Hoot

Hiaasen, Carl. Hoot. 2002. Knopf, 2020.
I admire any writer who can write a book for children that will not make adults gag. Carl Hiaasen has that knack. Hoot is full of pro-social messages, such as saving endangered owls, appreciating the fragile Florida ecology, modeling positive and negative parenting, and allowing children to be believable agents. All these good messages, and yet the book is never preachy and never talks down to its child audience. In some ways, Hiaasen is an unlikely guy for this kind of writing. After all, he cut his teeth as a crime reporter and a writer of hardboiled comic thrillers like Striptease and Tourist Season. The character types he uses in his adult fiction are all here. There is the sleazy corporate show more villain, a couple of loner protagonists with McGyver-like ability to improvise their way in and out of trouble, bumbling authority figures, and even a barefoot boy who seems to be a Skink in the making. Parents and children will find laugh-out-loud moments, though not necessarily the same ones. show less

I’ve never been able to get through one of Carl Hiaasen’s novels aimed at adults. The sleaze is just too tedious. But kid-level Hiaasen sleaze is just perfect. This novel about the new kid in a Florida town teaming up with some other misfits to stop a new pancake house from burying the burrowing owls is cute, wholesome, and funny. I found this in a Little Free Library the night before leaving on a slightly stressful family visit and brought it along on a whim. It turned out to be the perfect break from heavier reading.

I have read and enjoyed many books by Carl Hiaasen so when I realised he had written a story for younger readers I was intrigued. Would the same ingredients (humour, ecology and madcap adventure) be used? If so, would they work as well? Could this be a good story to recommend to my students? The title ‘Hoot’ and cover image of bulgy eyes and a beak hints towards the subject matter and style of the story inside.

The premise

Roy Eberhardt did not want to move to Florida. In fact, he is sick of moving full stop. New schools, new houses and new enemies bore him. While getting to know the local bully rather better than he would like, Roy spots something odd: a boy running incredibly quickly *away* from the school bus. He has no backpack, show more no books and no shoes. Intrigued, Roy seeks to learn more about this strange boy while dealing with the school bully, the generally rather incompetent school teachers and the slightly frightening Beatrice Leep. Suddenly, life in Florida seems quite interesting…

This struck me as a typical approach from Hiaasen, though obviously the main characters are rather younger than normal. There is an interesting mystery established and at least one deeply unpleasant character introduced. There is the promise of chaos and a hint towards the novel’s ecological focus – some rather unusual owls. I think this would be appealing to younger readers and it addresses issues they are likely to encounter – unpleasant bullies and uninterested teachers.

My thoughts

Hiaasen introduces the mystery of the running boy in the opening pages of the story which I thought was effective as it created a genuinely interesting story. I think this would be particularly effective for younger readers if they were, as Roy clearly is, a ‘good’ kid, as they would likely find it quite surprising that the running boy does not attend school. This sense of mystery is effectively heightened in the following chapters and I think this would work well to involve readers in the story.

Hiaasen also establishes the ecological aspect of the story early on. A national chain is preparing to build another eatery, but somebody keeps sabotaging their efforts. Initially, the rather dim members of the local police force see these disruptions as petty acts of vandalism, but soon even they have to admit that something else might be going on. Who might have a grudge against Mother Paula’s All-American Pancake House? Could it have something to do with the unusual burrowing owls living on the land?

I found this aspect of the story particularly appealing as it encourages young readers to take an interest in the world around them by using humour initially and gradually revealing the more serious issues at stake. I thought that this was an effective way of telling the story but also of involving young people in caring about their environment. This fits with Hiaasen’s typical approach as there is corporate corruption which can only be foiled by determined individuals as the organisations who should respond are too lazy, inept or corrupt to do so effectively. This is a sad view of the world but also perhaps rather inspiring for young readers who can see what they might achieve by taking direct action against wrongdoing.

I thought it was a little disappointing that authority figures (police and teachers) are generally presented negatively. The main investigating officer initially appears to be rather stupid, though his dedication to his job redeems him somewhat. One teacher in particular appears to deliberately ignore evidence of bullying. I feel that this criticism of adults is rather pervasive in fiction for younger teens and, while it is certainly important to recognise that people are not perfect, I feel it can perpetuate an unjustified sense of ‘us’ and them for young people which is not really very helpful. Of course, this concern could be rather overstating the power of literature! Still, Roy’s parents are presented in a very positive light and the writer doesn’t simplistically condemn all adults. I suppose overall it is a balanced portrayal.

The story is written in very straightforward language and it is easy to follow events. I liked this as I felt it made the book very accessible. The tone is suitably informal to increase its appeal to young readers. The narration is third person but, when we are approaching events from Roy’s perspective, it is infused with teen speak like "pretty sure". I thought this helped to make the writing more comfortable for young readers. The dialogue is convincing and helps to develop the characterisation. The chapters are of a nice length to allow readers to get involved with the storyline but also to take regular breaks.

Hiaasen is a deeply humorous writer and this book is no exception. It is lightly comedic throughout. For instance, when Roy is describing the local bully we learn that: ‘smoking and beating up smaller kids were his two main hobbies’. More entertainingly, when we meet his mother we learn that: "She looked a lot like her son, which was unfortunate." I did find myself regularly smiling or even sometimes chuckling as I read the book and most of the humour is very accessible. There is irony but there is also the boy whose ‘most famous trick was farting out the first line of the Pledge of Allegiance during homeroom’. In other words, there is some more obvious, perhaps coarser humour too. In a way, I found this more enjoyable than his adult books as there is much less swearing. I do not find swearing particularly amusing and it is nice to read a story that manages to be funny without relying on bad language.

I found the characters enjoyable to read about. The action moves between Roy and Curley, foreman for the Mother Paula site. This allowed me to understand early on what was happening and I liked the fact that Hiaasen provided this perspective. Curley is quickly established as an unsympathetic character who couldn’t care tuppence for the ecology and, as is therefore inevitable in Hiassen’s stories, Bad Things happen to him. These bad things are at once ridiculous and entertaining so Curley provides a rich source of humour for readers.

At the opposite end of the scale, Roy is polite but capable of delicious sarcasm and is quickly established as a very admirable child. He is curious, longs for stability in his life and is quick witted in dealing with idiot bullies and teachers alike. He is a very thoughtful and reasonable boy who worries about impact of his escapades on his parents. I liked him and felt that he was a good role model. However, although he is very brave and sensible, he does enough kooky things to appeal to teen readers and he is not a ‘goody goody’ at all. It is also nice to see a hero with an environmental conscience and who isn’t indestructible (unlike, say, Alex Rider).

Typically for Hiaasen, there is one character who chooses to live outside society and in tune with nature. He is at once rather unbelievable (he is called ‘Mullet Fingers’) and quite admirable, especially for his actions at the end of the story. Hiaasen’s heroes never want the limelight. They are self effacing and only want to do what is right. I like this idea and think it is important in today’s media saturated world to show that not everyone wants to become famous. I can’t imagine anyone reading this and genuinely thinking they would want to live how he does, but I can imagine young readers recognising and admiring his dedication. I think that including this character helps to send a very strong message about the importance of the world’s ecology.

After several twists and turns develop the story, the ending is rather fitting. I thought the book was well plotted and paced and that it remained interesting throughout – there were no lulls or bits I wouldn’t have minded skipping. I think that there is a real sense of adventure and achievement that should engage young readers.

Finally, a postscript explains what happened to the various characters involved. I liked this touch as it created a really clear sense of closure and allowed Hiaasen to explore the consequences of the characters’ actions in a slightly broader setting.

Conclusions

I particularly liked the way the writer created a strong focus on nature and the natural world without suggesting that this was unusual. Roy is already interested in nature long before he meets the owls and the more respected adults share his concerns. Concern for the ecology is an integral aspect of the book rather than a bolt on and I think it is important to develop awareness of these issues.

This is an engaging and humorous story which I believe young readers would enjoy. Hiaasen uses humour effectively in a consistently exciting story. He has adapted his style well for a younger audience. I feel that the central character provides a positive role model for young readers and I would be happy to recommend this book to younger teens, especially as Hiaasen has now written a couple more books for this age group, so there is a rich seam for them to mine. show less

Dare I say it? This book was a 'hoot'! This is a fun read with wonderfully developed characters that still offers fodder for deeper thought. Three middle school youth band together to protect a species of endangered owls from corporate expansion and their neglectful attitude toward the environment in their rush to expand. It offers food for thought about resistance to corruption, care and protection for the environment and encouragement for those who think they might not be able to take a stand. The book is well written and reads fairly quickly as Hiassen combines intimate knowledge of the Florida landscape with wit and insight. A wonderful and worthwhile read!

Delightful, well-written, with a propulsive plot. My son appreciated the fact that Beatrice and Mullet weren't "cut-out characters," and I appreciated the fact that Hiaasen's depiction of family life was not from a June Cleaver wonderland. Some not-so-good family life was depicted here, as well as a gentle introduction to the sad fact that corporate bad behavior exists. My son devoured this, as did I. We'll be checking out Hiaasen's other YA books.

Roy Eberhardt is the new kid at Trace Middle School in central Florida. He just wants to live quietly and go about undisturbed and unnoticed, but a bully seems to have it in for him, and makes his daily bus rides to school a dreaded torment. One day, though, while being squished into the window of the bus, he sees a strange barefooted boy running by the bus stop. With his curious nature, he sets out to find out more about the mysterious running boy. He eventually finds the boy and becomes ensnared in a ecological dilemma involving some nests of burrowing owls.

This book was a humorous, fast-paced story with a strong ecological message. There was also an excellent theme for a children's book running throughout about making difficult show more moral choices when things are not black and white. Naturally, the ecological dilemma with the owls has a positive conclusion, but I was left wondering about the fate of the running boy. In this area, the ending was very unsatisfactory to me. Also, as I thought about the book some more, I detected a certain pessimism about society in this book which, sadly, resonates with so many young people. The idea that adults and institutions such as schools and police departments and businesses are basically self-serving and uncaring, concerned only about their own personal interests, and it is the rare individual who rises above this. With this pessimistic, but often true, view of society, the running boy's life in the woods, free from school and authorities, represents a noble life that is untouched by this selfish corruption. So, although Hoot is a light-hearted children's story, it has some interesting themes lying just beneath the surface. show less

Hiaasen's first venture into juvenile fiction brings all the strengths of his adult novels: passion, wit, a sense of place, and an appreciation of the absurd. He accommodates his younger readers by adopting a sparser style and a less complex plot. The very simple quirky blue cover exactly captures this style. The main protagonist is heroic but not always certain of the best course of action with his ferocious allies in a conflict with the agents of big business. The book is filled with contrasts (cowardly bully and brave victim; caring and callous parents; powerful and weak fathers) but characters are more than mere caricatures; there are developments and internal conflicts that enrich them. They combine into a pleasing clever novel show more that may have been oversimplified for its young readership. show less