I guess what led to me writing 'Holes' was having moved to Texas in 1991, and it was sort of my reaction to Texas.

I didn't become a good writer until I learned how to rewrite. And I don't just mean fixing spelling and adding a comma. I rewrite each of my books five or six times, and each time I change huge portions of the story.

Rattlesnakes would be a lot more dangerous if they didn't have the rattle.

In a way, it made him sad. He couldn't help but think that a hundred times zero was still nothing.

Well, let me tell you something, Caveman. You are here on account of one person. If it wasn't for that person, you wouldn't be here digging holes in the hot sun. You know who that person is?" "My no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather.

Doesn't every kid want to dig a hold to China? Didn't you? What about Chinese children?

He could hardly lift his spoon during breakfast, and then he was out on the lake, his spoon soon replaced by a shovel.