Customer Reviews
PCE Student Review 
2008-04-27
I liked Hoot by Carl Hiassen because it proves that if you put your mind to something you can accomplish it and it's about kids saving endangered owls. The other reason I liked about the book were the characters. They were interesting. My favorite character was Beatrice. I liked this character because she was very determined to save the owls.
I would recommend this book for kids 10 and over. This is my review on my favorite book, Hoot.
Great book 
2008-04-23
This is a great book and I enjoy it on my
Kindle. It is about a bullied boy and his tale of enemies, friendship, and being in the middle of saving a family of owls or abiding with the law... I reccommend it.
Create Your Own Review 2008-03-27
Austin M. review of Hoot by Carl Hiaasen, March 20, 2008. WARNING SPOILERS AHEAD! Roy Eberhardt is an adolescent boy who has moved from place to place with his father's job in the government. He now resides in the quiet town of Coconut Cove, Florida. In this town Roy is the new kid who has only a few friends. One day while riding the bus to school, Roy sees a boy running down the road in an old, tattered basketball jersey, dirty shorts, and bare feet. Roy is fascinated by the boy, and the next time he sees the boy he pursues him. While jumping off of the bus to catch the boy, he runs into Beatrice Leed. The boy turns out to be Beatrice's stepbrother. The main problem in the story is a species of burrowing owl that makes their nest on a construction site for the restaurant, Mother Paula's Pancakes. Beatrice's stepbrother has always cared about animals, and he wants to save the owls living on the lot. He pulls multiple pranks, and crimes to try to delay the construction. Later in the story, Beatrice's brother pulls in Roy and Beatrice to help out with the cause. Eventually Roy spreads publicity throughout the school and town, and when the televised groundbreaking ceremony for the restaurant came, there was a large protest against the construction. The school kids, along with adults, and the Mother Paula icon herself fight the company by not letting construction begin. In addition, a little detective work by Roy made the company forfeit the lot. Roy found out that the lot did not have any of the proper paperwork, and that the owls were a protected species, so the company gave up. The trio of Roy, Beatrice, Napoleon Bridger (Beatrice's stepbrother) had won the battle.
Hoot 2008-02-22
Hoot was a book that caught my eye and that it was sad at some times but I liked to read it and I hope you will like it to.
I didn't know it was a children's book 2008-02-20
I picked this book up by accident. I started reading and realized it was a children's book, and kept on reading, because it is a great book. Great writing. Highly recommend for 6th graders and the child in all of us.
an eco-friendly, cute tale for young teens 2008-07-05
For the legion of Hiaasen fans out there, 'Hoot' is pure Hiaasen but without the raunchiness and ribald humor. It is more whimsical than funny, its plot rather obvious and ultra-wholesome, but it's a very enjoyable read nonetheless. Hiaasen transforms himself into a young teen who, with other rascals his age, fight corporate America from building upon land where nesting ground owls call home. These kids pull all sorts of tricks to defeat the wicked and inept adults. Although this book is clearly targeted to the junior high school set, and I think it makes a wonderful read for boys and girls, it's the sort of read adults can enjoy especially if they don't want to think too hard. You will never confuse 'Hoot' with works by Leo Tolstoy or Henry James.
Bottom line: lighthearted and politically correct.
Carlos says... "this book is hilarious just like the book FLUSH" 2008-05-16
The story is divided into three main parts. This gives the reader different points of view from each character. The main part is about Roy Eberhardt and his friends "Mullet Fingers", and his stepsister Beatrice. The main part focuses on their efforts to try and save the owls' homes from getting bulldozed to make way for a construction. The second is about Officer David Delinko, who is one of the Officers investigating the sabotage acts on the construction site. He was caught sleeping during his early morning patrol once and was nearly fired. Now, with his job on the line he basically thought about nothing else but getting his job done. But when he sees the Burrowing Owls and slowly thinks about what will happen to them, he slowly has a change of heart towards the end of the book. The third part is of the construction Foreman Leroy "Curly" Branitt who also has his job on the line now that the construction was two weeks late. Despite his efforts to guard the construction site, the site is continually sabotaged and gets fired in the end. In the last part he doesn't join Roy and the rest of the crowd to protect the owls, but refuses to take any orders from his boss.
Overall I'd say this is a great book with its unpredictable and hilarious characters. Aside from being funny you could learn something too. I noticed that Hiaasen writes mostly about environmental problems. This book illustrates how animals are affected when we destroy their home for the sake of money. Nobody likes seeing their home destroyed. How would we feel if someone showed up on our homes and told us that our house was going to get bulldozed? In the words of Calvin and Hobbes: "How would humans feel if animals bulldozed a suburb and put in new TREES?"
Solid story for young readers 2008-05-15
Carl Hiaasen never disappoints when it comes to witty stories and charming characters. In this first attempt at fiction for young readers he lives up to his reputation. Roy has just started middle school in Florida after moving from Montana with his family - against his wishes. He is being beaten up by the school bully and is having a hard time fitting in. But he becomes entangled in an environmental battle when a chain pancake restaurant wants to build a new pancake house on a location that houses unique and rare owls. Roy and his tenuous friends take on a battle that may be bigger than they realize. Roy must find a way to follow his heart without breaking the law in protest.
Hiaasen has a real way with his characters. They are people you love and get to know through the pages of the story. There is almost always some sort of environmental twist and, in some ways, it is like beating a dead horse. But the writing is always hilarious and entertaining until the last page. Readers, both young and old, will enjoy this effort.
Hoot for Hoot! 2008-05-13
Hoot is a fabulous adventure and realistic fiction coming of age story by Carl Hiaasen about a young boy named Roy who is new to town. It is 292 pages of adventure, as Roy is bullied by Dana Matherson, the town bully. While Dana, the story's antagonist, is anything but a good person, his bullying does lead Roy to notice a boy running barefoot alongside the bus he is on, eventually taking him on an adventure of a major ecological and corrupt problem caused by a fraudulent business.
The boy Roy saw running calls himself Mullet Fingers. He comes from a troubled home but is determined despite the odds to stand up for what he believes. Meanwhile, a breakfast chain, Mother Paula's All-American Pancake House, is going to open up a restaurant in town but the building's construction is constantly delayed due to damages that occur to the area in the middle of the night. The pancake company wants to begin building on the property and so hires a security guard to protect the area from any possible vandals. Through yet another scheme, Roy convinces Dana to enter the construction site in search of cigarettes. Dana is quickly caught in the act and people believe that he is responsible for the vandalism.
Dana's trespassing brings light to the habitat of the burrowing owl, which is currently in the very area that the Mother Paula's intends to builds its restaurant. People quickly jump on the children's bandwagon, which wants nothing more than for these owls to live in their natural habitat. These children expose the company for what it really is and uncover some deals that are anything but legal among adults in his new.
This story is perfect for the young adult reader, as it clearly shows that whether we like it or not, we all grow up. And when we grow up, we take on responsibilities that we never before dreamed possible. It is an inspirational tale to see young adults making responsible decisions on their own. Simultaneously, the young adults are forced to look at the adults around them who are taking bribes and making illegal deals, while they are fighting for what they believe and know is right. They are ready to take on the powerful executives, even though their chances might seem bleak.
Throughout the story, Roy is forced into the world and must grow up, even if the adults around him might not have. It is a great read for young adults, as Roy is forced to adjust to the changes around him that come with moving to a new town. However, he quickly prevails.
I personally loved this story because it allows young adults to see that despite all of the problems that occur in life, they actually can prevail and bring about good things through action. This story teaches students that it is imperative that they stand up for what they believe. Young adults of today can easily relate to Roy, for Macmillan Publishers just recently published it in 2002 at a Lexile Level of 760. Simultaneously, as a teacher of young adults, I personally have an issue with the presence of cigarettes and curse words in a story. And I know that many of my students' parents also would not appreciate some of the content that Hiaasen has chosen to include. Nonetheless, I appreciate that he does not sugarcoat any of the topics but rather "keeps it real" for the kids, allowing them to wrestle with the issues as though they are in Roy's shoes.
Jacob's book review 
2008-05-01
Hoot by Carl Hiaasen is about five characters (Roy, Mullet Finger, Beatrice, officer Delinko, and Curly), one group of animals (the owls), and one pancake house (Mother Paula's) fighting over an area of land and trying to save the owls. Roy tries to find out the right thing to do. Mullet Finger tries to help a group of owls. Beatrice tries to help Mullet Finger. Officer Delinko tries to solve the pancake house case. Curly tries not to get fired.
This book is worth reading for several reasons. It tells about certain animals. Also it tells about right and wrong. It also shows many legal things. Finally, it shows that a little devotion goes a long way. Nine to fourteen year olds would like this book because it is funny and somewhat easier to read since it's in third narration.
