Hoot

Chapter Book: Realistic Fiction/ Newberry Honor Medalist

Hiaasen, C. (2002). Hoot. New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf.

Awards:

• A Newberry Honor Book
• SEBA Award for Best Children's Book
• An ABC Children's Booksellers choice
• An ALA Notable Book
• A YALSA Best Book for Young Adults
• A Bank Street College of Education Best Book of the Year
• A New York Times Bestseller
• A Book Sense Bestseller

The book, Hoot is a hilariously written story about middle school students standing up for what they believe in.  Hoot, written by Carl Hiaasen, was a book I once loved as an elementary student.  The book takes place in Florida where a new middle school student, Roy, has just found himself due to his parents latest move.  As he navigates his way through the awkward stages of middle school, Roy finds himself in with some interesting characters.  The book also follows a young patrol cop, Office Delinko, who interests himself in surveying a nearby construction site that appears to be the victim of several odd vandalism schemes.  Both characters intertwine and resolve the mystery behind the odd vandalism - owls. This book captures the oddities of being a middle school student with the struggles of standing up for your beliefs, perfectly.

Due to the length and high level vocabulary throughout this book, I would probably only use it in a fifth grade or sixth grade class.  I think it will appeal to these students, primarily because it takes place in a middle school, which these students either just started or will be starting the next year.  The book ends with a huge protest of the upcoming Mother Paula's All-American Pancake House due to several burrowing owls that had nested on the construction site.  According to the book, this specific type of owl was an endangered species and therefore protected under the law.  When business officials and construction workers refused to stop building due to the owls, some of the local middle school students took matters into their own hands.  This call to action, is what I hope to be a kickoff for an "friends of endangered species" lesson.  Students could research endangered species, learn about the environment and why their selected animal has become endangered, and formulate a way to educate the public or those at fault as to why this animal is going extinct and why we should save it. I think this type of unit would compliment the book nicely, showing students that they can make a difference in society, even at a young age.