In the book Holes, Stanley is warned about the “yellow spotted lizard”, are fictional animal in the book. The closest real animal that fits this description is the yellow spotted salamandeAlthough it is not poisonous, it is a very popular kind of salamander. On the first warm night of spring is when these yellow spotted salamanders come out from their long year underground (salamanders hibernate in a very unusual way, they stay underground during the daytime and come out at night to travel to the breeding ponds).
These lizards are easy to recognize because they are spotted. All you have to look for is a yellow or orange spotted (most often yellow), greenish-blackish salamander with a grey stomach.
It lives close to forest swamps. They are most commonly found in the Eastern U.S. and Southeastern Canada, and are 6-8" long. As all amphibians, they are also cold blooded.