Flush

Quick-pacing, wacky characters, and concern for the environment are hallmarks of all Carl Hiassen's bestselling books. FLUSH is his second children's book, and although it isn't quite as funny as HOOT (which garnered him a Newbery Honor), it satisfies on all levels. While seriously toned down in comparison to his books for adults, FLUSH maintained the off-beat flavour of his other works, as if one of them was written from a kid's perspective.

Noah Underwood is seriously worried his parents will get divorced when his father's latest stunt has him behind bars. Paine Underwood, an environmentalist, just can't sit back and do nothing while Dusty Muleman pollutes the waters with sewage from his casino boat, so he sinks the boat. show more Unfortunately, it was only in twelve feet of water, so it's only a matter of days before the "Coral Queen" is back in business.

Noah wants to help his father nail Muleman, but it seems hopeless, since witnesses won't cooperate and the casino owner seems to have the coast guard in his pocket. Then, Noah and his sister Abbey concoct a great scheme to stop the polluter once and for all.

Hiaasen does a great job with the characters in this story, from the bullies bedeviling Noah to the mysterious old pirate who keeps coming to his aid (alas, not Skink). He gets his environmental message across, as well, in a non-preachy way that both kids and adults can relate to. I highly recommend this book for readers of all ages. show less

Before this book, I hadn't read anything by Carl Hiaasen, though I have heard a lot about him because of Hoot's success. Without even reading the summary, I knew that this novel would probably take on some sort of environmental issue, but I didn't expect it to be so good. This is a book I would have loved as a kid, and is still a good read as an adult. It has a lot of action, intrigue, and great characters.

I really liked the relationship between Noah and his little sister Abbey. Their interactions were realistic and Abbey added a humorous element to the story, which I appreciated. I also liked how Abbey is portrayed as a stronger personality than Noah, even though she's his little sister. I'm a sucker for strong female characters, and show more Hiaasen definitely includes them in this novel.

The story itself is awesome. To clear their father's good name, Noah and Abbey take it upon themselves to prove that the Coral Queen is dumping raw sewage into the harbor and enlist the help of a couple of others. Some plot twists were predictable, but there were a few surprises Hiaasen threw in that completely shocked me.

Michael Welch's narration was perfect. I love listening to audiobooks when it's told in first person, because it gives an heightened sense of simply being told a story. It's even better when the narrator is able to capture the main character's personality and add some quirks, which is exactly what Michael Welch does.

Overall, this story is enjoyable, full of surprises, and carries a good message. It's about kids taking matters into their own hands and helping to right wrongs. With humor and adventure, Flush is great for kids and adults alike.

Also posted on Purple People Readers. show less

Flush plunges readers into a hilarious, high-stakes adventure in the Florida Keys. When Noah’s dad is arrested for trying to expose environmental wrongdoing—illegal sewage dumping by a casino boat—Noah takes matters into his own hands. With a ragtag team that includes his scrappy sister, a mysteriously unclean ally, and a pirate-like figure, he hatches a daring plan to uncover the truth. Full of wry humor, quirky characters, and environmental intrigue, this fast-paced middle-grade mystery delivers action and laughs in equal measure.

Flush by Carl Hiaasen, is considered a children's book, although I would say that some of it's themes and characters are more suitable for children ten and up. The story focuses on a young boy, Noah, and his sister, Abby, who are trying to gather evidence against a corrupt casino boat owner. Apparently, the casino owner has been dumping sewage from his holding tanks into protected Florida waters. Yuck!

This is an entertaining, well-written story with a number of charismatic, quirky characters. A sense of adventure permeates the story-line from beginning to end, as does Hiaasen's wry sense of humor. I thoroughly enjoyed this read and particularly liked the underlying voice, brusquely reminding the reader that we need to be ever vigilant show more and pro-active in the face of ecological concerns. show less

Scatalogical- preoccupation with excrement
in layman's terms, an obsession with poop

Please take a moment, and contemplate the storyline of this book. It is a story about a boat dumping human waste, poop, into the ocean. Chuckleworthy? I think so. But Hiaasen is actually espressing a sad commentary on the world we live in, where this is a completely plausible story. Through lovable characters, a delicious plotline, and an activist that just won't quit, Hiaasen delivers a refreshing commentary on society today.

Abbey, the biter, Lice Peeking, the grimy but useful ex-mate, and Shelly, the bartender with the big biceps. What a motley crew. But any reader can connect with them. That is the magic of Hiassen's writing. His characters are so show more specifically crafted, and with such detail, but manage to be so relatable. They breathe life into the story, push it to its limits. I couldn't help but fall in love with them, because i found they resembled the seperate parts of my personality.

Hiaasen built the story, carefully crafted it, appreciated all its dents and cracks, and because of this was able to submerge the reader in a crisp and enjoyable book. It grabs you by the meaty part of the neck, and won't let go. By the end, i know i personally didn't want it to let go. I wanted to call up Carl Hiaasen and ask him, what happens next? This need for a continuation of the story, is what makes Hiaasen one of my favorite authors.

Please, if not this book, read another of his. I promise it will be worth your while. It was definitely worth mine. show less

I’ve been a casual fan of Carl Hiaasen for years now but when I ordered Flush, I didn’t realize it was a young adult book. Not that it matters much. Hiaasen’s humor and nose for the quirky, “only in Florida,” type of story is as strong as ever in this book. This book has poo, bullies, crooks and a dad with strong sense of right but a not so great sense of anger management. Fortunately, his son has a better handle on his anger if not on following the rules, which leads to creative mystery solving and stopping the poo from being dumped into the ocean anymore. Great fun to read and a great reminder of what a good storyteller Carl Hiassen is, no matter his intended audience.

Flush by Carl Hiaasen This book was written by the author of "Hoot". I really enjoyed Hoot, as well as the movie by the same name. This book would rate higher with me if it didn't feel a bit too similar to Hoot. It has the same theme of ecological awareness and the familiar setting of Florida. This time instead of fucusing on the loss of habitat for burrowing owls, the concern is the dumping of sewage into the ocean from a casino boat...an equally concerning scenario.

The main character's father sinks the casino boat in revenge, hoping to curtail the carnage. What develops is an adventure as the lead character, Noah, and his sister attempt to clear their father's name and put the casino out of business for good. A bit of family mystery show more is cleared up during the process which adds a nice twist to the tale. show less