Hoot by: Carl Hiassen

 If there are a bunch of owl dens where a pancake house is going to be constructed, but the project will continue.  Well, this is what happens after in the early or mid-2000’s in Coconut, Florida, Roy Eberhardt meets a mysterious, shoeless adolescent nicknamed Mullet Fingers, and finds out about this situation.  Mullet Fingers has escaped society to not get sent to a juvenile detention center again, or not live with his family that he despises.  Now, Roy, Mullet Fingers, and Mullet Finger’s stepsister have to stop this building project and protect Mullet Fingers from being discovered.

            I like Roy Eberhardt because he is a kind adolescent. He knows what is right and what is not.  Also, I like how he is not willing to tell on Mullet Fingers even though he breaks the law, but he is doing what is right for the owls.  Roy does not enjoy Florida, and he wishes that he was back in Montana.  This is the latest place that he has moved, so he does not have many acquaintances at school. 

I would recommend this book for anyone who is 10 to fifteen years of age because all of the main characters are around that age, so the readers can relate to them, and Hoot is not a book that is just a book that is for girls or guys.  If you want to find out if the owls can be rescued and if Mullet Fingers will remain hidden, then you have to read Carl Hiassen’s Hoot.

By:  Sebastian B    

Mrs. Poulton’s 8/9 Language Arts Class

Anything but Typical by Nora Raleigh Baskin

 Life is pretty strange......but for a twelve year old boy who has autism,it's more than strange.....it's unfair.Twelve year old Jason is constantly made fun of because of his strange behavior and actions.On the outside,he looks ike a normal boy, but his strange behavior makes him stand out in any crowd.The only time when Jason can be himself is when he writes.Jason starts to write stories and posts them on an online program called StoryBoard.On Storyboard,you can post your own stories and recieve feedback from other StoryBoard writers.Jason meets PheonixBird online(her real name is Rebecca) and he starts to think of her as a friend.Then Jason discovers that he will be going to the same StoryBoard convention as Rebecca!As much as Jason wants to see her,Jason becomes scared thn that she will only see his autism and won't bother to see who he really is.
          The main character in this book was Jason. Jason's unique thinking and poetic words made him a very interesting character.Jason changed alot throughout this book because in the begginning of the book he was a shy and quiet character who wasn't sure of himself but towards the end,even though he remained quiet most of the time,Jason became more confiident.I would recomend this book to readers who like books that adress topics that have to do with autism or other life changing disorders that many children have.The reason why is that this book is all about life from an autistic boy's point of view.Overall, this was a GGRREAT book and will definitely leave you satisfied.


Smirti N. 
Mrs. Poulton