Hoot

Rating:
Summary: Hoot
Review: He would not have noticed that the boy was faster then his track-star friend from Montana, nor would the new kid have noticed that the boy was running barefoot or that he wasn't getting on the bus to go to school even though he was undoubtedly of age. If it wasn't for Dana Matherson, he would never have noticed the strange boy at all. But as fate would have it, Dana Matherson chose to migrate to the middle of the bus on that particular morning so as to pick on him. So he did see the strange barefoot running boy. And he did stare after him long after the boy disappeared onto the golf course, neglecting the pain as Dana Matherson attempted to smash his face against the bus window.
Roy Eberhardt was the new kid. Five feet tall, small frame, seemingly shy type of boy. He never made any real attempts to make friends, nor did he pity himself sitting at the end of the lunch table by himself. He was the new kid, he'd been the new kid six times before, and he prided himself in being an expert at being the new kid.
Nobody at Trace Middle School expected much out of the new kid, especially not for him to punch the most feared bully, or to make friends with Beatrice the Bear, the incredibly built, female soccer jock. Both things sprouted from the day, the second time, Roy spotted the strange running boy. There was something about the boy that struck a deep curiosity in Roy, a curiosity that was never quite satisfied. But on that morning, he chose to try to quench that curiosity by running off the bus and chasing after the strange running boy. Only two things got in his way; Dana Matherson, the bully, and Beatrice the Bear, the soccer jock, both of which he disregarded with a forceful punch to the face, and a determined shove, respectively.
From there Roy began skimming the edge of the running boy's world, the patience of Dana Matherson, and the law. He quickly learned the reason for Beatrice's protectiveness over the running boy. The boy had no name, he went by Mullet Fingers, and he had no home, he ran-away from the military school his unloving mother shipped him off to, but he did have his stepsister, and his mission. His stepsister was none other than Beatrice the Bear. His mission was to save the owls, the delicate, innocent burrowing owls, from being smothered under Mother Paula and her pancake house. From their Roy learned of the boy's scheme to save the owls, and the difference you can make when you follow your heart.
Hoot is one of those rare books that strike you as totally fictitious, but at the same time completely feasible. Even though the language may prove to be slightly juvenile for some, the style in which Hoot portrays its' messages - to follow your heart, stand up for yourself and never give up even when the odds are against you - are memorable. When the average person would never attempt to submerge live, four foot alligators in a port-a-potty single-handedly or tape the mouth's shut on nine highly venomous cotton-mouth snakes to save a couple of owls, Mullet Fingers did. Hoot is a miraculously story of a runaway with a mission and a heart; one frail, homeless boy against a large coalition of wealthy, middle-aged men. While his tactics prove to be extreme and illegal, Mullet Finger's determination, even through a high fever and a severe dog-wound, is nothing less than enticing. Hoot is a brilliant novel for those of us out there who often forget the impact one person, no matter how rich, poor, big, or small, can have when you put your heart into it, and give it your all.


Rating:
Summary: Hoot is a fun book about a boy's experiences in a new place.
Review: I generally am not one to be coaxed or fall prey to child or young adult comedy, only upon the supposition that they are not funny. I mean not to offend anyone, but children's comedies are just tedious.

Hoot is not.

In hoot, the drive of the story is not the actual story, but the characters and the narratives. Hoot flaunts a story of minimal interests, but uses that as a fulcrum to launch a circus of cheap but funny jokes. Having read Hoot, you will not be rolling on the floor with laughter, but instead basking in their ironic glow. Hoot is not a fantastic piece of literature, but a darn fun book to read.

The course of the book is not slow and "pointless", as I have heard, but fast, funny, flashy, and f-f-f- oh, whatever. Read Hoot because you're tired of serious books, not because you're prospecting for influential, lyrical, proseful books. Hoot meets neither of the requirements, but is still a genuinely good read.

The book is entirely appropriate and within comprehensive context, and should(or could) be read by anyone within the general ages of 11-18.

So give a cheer, and read hoot!

Rating:
Summary: Funny, Hilarious, laugh-out-load, strange book about a kid..
Review: What a great way to introduce your child to the world of non-absolute ethics. When are the laws to be followed, and when do we listen to our hearts to know what to do? Hiassen brings his love for all things Florida and his off-beat characters into a perfectly acceptable and palatable young person's format.

Bravo!