BOOK RATIONALE
Hoot, Carl Hiassen, 2002
Intended audience
The novel Hoot tells the story of new kid Roy Eberhardt and his struggles to adjust to his new home of Coconut Grove, Florida. As he tries to do this, he goes on a crazy journey with two other kids, as they try to protect burrowing owls and their habitat from the construction of a pancake house.
Hoot is a novel that is appropriate for readers who are 9 and older. Even though the book is meant for a younger audience, it still contains themes and techniques that people will see in other books intended for older viewers.
Plot summary
Roy Eberhardt has recently moved from Montana and now goes to Trace Middle School in Coconut Grove, Florida. His family moves often and this is stressful for Roy. Since he is the new kid, he is picked on by the school bully, a boy named Dana Matherson. Dana is one of the main antagonists of Roy, as he spends most of his time hurting Roy. Eventually, Roy stands up to Dana’s tyranny and one day while being squeezed by Dana on the school bus, he sees a peculiar boy around his age running through yards with no shoes on. …show more content…
Unfortunately as he does this, he hits Dana in his nose and pushes a girl named Beatrice Leep out of the way. Roy gets sent to the vice principal’s office and she suspends Roy from the bus for two weeks and tells Roy to write an apology letter to Dana. Roy is curious to find out who the mysterious boy is and is relieved that he has more time to do this since he won’t be seeing Dana for a while. Roy finds out that the running boy is Beatrice’s step-brother and that his so called name is Mullet Fingers. Roy also learns that Mullet Fingers is nomadic and doesn’t have a home since his mother didn’t want him and decided to disown