Holes vs New Kid — which is harder to read?

Lexile data not available for one or both titles in this comparison. See each book's page (/book/holes and /book/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 (/book/holes, /book/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 to build context, then move to the other. Both titles often appear together on AP / IB reading lists as paired study.

Comparison

Holes vs New Kid

How Holes by Louis Sachar and New Kid by Jerry Craftcompare on reading level, grade placement, curriculum overlap, and shared themes — derived from primary-source citations on each book’s ReadingList page.

Holes

Louis Sachar

Lexile: 660L
Grades: 4–7
Published: 1998
Pages: 233
Genre: Middle Grade Fiction

New Kid

Jerry Craft

Grades: 4–8
Published: 2019
Pages: 256
Genre: Middle Grade Graphic Novel

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: 59 of 146
Shared themes: 1 of 10

Curriculum overlap

Both books appear in 59 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

Get these books

Holes

Louis Sachar

Where to find this book

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New Kid

Jerry Craft

Where to find this book

Buy on AmazonPrime · 1-click Listen free on Audiblestarts instantly

Audible: new members only · many assigned titles are included · a free 30-day trial starts listening right away, with no wait for delivery.

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.

Holes

New Kid

At a glance

Curriculum overlap

Themes

Shared

Only Holes

Only New Kid

Get these books

Where to find this book

Where to find this book

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