Birgitt Kollmann Book order (chronological)

The story follows David, who regrets stealing a walking stick from the enigmatic Mrs. Bayfield, an elderly woman rumored to have the power to curse people. After the theft, David experiences a series of embarrassing mishaps that raise the question of whether they are mere coincidences or the result of Mrs. Bayfield's supposed supernatural abilities. The narrative blends humor and suspense, exploring themes of guilt and the consequences of one's actions.

(Librarian's Note: Alternate Cover Edition for ISBN 9780440414803) Stanley Yelnats is under a curse. A curse that began with his no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather and has since followed generations of Yelnatses. Now Stanley has been unjustly sent to a boys’ detention center, Camp Green Lake, where the boys build character by spending all day, every day digging holes exactly five feet wide and five feet deep. There is no lake at Camp Green Lake. But there are an awful lot of holes. It doesn’t take long for Stanley to realize there’s more than character improvement going on at Camp Green Lake. The boys are digging holes because the warden is looking for something. But what could be buried under a dried-up lake? Stanley tries to dig up the truth in this inventive and darkly humorous tale of crime and punishment—and redemption.