Stanley Yelnats' life is a catalogue of misfortune, a fact he attributes to a family curse dating back to his great-great-grandfather. When Stanley is wrongfully convicted and sent to Camp Green Lake, a juvenile detention center, he is thrust into a bizarre world where boys dig holes under the brutal Texas sun, ostensibly to build character. The reality, however, is far more sinister, tied to the warden's mysterious search for something buried beneath the parched earth. As Stanley delves into the secrets of Camp Green Lake, he embarks on a journey of self-discovery, friendship, and redemption that will challenge everything he knows about fate and justice.