Peach’s Picks Rating
Title:
Hole in My Life
Author:
Jack Gantos
Illustrator:
none
ISBN:
0-374-39988-3
Publisher:
New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Copyright:
2002
Length:
200 pages
Plot Summary:
The book opens with a black and white mug shot taken in 1972 of a tough looking prisoner, Jack Gantos. The first chapter gives a brief overview of his life in prison. It sets the stage for telling the journey that brought him to the Federal Correctional Institution in Ashland, Kentucky, where he was incarcerated for drug smuggling. Gantos’ raw and gripping story begins in high school and continues following his decision to be a drug runner in the early 1970s. His plan was to earn cash to pay for college where he would be come a writer. Instead he only dreams about writing while struggling with alcoholism and a dysfunctional family. The reader is treated to edge-of-the-seat excitement as a naïve Jack agrees to smuggle drugs from Florida to New York City. He is seduced into the world of drug trafficking, a world that he believes will bring him easy cash for college. It is a world where everyone is a villain and no one can be trusted. He is arrested and sent to prison where he is frightened and unprepared for the violent life of a prisoner. There are islands of hope: a guard gives him books and paper and pencil for his writing; he has a job as an x-ray technician that keeps him relatively safe; and he begins to take responsibility for his future. When he first arrived in prison, he blamed everyone but himself for his circumstances. Slowly, through reading, keeping journals, and other writings he dug his way out of blame and self-loathing. The story concludes when Jack is accepted to college and is paroled after 15 months in prison, but it does not end there. Jack Gantos has gone on to be a successful award-winning writer.
Critical Evaluation:
This is an accessible book for young adults with a compelling story that will interest even reluctant readers. It is told like a story in short chapters that are fast paced and conclude with enough tension that the reader immediately wants to begin the next chapter. The language is raw; however, more native language (slang) and expletives could have been used to better illustrate speech patterns of the rough life that was Jack Gantos’ world. The lack of raw language probably reflects the date of publication (2002) rather than actual speech patterns. The story is a good ride and the reader cannot anticipate what will happen on each page. It is an excellent book for starting discussions about authors and to inspire writers. It shows Jack Gantos as an authentic young adult living in a troubled world. It could be paired with Monster by Walter Dean Myers and The Beet Fields by Gary Paulsen.
Reader’s Annotation:
Jack Gantos is a high school student living with family friends who finally kick him out after a drinking binge that ends with his vomiting in every room of the house.
One day when Jack is 20 years old and in prison, two men come knocking on his cell and strongly request that he visit them to perform a repugnant act.
Author Information:
Born in Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania, 1951
Raised in South Florida and Puerto Rico
Spent time in prison for smuggling drugs
Married with one daughter
Says he has always been a passionate reader and always wanted to be a writer
Developed a master’s degree program in writing for children at Emerson College and Vermont College
His books have been nominated and received many awards including a Printz honor (2003) for Hole in My Life
Genre:
Autobiography
Curriculum Ties:
Use in secondary school literature classes when studying authors.
Use in human development curriculums when studying life choices and journeys.
Booktalking Ideas:
One of your favorite picture book authors served a prison sentence for smuggling drugs.
Hole in My Life
Author:
Jack Gantos
Illustrator:
none
ISBN:
0-374-39988-3
Publisher:
New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Copyright:
2002
Length:
200 pages
Plot Summary:
The book opens with a black and white mug shot taken in 1972 of a tough looking prisoner, Jack Gantos. The first chapter gives a brief overview of his life in prison. It sets the stage for telling the journey that brought him to the Federal Correctional Institution in Ashland, Kentucky, where he was incarcerated for drug smuggling. Gantos’ raw and gripping story begins in high school and continues following his decision to be a drug runner in the early 1970s. His plan was to earn cash to pay for college where he would be come a writer. Instead he only dreams about writing while struggling with alcoholism and a dysfunctional family. The reader is treated to edge-of-the-seat excitement as a naïve Jack agrees to smuggle drugs from Florida to New York City. He is seduced into the world of drug trafficking, a world that he believes will bring him easy cash for college. It is a world where everyone is a villain and no one can be trusted. He is arrested and sent to prison where he is frightened and unprepared for the violent life of a prisoner. There are islands of hope: a guard gives him books and paper and pencil for his writing; he has a job as an x-ray technician that keeps him relatively safe; and he begins to take responsibility for his future. When he first arrived in prison, he blamed everyone but himself for his circumstances. Slowly, through reading, keeping journals, and other writings he dug his way out of blame and self-loathing. The story concludes when Jack is accepted to college and is paroled after 15 months in prison, but it does not end there. Jack Gantos has gone on to be a successful award-winning writer.
Critical Evaluation:
This is an accessible book for young adults with a compelling story that will interest even reluctant readers. It is told like a story in short chapters that are fast paced and conclude with enough tension that the reader immediately wants to begin the next chapter. The language is raw; however, more native language (slang) and expletives could have been used to better illustrate speech patterns of the rough life that was Jack Gantos’ world. The lack of raw language probably reflects the date of publication (2002) rather than actual speech patterns. The story is a good ride and the reader cannot anticipate what will happen on each page. It is an excellent book for starting discussions about authors and to inspire writers. It shows Jack Gantos as an authentic young adult living in a troubled world. It could be paired with Monster by Walter Dean Myers and The Beet Fields by Gary Paulsen.
Reader’s Annotation:
Jack Gantos is a high school student living with family friends who finally kick him out after a drinking binge that ends with his vomiting in every room of the house.
One day when Jack is 20 years old and in prison, two men come knocking on his cell and strongly request that he visit them to perform a repugnant act.
Author Information:
Born in Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania, 1951
Raised in South Florida and Puerto Rico
Spent time in prison for smuggling drugs
Married with one daughter
Says he has always been a passionate reader and always wanted to be a writer
Developed a master’s degree program in writing for children at Emerson College and Vermont College
His books have been nominated and received many awards including a Printz honor (2003) for Hole in My Life
Genre:
Autobiography
Curriculum Ties:
Use in secondary school literature classes when studying authors.
Use in human development curriculums when studying life choices and journeys.
Booktalking Ideas:
One of your favorite picture book authors served a prison sentence for smuggling drugs.
A want-to-be writer with no future and no hope becomes an award-winning writer after struggling with alcohol, drugs, depression, and a prison record.
Reading Level/Interest Age:
High school
Additional Books by Author:
Jack’s Black Book
Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key
Heads or Tails: Stories from the Sixth Grade
Desirelines
Many more
Challenge Issues:
Drugs, drug trafficking, underage drinking, language, rape
Deal with challenge by having a challenge policy in place, selection policy in place (ALA policies). Meet with library administration if necessary. Provide positive review(s) from professional publications.
Why this work is included in Peach’s Picks:
The book received a starred review in Booklist. It is a riveting account of a well known children’s author of picture books, chapter books for intermediate readers, and young adult novels. It receives five peaches for being a frank, well told, unexpected life journey of a favorite author.
Amazon link:
http://www.amazon.com/Hole-My-Life-Jack-Gantos/dp/0374399883/ref=sr_1_1_oe_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1271532887&sr=1-1
References:
Gantos, J. (2010). “Bio & photos”. Jack Gantos. Retrieved April 2, 2010, from http://www.jackgantos.com/
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