Bibliographic Information: Hiaasen, Carl. Hoot. Random House, 2002. ISBN 9780375829161.
Genre: Eco-fiction, Movie into a book.
Reading Level: Grades 6-9
Curriculum ties: Social Studies, Environmental, Politics
Awards: Newbery Honor book 2003, ALA Notable Children’s Books: 2003, Golden Archer Awards (Wisconsin): Middle/Jr. High School, Nutmeg Children’s Book Award (Connecticut): Teen category, YALSA Best Books for Young Adults: 2003.
Note: Adapted into the movie Hoot (2005).Author’s first Young Adult book.
Reader’s Annotation: A barefoot boy running, alligators in port-o-potties, and vandalism are all things that Roy, a mountain boy from Montana, sees in his new hometown in Florida.
Plot Summary:As the new kid in town again, Roy, a student at Trace Middle School in Coconut Cove finds himself searching for a place to belong. HIs father, a government employee has changed locations, and therefore Roy schools, numerous times. What began as a typical bus ride to school, including a round of bullying by Dana, the school bully, Roy sees something strange things going on outside the window that peak his interest. Roy saw a boy about his age, running away from the school bus with no books, backpack, and no shoes. This image is stuck in Roy’s mind until the next time he sees the mysterious boy. When he does, he follows the boy, and gradually learns that he is just trying to protect the nesting site of rare burrowing owls, creatures that cannot fight for themselves. Their home is going to be turned into a pancake house by a corporate executive called Chuck Muckle, with the assistance of a bald foreman called Curly. The group tries all types of pranks to deter the construction company’s building efforts to until they can come up with a plan.
Critical Evaluation: What I really enjoyed about this book was its environmental stand. This type of book will motivate readers to become more aware and active in the communities that they live in. Roy’s confident, quick thinking attitude really played well when the group came across corporate powers. Hopefully, they do not take any cues from Mullet (alligators in portable toilets and vandalism) on how to get their message heard. The issue that bothered me was the constant bullying. It was mentioned that Roy had faced bullies at other schools as a product of having to move around a lot. The author eluded to the fact that Roy knew “how to handle himself” which sounded like he himself also used violence to prevent being bullied. I thought it was funny that Roy used Dana’s sister against him seeing that she is the only person that Dana is afraid of. The cause and characters were good and I think book sends a great message to all teens to make a difference.
Booktalking Ideas:
Discuss any situations that you feel as strongly about as Mullet Fingers did about saving the owls.
Discuss the effects of bullying. What was the significance of Dana’s role?
How has Roy transformed throughout the book? What events contributed to this transformation?
Discuss the conflict between environmental and economic concerns. How should we balance our human needs with those of the natural world?
Challenge Issues/ Defense:
Challenge Issues: Bullying
Challenge defense ideas:
• If your kids are dealing with bullies, this is a great example of how to deal with them and survive with your dignity and self-respect firmly intact.- Kim Wheedletion. Retrieved from: http://bugsandbunnies.blogspot.com/2009/02/book-review-hoot-by-carl-hiaasen.html
Why was this book included?: I included this book for its environmental awareness and positive messages.
Author Information: Carl Hiaasen was born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on March 12, 1953. He received a degree in journalism from the University of Florida in 1974. He has been a reporter and columnist for the Miami Herald since 1976, and is known for exposing scandal and corruption throughout southern Florida. He has received numerous state and national honors for his journalism and commentary including the Damon Runyon Award from the Denver Press Club. His work has also appeared in numerous magazines including Sports Illustrated, Playboy, Time, Life, Esquire and Gourmet.
His best-selling novels include Double Whammy, Skin Tight, Native Tongue, Stormy Weather, Lucky You, Sick Puppy, Basket Case, and Nature Girl. His 1993 novel, Striptease, was adapted as a film in 1996 starring Demi Moore and Burt Reynolds. He also writes children’s books including Hoot, which was awarded a Newbery Honor; Flush; and Scat. Hoot was adapted into a film in 2006. His non-fiction works include Team Rodent; The Downhill Lie: A Hacker’s Return to a Ruinous Sport; and two collections of his newspaper columns entitled Kick Ass and Paradise Screwed.
(Bowker Author Biography. Retrieved from: https://sddp.sirsi.net/uhtbin/cgisirsi/?ps=SAlqLYPLLT/CENTRAL/192100021/9#syn_anotes).
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