Sam and Dave Dig a Hole facts for kids
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| Author | Mac Barnett |
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| Illustrator | Jon Klassen |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's literature |
| Published | 2014 Candlewick Press |
| Media type | Picture book (hardcover) |
| Pages | 40 |
| ISBN | 978-0763662295 |
Sam and Dave Dig a Hole is a popular children's book. It was written by Mac Barnett and illustrated by Jon Klassen. The book came out in 2014 from Candlewick. It won a special award called the Caldecott Honor in 2015.
About the Book
This story is told from a third-person point of view. This means a narrator tells you what is happening. The book mostly shows a picture on one page and the words on the next. Sometimes, the pictures are so big they cover two pages! The book also uses a lot of empty white space. This helps you focus on the characters and what they are doing.
Story Summary
The story is about two brothers, Sam and Dave. They also have a loyal dog with them. One Monday, they decide to dig a hole. They want to find something truly amazing. They say, "We won't stop digging until we find something spectacular."
As they dig deeper, they pass by many valuable jewels. These jewels are hidden from Sam and Dave. Only their dog seems to notice them. The pictures show how the dog's eyes look at the jewels. Sam and Dave, however, are focused only on digging.
They keep digging, missing many treasures. Eventually, they get very tired and decide to rest. While they rest, the dog keeps digging a little more. Suddenly, they all fall down a deep hole. They fall "down, down, down, until they landed in the soft dirt."
The story ends with them landing in a place that looks like their yard. But it is not quite the same. For example, the apple tree from the start is now a pear tree. A red flower on their porch is now a blue one. This makes readers wonder if they are truly home.
Awards and Recognition
Sam and Dave Dig a Hole has won many important awards. It is a very well-loved book.
- Winner of the Caldecott Honor
- Winner of the E.B. White Read-Aloud Award
- Winner of the Irma Black Award
- Winner of the Wanda Gág Read Aloud Book Award
- A New York Times Best Seller
- A New York Times Notable Book
- A Washington Post Best Children's Book of 2014
- A PBS Best Picture Book of 2014
- A Guardian Best Book of 2014
- A Horn Book Fanfare Best Book of 2014
- A Kirkus Best Book of 2014
- A Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2014
- A Globe and Mail 100 Best Books of 2014 Selection
- A Huffington Post Best Picture Book of 2014
- A BuzzFeed Best Picture Book of 2014
- An Association for Library Service to Children Notables Selection
- A Toronto Public Library First & Best Book of 2014
- A Reading Today Best Picture Book of 2014
- A Junior Library Guild Selection
