HOOT
By Carl Hiaasen
Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2002
Okay, well, there is a reason that you shouldn’t read books intended for middle-schoolers to your elementary-aged children … even if they beg, and even if the book is a Newbery Honor book and you really want to read it yourself, even if the book was made into a movie that is playing now. I read HOOT to my kids this week and they learned some things I was just as happy having them in the dark about–like the verb moon. As in “It may be funny to you, boys, but your grandmother will NOT appreciate being mooned.” Live and learn.
HOOT is the story of Roy Eberhardt, a middle-school kid recently relocated from the Midwest to Florida. In the midst of some dealings with the class bully, Roy meets a couple of misfits who are intent upon saving a community of burrowing owls. The owls’ habitat will be destroyed if plans for a new pancake house in town are brought to fruition. I loved the environmental theme and the discussions it sparked. I could overlook the bullying for the same reason … the kids were ready to talk about it. But for some reason I didn’t connect well with the characters in the story. In fact, it was the owls I cared most about; it was because of them that I invested in Roy and his friends. Perhaps this is what Carl Hiaasen intended?
Anyway, if you are planning to read HOOT aloud to younger kids, be aware that there are some language issues and that the bullying can get pretty harsh. And be prepared for the “moon” scene … and all the insanity it will inspire!
Best,
Loree