In 1991, Sachar and his family moved to Austin, Texas. He was proving to be a prolific writer of children's books. He'd had four more books published by then — The Boy Who Lost His Face (his daughter, who was one year old at the time, was Sachar's inspiration for the 1-year-old sister in the book), Wayside School Is Falling Down, Sideways Arithmetic from Wayside School, and Dogs Don't Tell Jokes. In 1992, Sachar began a series about the comical plights of an eight-year-old boy named Marvin Redpost, writing four Marvin Redpost books between 1992 and 1994, and three more in 1999 and 2000. After writing Wayside School Gets a Little Stranger in 1995, Sachar spent two years working on an adult novel. When the novel did not come together as he had planned, he quit working on it and began Holes, which was published in 1998 and won the 1999 Newbery Medal Award.
Sachar has received many prestigious awards and honors for his writing. In addition to winning the Newbery Medal Award, Holes was the winner of the National Book Award; a New York Times Book Review Notable Children's Book of the Year; a New York Times Outstanding Book of the Year; a School Library Journal Best Book of the Year; on the Horn Book Fanfare Honor List; a Bulletin Blue Ribbon Book; and a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year. Sachar has also received the Children's Choice Award from the International Reading Association and Children's Book Council, the 1987 Parents' Choice Award, and the 1990 Young Reader's Choice Award.
