Bibliography Hiaasen, C. (2002). Hoot (1st ed.). New York: Alfred A. Knopf : Distributed by Random House.
Summary
When Roy Eberhardt moves from Montana to Florida because of his father’s job, he thinks that he is going to hate it there. To Roy, Florida is flat and boring and cannot compare to the mountainous region he has just left. However, on his first day to school Roy sees a boy running beside his school bus but never shows up at school. Roy is fascinated with the boy, and the next time he appears, Roy chases after him. After chasing the running boy across a golf course and getting hit in the head with a golf ball, Roy is confronted by Beatrice Leep, a muscular girl on the schools soccer team. She tells Roy to stay away from the running kid and to mind his own business. Roy doesn’t let up and soon finds where the running kid stays and tries to find out why he is living in the wild and who he actually is. After the running kid makes Roy leave his hiding place, Roy encounters Beatrice who tells him to leave the running kid alone, and that the boy is her stepbrother. Roy ignores her and still tries to help the running boy. Roy discovers that the running kid is trying to prevent Mother Paula’s Pancake House from building a location on the site where borrowing owls live. Roy has to choose whether to follow his head and leave the boy alone, or follow his heart and help the boy do what is right.
Impressions
The book felt a little preachy at places as well as anti-establishment. Several of the secondary characters could have had clearer endings, but they were minor characters, so it didn’t affect the story that greatly. Hiaasen’s story is more humorous than many youth literature books and was easy to read. The problem that the main character faced was a little improbably but the underlying themes, such as doing what is right and what is smart, can be applied to many situations that a young person may experience.
Reviews
“This is novelist Carl Hiassen's first book for young readers (Knopf, 2002). Set in Florida, an intriguing barefoot runner reminiscent in his innocence of Maniac Magee leads middle school student Roy Eberhardt on an eco-adventure that includes snakes, fish, alligators, a student protest movement, and encounters with big business and law enforcement--all in defense of a nesting site for burrowing owls. This barefoot runner remains fairly enigmatic throughout the story, never truly becoming part of the ordinary world of home, school, and community that newcomer Roy finds so limited after having experienced the majestic Montana mountains. But Roy grows to appreciate Florida by experiencing it through contact with this elusive friend whom he helps to accomplish the seemingly impossible. An interesting cast of adult and student characters is brought to life by actor Chad Lowe who uses his voice deftly to express each in clearly discernible ways. His reading is especially well-paced to assist in following and understanding the changes of setting and characters as the plot moves along in two different sequences for quite some time. It's an appealing story focusing on ecological values, giving it nice classroom potential for science tie-ins. It would also make a great book for family listening because of its timely story line, interesting animal details, lots of local color, and effective message.”
Fenn, J., & Mandell, P. (2003). Hoot (Book). School Library Journal, 49(1), 74.
“Hoot is quintessential Hiaasen — a mystery/adventure set in South Florida, peopled with original and wacky characters — with a G rating. Roy Eberhart the new kid in town, hooks up with teenage runaway Mullet Fingers (so named because he can catch fish with his bare hands) and his sister Beatrice, a "major soccer jock … with a major attitude." The three discover that the proposed site for a Mother Paula's All-American Pancake House is also a nesting ground for small burrowing owls, a protected species, and they attempt to halt construction. Initiating a cover-up that reaches all the way to the mayor's office, Mother Paula's executives ignore the owls and try to speed up ground-breaking ceremonies before the public learns their secret. But Mullet Fingers sabotages their efforts: he removes survey stakes; puts alligators in the portable toilets; and releases a mess of cottonmouth shakes to scare away the guard dogs, The narrative carries a lot of frenzied commotion that only becomes more preposterous with each new character's entrance. There's Garrett, "king of phony farts" at middle school; Officer Delinko, not "the sharpest knife in the drawer"; and Kalo, the amiable rottweiler trainer ("That vun dere is Max. That vun, Klaus. That vun, Karl. And that big vun is Pookie Face"). Each individual has a story to tell, sometimes advancing the plot (Officer Delinko's ambitious investigation provides believable access to all characters) and sometimes imposing an earnestness at odds with the humor (Beatrice and Mullet Fingers endure a dismal home situation). Not consistently a hoot, but worthy of a holler. Hiaasen's first YA book succeeds as a humorous diversion.”
Carter, B. (2002). Hoot. Horn Book Magazine, 78(6), 759-760.
Library Use
A good book for someone who is interested in youth standing up about environmental rights. The main focus of the book is getting the Mother Paula’s company to stop building on the new site and the ending lends towards a non-violent means of protest and public knowledge rather than vandalism.
Bibliography
Going, K. L. (2003). Fat kid rules the world. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons.
Summary
Troy Billings is fat. So fat that he feels like his life is worthless. While standing at the subway, contemplating jumping (and wondering how much of the train his fat would cover), a homeless music legend from his school, dropout Curt MacCrae, stops him from jumping and insists that he be repaid by Troy buying him dinner. After dinner, Curt follows Troy home uninvited, where he tells Troy’s ex-marine father that Curt and Troy are starting a band. What Troy believes as a lie actually becomes true as Curt helps Troy conquer his self-esteem issues and helps Troy with his appearance. Troy finds out that Curt is abusing prescription drugs and tries to help Curt after he passes out by taking him to the hospital. Troy convinces his father to allow Curt to stay with their family to help Curt straighten out, but Curt refuses the offer. Troy becomes angry with Curt and decides to prove to Curt that he is serious by conquering his own self image fears and performing with the band.
Impression
The book uses a lot of coarse language, but for the age group, nothing is too inappropriate. The book is written from Troy’s point of view, so you only see and feel what Troy feels. It gives the reader a more personal experience and allows greater empathy with the character.
Reviews
“Big, fat, miserable, insightful Troy, 17, is contemplating suicide but is saved by Curt, a cadaverous, brilliant, homeless, druggie guitarist and neighborhood punk rock icon. Determined to make Troy his drummer, Curt becomes a sometimes part of Troy's truncated family. Troy's dad, a bitter ex-Marine who cannot fathom his fat son, undergoes subtle growth to become the pair's unlikely savior. Funny, frightening, gritty, passionate, and real, this is an amazingly textured study of complex personal growth of almost symbiotic characters in crisis.”
Hofmann, M. (2005). Fat Kid Rules the World. School Library Journal, 51(11), 59.
“Overweight and friendless, high school senior Troy Billings is standing on the edge of the subway tracks contemplating suicide when a dirty and disheveled young man engages him in conversation and prevents him from taking the plunge. He's Curt MacCrae, a legend at Troy's school for being "the only truly homeless, sometimes student, sometimes dropout, punk rock, artist god among us." For reasons that Troy does not at first understand, Curt invites him to join his band as a drummer, even though Troy has only minimal experience with music. Both characters are strongly defined. Hyperactive and frustratingly enigmatic, iconoclastic Curt has the soul of an artist, as well as a self-destructive streak fed by incessant pill-popping. Troy's obesity is over stated (references to his sweating and huffing-and-puffing seem to appear on every page), but his emotional neediness is palpable and genuinely moving. As the friendship between the boys develops, Troy explores New York's punk music scene (about to give his debut performance, he throws up on the stage; the audience loves it) and comes to a better understanding of both his brother and (wonderfully portrayed) widowed father. But his emerging sense of self-worth also leads him to make a decision that could destroy his friendship with the increasingly troubled Curt. In this gritty and intense novel--perhaps more of a character study than a plot-driven story--these two disparate and desperate teenagers attempt to save each other and, quite possibly, end up saving themselves as well.”
Sieruta, P. (2003). Fat Kid Rules the World. Horn Book Magazine, 79(4), 456-457.
Library Use
A very good book for high school students who are dealing with weight problems. The main character figures out that because everyone is trying so hard to not look at him, they aren’t actually paying him any attention. It’s a great revelation that most people don’t care what you look like and the moral plays out well in the end.
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