes to realize that all who knew him revered Hennley. Ada and Hargrove Vallencourt, as well as their hardworking crew, welcomed Paul into farm labor. The teen holds his own, not only in terms of the physical labor, but also in blending with the vagaries of the various residents. He later reflects on the genuineness of the people here compared to his friends at home. Throughout the story, the possibility of a specter, that of Hennley Gray, intervenes. Paul and his new friend Rebecca later conclude that maybe they are all haunting Hennley's soul rather than the other way around. This was a very good book. It was slow at the beginning but then it picked up.

Ya know, this book is fascinating. Not in the usual sense. It kept me reading; I couldnt oput it down. The characters and meaning are deep. A must read for anyone!!

Fifteen-year-old Paul Shackleford was a good kid. It's just that he told a small lie that turned bad. He feels as if he's being punished when he's sent to spend a summer on a relative's farm. Is this a ghost story? Everyone Paul meets seems to be haunted by a beloved farm hand, Hennley Gray. Paul becomes fascinated by this man and the circumstances surrounding his death. In uncovering the truth about Hennley, Paul discovers the impact one person's life can have.