The Real Hole

by Beverly Cleary, DyAnne DiSalvo-Ryan (Illustrator), Mary Stevens (Illustrator)

Father comes to the rescue when the twins can't agree about what to do with the big hole in the backyard. "Deftly captures the quirks of youngsters leaving toddlerhood behind."--Booklist.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Family, Realistic Fiction, Classics

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1960

About the author

Beverly Atlee Cleary was an American writer of children's and young adult fiction. One of America's most successful authors, 91 million copies of her books have been sold worldwide since her first book was published in 1950. Some of her best known characters are Ramona Quimby and Beezus Quimby, Henry Huggins and his dog Ribsy, and Ralph S. Mouse.
The majority of Cleary's books are set in the Grant Park neighborhood of northeast Portland, Oregon, where she was raised, and she has been credited as one of the first authors of children's literature to figure emotional realism in the narratives of her characters, often children in middle-class families. Her first children's book was Henry Huggins after a question from a kid when Cleary was a librarian. Cleary won the 1981 National Book Award for Ramona and Her Mother and the 1984 Newbery Medal for Dear Mr. Henshaw. For her lifetime contributions to American literature, she received the National Medal of Arts, recognition as a Library of Congress Living Legend, and the Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal from the Association for Library Service to Children. The Beverly Cleary School, a public school in Portland, was named after her, and several statues of her most famous characters were erected in Grant Park in 1995. Cleary died on March 25, 2021, at the age of 104.

Reviews

[Stacy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked her books for older children better, but I guess this is ok for little ones.

[Libby In Libraryland · Rating 4 out of 5]

"But Jimmy - Jimmy likes to play with real things. He doesn't want to play with a toy hammer and toy nails. He wants to play with a real grown up hammer and real grown up nails. When Jimmy's father brings him a present, the first thing Jimmy asks is, "Is it real?"
...
"I'm a little bird, sitting on a nest," said Janet.
"That is not a nest!" yelled Jimmy. "That is my hole, and I want to dig in it!"
"I just wanted to borrow it for a little while."
"I don't want Janet to borrow my hole," said Jimmy. and he began to dig again with his real shovel.
...
"Jimmy, you look so hot and tired," said his mother. "Why don't you stop and rest awhile?"
"No," said Jimmy, "I'm digging the biggest hole in the world."
...
"Now Jimmy," said his father. "I don't want you or Janet to get hurt."
"You said I could dig a big hole," Jimmy reminded him.
"Yes, but I didn't know you could dig such a big hole," answered his father. This made Jimmy feel better. His father hadn't known he could dig such a big hole.
"There must be something we could do with such a big hole," said Jimmy's mother.
...
"After a while Jimmy and Janet's father came back. When he got out of his car he took something out of the backseat..... It was a tree growing in a big tin can. "Is it a real tree?" asked Jimmy.
"Yes it's a real spruce tree," answered his father, "and your hole is just the right size to plant it in."

[Rick Bavera · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story of 4-year-old twins tells about a very possible even: digging a hole and what could be done with it. The pictures are realistic to fit this realistic story. They are very concrete rather than fuzzy or abstract. They don't conflict with the text, but show it faithfully. they clarify by visualizing Janet's fantasies of how to use the hole. This story could be used to have children learn about twins, or to be creative: "What could you do with a hole?" type of exercise.

It is a fun story.

[Jennie Park]

I loved Beverly Cleary ever since I was an elementary school student so when I saw that this book was written by her, I had to pick it up. It is a cute story about two siblings that are twins who are similar and quite different in many different ways. This book can be used for pleasure reading as well as tying it into a language arts lesson. For example, we could use this book as an opener in a lesson about comparing and contrasting different nouns.

[Flannery · Rating 3 out of 5]

Clearly Beverly Cleary 2012, Book 6.

[Lara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought it was a little dull, but Jonah loved it. Cute story, and what's not to like about Beverly Cleary?

[Pamela Powell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jimmy wants to dig a real hole so Daddy finds a shovel just Jimmy's size. But what can they do with Jimmy's hole? Fun story!

[Kaci Beesecker]

Four-year-old Jimmy, unlike his girl twin, likes real not imagined things. And so when his father gives him a real trench shovel, he is in transports and determines to dig himself a perfectly enormous hole. This he does. But what to do with it? His family hits upon a delightful solution, and the denouement of this charming story takes into consideration the nature of the reader at whom it is directed.

This could be used in the classroom as a way for kids to see that there are multiple ways to figure out a solution. So as a teacher, you could split up the students into groups and give them problems that require them to find a solution to. Then come together and see what all the groups came up with.

[Anthony · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jimmy and Janet are four year old twins. Jimmy tells his father that he wants to dig a real hole. As Jimmy progresses with his digging, his sister Janet makes suggestions of what the hole can be used for, but Jimmy disagrees. Several neighbors asks what will the hole be used for, but Jimmy can't decide. Finally Jimmy and Janet's father comes up with the perfect solution of what to do with hole.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn't move me the way the Ramona Q books do, but still sweet and funny. Jimmy is sort of like, but also kind of the opposite of, Ramona's neighbor Howie.

openlibrary

[Gil-or (readingbooksinisrael) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know why I didn't expect it to be that good, but I didn't. It was very good, though.