I thought this book was fantastic! It would be perfect for middle school students and even upper elementary students. The characters are extremely easy to relate to, and funny. The amount of background information and factual information that Hiaasen throws in is a nice treat for readers. Only after I finished reading did I discover that Skink is a character used in six of Hiaasen’s previous novels.
Challenge: There is a lot of background that students who are not from Florida may not be familiar with. However, the author does a great job describing the context and giving readers background knowledge. For example, he gives background on how turtles lay eggs, the extinction of White billed woodpeckers, how wild hogs were introduced into the US in the 1500s.
Curriculum Connection & Themes: There is a lot of foreshadowing throughout the novel. The weather in the novel is used very systematically and could be used to explicitly teach students the role weather plays in narratives. Also could be used to explore what people hold valuable and how far they will go to protect the environment as well as other human beings.
Lexile: 770L
Controversy: The is no use of foul language, and the suspense scenes are suspenseful, not scary. However, there is violence, but it doesn’t feel as authentic as it feels improbable.
Rating: 4.5-5/5