Hoot

Hoot by Carl Hiaasen 


Plot: Roy Eberhardt relocates from Florida to Montana and experiences the typical things a new kid has to go through: making friends bullying, missing home. However, the day Roy spots a barefoot kid running past his bus stop, Roy's life takes an interesting turn. He decides to find the boy, nicknamed Mullet Fingers, and befriends him. Roy and Mullet Fingers join forces (in a way) to help save some local burrowing owls from a pancake restaurant chain. Somehow along the way, alligators end up in port-a-potties and a bully ends up naked and tied to a flagpole. But what about the owls? The pancake restaurant is huge, and appears to be moving forward despite the burrowing owls living on the land and being protected. Can Roy and Mullet Fingers beat the pancake house and save the owls? Maybe. But not without massive shenanigans along the way.

Review:

This is a funny adventure tale of a young boy taking on the establishment with the help of some interesting and unexpected friends. The book is super engaging, and is appropriate for younger tweens wanting to read-up. Tweens will immediately like Roy, relating to his struggles with having to move and deal with bullying. Roy outsmarts his bully in the end, and his tale of triumph is one that tweens of all ages will enjoy. 


Reading Level: 11 and up


Similar Titles: Flush, Holes


Character Descriptions:

Roy Eberhardt: The new kid in school who takes up the mission of helping Mullet Fingers save the burrowing owls.

Beatrice Leep: She's big, she plays soccer, and eventually she befriends Roy. But it wasn't easy. She also happens to be related to Mullet Fingers.

Officer Delinko: The police officer, who is trying to become a detective, that bumbled the pancake site investigation initially and became obsessed with solving it.

Curly: The supervisor of the pancake site, always trying to break ground and get started.

Mullet Fingers: The running, shoeless boy devoting his life to avoiding his mother and saving the burrowing owls.

Dana Matherson:The school bully with a penchant for torturing Roy on the bus.

Personal Thoughts:  


I am a huge fan of Hiaasen's adult fiction, so I was really excited to have an excuse to read is YA novels. Hiaasen even integrates some familiar characters and scenes from his other books into his younger novels. They are very characteristic of Hiaasen, with many plot lines coming together to create a hilarious, masterfully crafted tale that is of course set in Florida.

The Tween Wears Prada

 

The Kiddie Couturiers

Citation: Wilson, E. (2011). The Kiddie Couturiers. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/24/fashion/24KIDDIES.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&sq=tween&st=cse&scp=3

Reflection:

The article begins by chronicling the reaction to a 'spoof' article about a tween fashion designer. The problem? The spoof didn't exactly work. People responded wanting more information and praising the tween designer, not getting the joke. However, the article continues by discussing actual, live tween designers (such as Cecilia Cassini pictured above). There are tweens, such as Cecilia, obsessed with and designing fashion at their young age. The article takes a somewhat negative stance against the tween couturier movement, presenting arguments that tweens lack the history, culture, and craft of older designers. Also, by being a fashion designer, tweens are being exposed to public scrutiny at a young age.

While I definitely see the merit of the argument regarding public scrutiny, I think the same argument would then apply to young actors and writers. If one views fashion as an art form, should we really be hesitant to let young children experiment with their dreams? Should we tell young writers that they should wait until they're older to write? I think we have to walk a fine line here. It is ultimately up to the parents to prepare public tweens for the scrutiny and to decide if it is right for their child. And while I personally am not sure what decision I would make, I think we as a public have to decide how to react and what our reaction means to the up and coming artists, inventors, and dreamers. Does talent have an age limit?  

Resources:

Cecilia Cassini's site:

http://www.ceciliacassini.com/

Tween GPS

GPS Tracking Services and Your Teen

Citation: (2011). GPS Tracking Services and your Teen. Retrieved from
http://www.parentdish.com/2011/02/02/gps-tracking-services-and-your-teen/

Reflection:

Social networking technology has reached a new level by integrating GPS tracking services. Many people are familiar with Facebook places, foursquare, and gowalla. This article debates teens using these services that give away their actual physical location for safety reasons. A simple check-in could lead to big trouble.

What I thought was the most interesting about this article for me is that though I even use these technologies, and I am aware that young tweens and teens do so as well, I never really thought of what a problem this could be. Probably because I'm an adult, I don't have tween children, and I understand the importance of having privacy settings on my profiles. But may young tweens might not have the foresight to have appropriate levels of security, and even if they do, children posting there exact location is never a good idea. A predator would then have your picture, name, and location... all making their job much easier.

I think it is important for adults to understand these technologies so that we can better understand what is actually happening and how to protect our youth. I remember hearing 'foursquare' a while back and thinking nothing of it; I didn't know what it was. I can easily imagine a parent thinking something similar as their child pulls out their phones and checks in. Information is power, and I think it might be helpful for a middle school librarian to integrate safety about these web 2.0 tools into some discussions. In the era of findability, we're all going to have to work together to keep tweens and teens safe. I bet Mrs. Cleaver didn't have to worry about this...

Resources:

Google Family Safety Center:
http://www.google.com/familysafety/

NetSmart for tweens:
http://www.nsteens.org/

To Dye or Not To Dye

Bold Hair Hues Lead to Suspension for 6th-Grader

Citation: Sammons, Mary. (2011). Bold Hair Hues Lead to Suspension for 6th Grader. Retrieved from
http://www.parentdish.com/2011/02/16/bold-hair-hues-lead-to-suspension-for-sixth-grader/

Reflection:

This article describes a young 6th grade girl who was suspended from school for having blonde and red streaks in her hair. Seriously. I did NOT just make that up. Click the URL above if you don't believe me. Do it... I'll wait.

On one hand, I understand the need for a dress code and a code of conduct in a school. It is important for safety, privacy, liability, etc. Apparently the hair dye conflicted with the student code, which states that students cannot dye their hair. But the girl streaked her hair with NATURALLY OCCURRING colors. She didn't dye her hair sea monster green, something which might actually distract fellow students. The girls mom actually paid to have it professionally done.

So she was suspended, because the principal can't have an outbreak of dyed hair. Watch out now, kids might get ideas and start expressing themselves. I mean, what if I am born a brunette, but I think I am actually a blonde? I can be suspended for righting that wrong? (This is hypothetical, of course). I suppose you can wait until you graduate, but I just thought we would have evolved as a society to the point where a girl could highlight her hair without being suspended.

Again, the tween age is a tricky one. Some girls may be wanting to highlight their hair, while others still don't even care about their hair. I think there should be some reasonable flexibility, where tweens can express their individuality within the confines of appropriate school rules. I can understand not dying your hair blue (maybe). But methinks this school may be a little on the strict (read: draconian) side.

Bathroom Doors: Right or Privilege?

Was Principal Right To Remove Bathroom Doors?

http://www.tweentribune.com/content/was-principal-right-remove-bathroom-doors

Citation: (2011). Was Principal Right to Remove Bathroom Doors?. Retrieved from http://www.tweentribune.com/content/was-principal-right-remove-bathroom-doors

Reflection:

I felt compelled to respond when I happened upon this article for a variety of reasons. First, this article really illustrates some of the issues that one deals with when dealing with tweens. The age gap between tweens is enormous. Some are vandalizing school property, while I've met tweens who wouldn't even understand what graffiti is. Obviously disciplining this age group effectively can be a rough task, same as instructing them can be.

While destruction of public property is serious and should be stopped, my initial reaction was against the action this principal chose. Especially at such a vulnerable age, removing privacy in the bathroom of all locations is risky and insensitive. While I must admit the punishment was effective, I can't help but wonder if there couldn't have been a different way to maintain privacy, dignity, and understanding and yet still deter vandalism. Not all tweens were destroying the bathroom, yet all tweens had to go to school and possibly use that restroom without doors.

I suppose my reaction is biased; I remember clearly being a middle school girl and what that would have felt like to me. Also, somewhere inside I disagree with punishing everyone for the acts of a few. I think when dealing with children, and especially this age, we have to be mindful of the changes they are going through, their needs, and the potential risks of doing something as extreme as removing the doors in a public restroom. The article cites many parents being upset, and even claiming the punishment may be unconstitutional. I have to say, I probably would've faked sick that week were I a tween.

Tiger Moms

Who Benefits From The ‘Battle’ Over Tiger Mothers?

http://www.ypulse.com/guest-post-who-benefits-from-the-battle-over-tiger-mothers

Citation: (2011). Who Benefits From The 'Battle' Over Tiger Mothers?. Retrieved from http://www.ypulse.com/guest-post-who-benefits-from-the-battle-over-tiger-mothers

Reflection:

When I first read a similar article about the book Battle Hymm of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua on Yahoo!, I couldn't really see how this would apply to 'tweens', though I was immediately inrigued and had a very visceral reaction to the article. When I saw a guest post on this book on Ypulse specifically applying it to tweens, I jumped at the opportunity to reflect a little more on the article and how it applies to today's tweens.

First, whether you agree with her or not, Chua has put forth some interesting parenting advice in her new book. It is now a spoken part of our culture, and that makes it worth discussing. In Chua's book she claims that her children were required to play an instrument, were forced to practice for hours, never praised, and even insulted. The article takes a negative stance towards Chua and her draconian parenting rules (such as no sleepovers or playdates -- ever). The author of the Ypulse article refutes Chua's claim that Chinese mothers do it best, because Chua's children are not even grown as of yet. Also, Chua relies mainly on stereotypes and attacks many common western parenting practices in her books.

Aside from the book, the article, and my own distaste for everything Chua has had to say about parenting thus far, I think it is important to take note of her. There are tweens being raised in this way, and I am hoping to some day serve tweens. Like it or not, I'd like to be open to tweens of all types, and having a better understanding of where a tween may be coming from is always important. So while I personally disagree with Chua, some tweens will have these 'Tiger Moms'. It is important to be culturally aware of what is going on with tweens if we want to support them properly, remaining objective in the library.

But at home, I can comfortably say that I think Chua is insane. The 'Little White Donkey' incident made me a little sick to my stomach. And aside from understanding from what tweens may be going through on the parenting front, this article helps me better understand how I can support them at school. It reminds me of what I believe, and how I personally want to treat children: with understanding, compassion, flexibility, honesty, and truth.

Resources:
 
Tiger Moms: Is Tough Parenting Really the Answer?

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2043313,00.html

Flinching From the Tiger Mom

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/thinking-about-kids/201101/flinching-the-tiger-mom

Tiger Mothers: Raising Children the Chinese Way

http://www.npr.org/2011/01/11/132833376/tiger-mothers-raising-children-the-chinese-way

Update

I'm totally aware that I sucked hard in February. Also, my professional reading log is pretty much non-existent. I plan to take some Charlie Sheen this month and start WINNING.

In the meantime, please enjoy this appropriate picture: