Comparison
Holes vs New Kid
How Holes by Louis Sachar and New Kid by Jerry Craft compare on reading level, grade placement, curriculum overlap, and shared themes — derived from primary-source citations on each book’s ReadingList page.
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At a glance
- Grade-range overlap
- Grades 4–7
- Year-of-publication gap
- 21 years (1998 vs 2019)
- Page-count gap
- 23 pages (233 vs 256)
- Shared curricula
- 69 of 151
- Shared themes
- 1 of 10
Curriculum overlap
Both books appear in 69 shared curriculum frameworks:
Themes
Shared
friendship
Only Holes
fate vs choice · justice · family legacy · racial history
Only New Kid
race and identity · code-switching · middle school adjustment · graphic narrative · private vs public school
Common questions
- Which is harder to read, Holes or New Kid?
- Lexile data not available for one or both titles in this comparison. See each book's page (Holes and New Kid) for grade-range + reading-level estimates from school assignments.
- What grade level is Holes vs New Kid?
- Holes: 4-7 grade range. New Kid: 4-8 grade range. Both assigned within the 3-5 band. Specific district and curriculum vary; see each book's page for the full assignment history.
- Which is more commonly taught, Holes or New Kid?
- Both Holes and New Kid are in the top-10 most-cited books on ReadingList.school across US school assignments and curricula. Each book's individual page (Holes, New Kid) lists every tracked assignment with source citation, so you can see which has broader curriculum reach in your specific region.
- Should I read Holes or New Kid first?
- If they're in the same school year, follow the syllabus order (usually chronological by publication or grouped by theme). If reading independently: start with the shorter or lower-Lexile title (Holes or the other) to build context, then move to the other. Both titles often appear together on AP / IB reading lists as paired study.
Get these books
Holes
Louis Sachar
Where to find this book
Audible: many assigned titles are included with a membership, and listening starts right away, with no wait for delivery. Offers vary by account.
Other formats on Amazon: Kindle · Audiobook
As an Amazon Associate, ReadingList earns from qualifying purchases and membership trials at no extra cost to you. Pricing, Prime, and trial terms shown on Amazon.
New Kid
Jerry Craft
Where to find this book
Audible: many assigned titles are included with a membership, and listening starts right away, with no wait for delivery. Offers vary by account.
Other formats on Amazon: Kindle · Audiobook
As an Amazon Associate, ReadingList earns from qualifying purchases and membership trials at no extra cost to you. Pricing, Prime, and trial terms shown on Amazon.