Chomp by Carl Hiaasen

Reviewed by Jake L.
Grade 8

Wahoo and his father Mickey are animal wranglers who have a hard enough time keeping each other from getting hurt and putting foot on the table. When a job opportunity with a reality TV show goes South, they have to fight to get out of the Everglades alive.

Wahoo and his father accept an offer to work on a reality TV adventure show, but it is not what they expected. The TV star Derek is a complete fake. When an angry father going after his daughter gets involved, the job Wahoo, Mickey, and Tuna (Wahoo's friend) accepted for some easy money turns into a life or death situation.

Carl' Hiaasen's plot in Chomp is absolutely gripping. The reader never can guess what's going to happen next. The setting is also great.

I would recommend this book to anyone, especially someone who lives in Florida. The author's style is flawless. Every word is carefully chosen and every sentence perfectly executed. Another great one by Carl Hiaasen.

Flush by Carl Hiaasen

Reviewed by Jake L.
Grade 8

Noah's dad is a stubborn man. He landed in jail for sinking a casino boat that he believed was dumping waste into the Florida Keys waterways. Now Noah and his friend, Abby, have to prove that the boat is dumping waste into the water and that his Dad isn't wrong. The stakes are high. This is the last straw for Noah's mom, so if he isn't successful his family will probably fall apart.

Noah is an average teenager in the Florida Keys, but his dad is not the average dad. His dad is an environmental enthusiast who ends up in jail for sinking a casino boat that's dumping waste into the ocean. One problem: no proof of any wrongdoing on the casino boat. Noah and Abby make it their mission to prove that the casino is polluting the water. This leads them into making some unlikely friends, many enemies, and buying a lot of food dye.

I thought the setting and plot were outstanding in this book. Hiaasen's plots are consistently impossible to anticipate but are always gripping. He also gives a very clear picture of where Noah is throughout the book.

I would recommend Flush to anyone and everyone, especially a Florida resident. It teaches lessons in perseverance and protecting the environment. It's just another great book by Carl Hiaasen.

Scat by Carl Hiaasen

Reviewed by Jake L.
Grade 8

Mrs. Starch is the meanest teacher at Nick's high school. When she goes missing no one really misses her, but she left in extremely mysterious circumstances. Because of this, Nick and his friend Marta can't help but try to find their teacher, but will their decision pay off or will they pay a price instead?

Nick's class goes on a field trip to the Everglades and a wildfire breaks out. When Mrs. Starch the strict biology teacher mysteriously disappears in suspicious circumstances during the fire, Nick and Marta decide to look for her. Their search leads them through the Everglades, new friendships, and a few close encounters with the elusive Florida Panther.

This book is truly outstanding and probably one of the best I have ever read. I think the setting and the plot makes this book so special. Hiaasen always gives a vivid picture of where his characters are. Also, the plot is impossible to predict.

I would suggest Scat to anyone. It teaches an important lesson on respecting the environment. Also, Carl Hiaasen really knows how to write a great book.
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