Scat by Carl Hiaasen

Scat by Carl Hiaasen. Pub. Orion Children’s Books, 2009.

This is a classic Carl Hiaasen novel, it is about conservation, it is set in Florida, it is very funny and it has range of weird and wonderful characters. But most importantly it has  a plot that is ingenious.

Louis Sachar set the benchmark for brilliant inter-related plots in his novel Holes and Hiaasen has perfected the model in his novels. This one is a couple of years old now but I have just read it now, very quickly I might add, as the flow of the novel drags you easily along.

Nick Marta and Duane Crod Jnr are in Miss Bunny Starch’s class for biology. She is a tough cookie, no room for levity in her class. On a field trip to Black Vine swamp Bunny Starch goes missing. Why?

Drake McBride is a corrupt oil prospector who wants to drill for oil in the Florida Everglades without care or concern for the environment. Nick, Marta and Bunny want to stop him. Duane gets caught up in it all because he is a bad boy but not without redemptive qualities.

Caught in the middle is a Black Florida panther with a kitten. Plus a whole host of characters who provide interesting sub plots arounfd the main theme of eco-adventure and enviromental concern.

Excellent novel for High school and Intermediate school age students. Very witty indeed. Read Carl Hiaasen’s other books particularly Hoot. They are great. Eco-thriller.