Written for primary school kids, Carl Hiaasen's Hoot is a charming tale of friendship, sacrifice, and reward. After moving to Florida, Roy struggles to adapt, especially in school. He's bullied by a kid named Dana. During one of these incidents, Roy catches site of a strange looking boy. Next time he sees the kid, Roy follows him and is warned away by Beatrice, who says the boy is her step-brother and that he's hiding from the authorities for fear of being sent to a county correctional facility. Roy and Mullet Fingers -- the step-brother -- quickly become allies. Roy saves his new friend after a dog bite becomes infected, placing his own name on the register instead of Mullet Fingers.' The climax of the book surrounds a projected construction of a pancake house on the property where Mullet Fingers hides, threatening the habitat of some burrowing owls. Following Mullet Fingers' self-deprecating plea for justice at the construction site, the entire school shows up to support his protest, and the owls are saved.
This adventure has some bumps along the way, but Roy finds a renewed vigor through his various mishaps. After the move, he had lost his enthusiasm because everything was different in Florida. He had lost his friends. In meeting Mullet Fingers and Beatrice, Roy discovered not only companionship but unity under a cause which surpasses each of their own needs -- saving the owls. Faced with pressing challenges, the kids form a crucial bond, and Roy learns that some values remain the same wherever one lives.
Bullying is a concern throughout this book. Which characters speak to one another and which do not carries a lot of weight in Hiaasen's narration. In Roy's case, he's a victim but not a servant. He preserves his dignity by never returning hatred with hatred. He's concerned with purpose, seeking direction and a cause to rally behind. Dana's bullying doesn't threaten Roy after he meets Mullet Fingers because he realizes that relationships and the preservation of life surpass temporary suffering.
