AUTHOR: Carl Hiaasen
AGES: 5th – 10 grades
REVIEW: I just finished Flush, and I thought what Hoot did for owl's, Flush will do for dumping...no pun intended. For a summary of the book, Hiaasen's own site gives a pretty good short synopsis (and don't forget to try the game while you're there). I've also embedded a video clip below of Hiaasen talking about Flush. All of the characters in Flush are quite eccentric: from the larger-than-life pirate grandfather to Shelly the bartender with barbed wire tattoo to Abbey, Noah's little sister, that hasn't quite given up on biting. It felt a little like Steel Magnolias for kids. But being from the South myself, I kind of like a little drippy storytelling.
From many of the reviews about Flush, like those listed at Barnes and Nobles' site, you can see the emphasis of this book is on the development of Noah—how he sees the world from a tween's eyes to the everyday life of kid that's been bullied. Noah is an earnest character. Hiaassen has portrayed Noah true to the south and the coasts of Florida. At the Bookworm Burrow blog, Julie says one of the strongest elements in the book is how Noah uses hit wits to infiltrate and expose the waste dumping from the Coral Queen. I would have to agree that seeing Noah's disappointment for his father's untiring morality in unbounded, malicious ways only emphasizes the risky but lawful method Noah uses to bring justice.
But I would also add that possibly the strongest theme in the novel is the use of humor by Hiaasen's characters. This story had the potential to get very morose for a child, given the potential for divorce from Noah's parents and the questionable deaths of Shelly's boyfriend and Noah's Grandfather . But Hiaasen plays it light and lets the characters see the humor in themselves and all of their situations. While he doesn't make light of these serious topics, he allows the characters to recognize their flaws and laugh, which always makes it easier for us as outsiders to laugh as well.
Overall, I thought this book was a little slower than Hoot. It took me a little longer to read it. But I thought the plot was just as poignant and just as enjoyable. I appreciate that Hiaasen has purpose in his writing to children. While he's probably best known for his adult novels, his commitment to bring awareness to children of important causes is admirable and one I'm willing to commit my money and time to as well.
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