Recommended Reading for English Learners: Getting Started with Louis Sachar's Holes and Vocabulary Summary

I’ve often heard that there is nothing better than reading original English books to improve your language skills, so I finally embarked on this new challenge. After debating which book to start with, I chose Louis Sachar's Holes, which is considered a must-read for countless English learners around the world.

I purchased the ebook on my Amazon Kindle, which I already owned, and started reading a little bit in the late evening. The sentences were clear yet highly immersive, so it was much easier to read than I had expected. Of course, even though it was recommended as an easy read, I still spotted 3 to 4 unfamiliar words on every page.

1. How to Find the 'Right Difficulty Level' When Choosing an Original English Book

They say the best criterion for choosing an original book is to "find a book that has around 5 unfamiliar words per page." If it is too easy, it won't help you study, and if it is too difficult, you are likely to give up halfway. I also read a few pages via a preview before making my purchase.

Recommended Level (CEFR criteria): Holes is generally recommended for B1–B2 (Intermediate) learners.
For those studying based on IELTS scores, it is the perfect level to solidify your basics and improve your reading speed.

2. 5 Key Vocabulary Words from the First Few Chapters of Holes

I have compiled 5 useful words that are worth remembering from the vocabulary I recorded while reading. I plan to gradually add these to my website database, along with context and example sentences.

① Stifling

Meaning: Making it difficult to breathe or feel comfortable, often due to extreme heat or lack of fresh air.
Example: The weather in the camp was hot and stifling. (The weather in the camp was hot and stifling.)

② Desolate

Meaning: A place that is empty, gloomy, and lacking any comfort or signs of life.
Example: Out there, it is a vast and desolate desert. (Out there, it is a vast and desolate desert.)

③ Warden

Meaning: A person who is responsible for the supervision and management of a prison or a specific institution.
Example: Everyone in the camp is afraid of the Warden. (Everyone in the camp is afraid of the Warden.)

④ Perseverance

Meaning: The quality of continuing to try to achieve something, even when it is difficult or takes a long time.
Example: Success requires interest, capability, and perseverance. (Success requires interest, capability, and perseverance.)

⑤ Supposedly

Meaning: Used to say that something is believed to be true by many people, although it is not certain or proven.
Example: The transition to a new job is supposedly challenging but deeply rewarding. (The transition to a new job is supposedly challenging but deeply rewarding.)

💡 A Small Tip to Make Reading Original Books Easier

If you start with classic novels that are too thick or require a lot of background knowledge, or books like Harry Potter, it is easy to get tired quickly. That is why I am practicing by reading Young Adult literature or easy novels like this one step by step.

If you are trying to read an original English book for the first time, I recommend that you do not look up the dictionary every single time you encounter an unknown word.

The fun of reading drops significantly if the flow is broken by looking up words. Try to infer the approximate meaning from the context and keep going; check and summarize only the important words that appear repeatedly after finishing a chapter. This is also a method that I found very effective when I was studying for IELTS Reading in the past.

At first, even reading a few pages feels awkward, but I believe that if you read a little bit every day, you will naturally become accustomed to the sentence structures used by native speakers. To everyone taking on the challenge of reading original English books, don't get discouraged, and let's keep it up!