In his first novel for a younger audience, Carl Hiaasen plunges readers right into the middle of an ecological mystery, made up of endangered miniature owls, the Mother Paula's All-American Pancake House scheduled to be built over their burrows, and the owls' unlikely allies: three middle school kids determined to beat the screwed-up adult system. Hiaasen's tongue is firmly in cheek as he successfully cuts his slapstick sense of humor down to kid-size.

  Knopf Books for Young Readers; ISBN: 0375821813 (Sept. 10, 2002)

Review by Mary Guthrie (March 2004)
Hoot by Carl Hiaasen is a hoot of a read for young folks. Roy Eberhardt, a middle schooler who’s new to his Florida town, is smart and funny and big-hearted, and he doesn’t yet have a single friend around who knows it. Dana Matherson, a huge bully who stinks of cigarettes, torments him on the bus daily. Life seems pretty bleak for Roy, who misses the fishing and mountains of the Montana he’s just left.

One morning, while Dana is holding his head against the window of the school bus, Roy spots a running boy. The boy introduces the mystery at the heart of this novel. Roy is compelled to find out why the boy is running, and follows him right into his fight to protect an endangered settlement of burrowing owls.

Mother Paula’s All-American Pancake House is planning to fill in the owls’ habitat and build another restaurant as part of their national chain. The Mother Paula’s people will stop at nothing to get their store built, and the owls’ protector isn’t afraid to keep going forward with audacious and funny actions that hold up the construction.

The story operates on many levels, with strong doses of humor and realism. The beauty of the Florida Everglades and the species living there are emphasized, as well as the fact that in present-day Florida the natural, wild places are disappearing at an alarming rate.

In the classic tradition of young people’s fiction, most of the roles played by adults range from hapless to ignorant to cruel. While Roy does keep some secrets from his parents, their relationship is full of love and respect. Ultimately, they help Ray in choosing to protect his new environment. His adventure brings him the experience of a lifetime, along with the friendships he needs.

Hoot is ideal reading for elementary and middle school students (recommended for ages 10-15). Readers will find a believable and compelling hero in Roy Eberhardt, and will cheer for him throughout the story.

To learn more about the reviewer, Mary Guthrie, click here.

To see Generation Green's reading list for kids and intermediate readers, click here.