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From School Library Journal
Grade 5-8–Noah and his sister, Abbey, are more understanding of their volatile dad's latest arrest than their mother, who begins talking of divorce. Dad sank the Coral Queen, a casino boat on a Florida Key because, he alleges, its owner, Dusty Muleman, has been illegally dumping raw sewage into the local waters. Soon enough the kids begin trying to gather proof that will vindicate their father and put the casino out of business. The colorful cast includes a drunken lout named Lice who disappears before he can be persuaded to testify against Dusty, his former boss. His rough-around-the-edges girlfriend, Shelly, comes through, though, helping the siblings dump dye in the boat's holding tanks, which finally brings the matter to court. Dusty's son, Jasper, is a chip off the old block, threatening and beating Noah on several occasions until he and, later, Abbey are rescued by a mysterious stranger who turns out to be their grandfather, long ago thought to have died in South America, probably while involved in drug smuggling. As the tale ends, he's back to Colombia to settle old scores. The plot would practically disappear if any one of the major characters had a cell phone, but the environmental story is front and center and readers will be hooked as the good guys try to do the right thing. This quick-reading, fun, family adventure harkens back to the Hardy Boys in its simplicity and quirky characters.–Joel Shoemaker, Southeast Junior High School, Iowa City, IA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
From Booklist
Gr. 5-8. Hiaasen's second novel exhibits some of the same elements found in his 2003 Newbery Honor Book: Florida local color, oddball adults (buxom and brawny), and a delightful quirkiness.But the sparkle that catapulted Hootinto the limelight isn't quite as brilliant here. Even so, there's plenty to like in this yarn, which, once again, drops an environmental issue into the lap of a kid. Righteous indignation, usually resulting from some sabotage of Florida's natural resources, has gotten Noah Underwood's dad in trouble before. This time, however, Dad's gone too far: he sunk a floating casino. Why? Its owner is dumping human waste in the water. Unfortunately, Dad can't prove it, and that's where Noah and his younger sister, Abbey, come in. The amateur sleuthing puts the sibs into some mildly suspenseful, occasionally amusing, situations, which, as in the previous book, share space with run-ins with a local bully (Noah takes some lumps but gets sweet revenge). An old-fashioned deus ex machina interrupts an otherwise believable setup, but Hiaasen still succeeds at relating an entertaining story while getting across a serious message about conservation and the results of just plain greed. Stephanie Zvirin
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
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Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Flush,
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This review is from: Flush (Paperback)
This was a great book. My daughter 9 read it as part of a Book Club selection. My son 12 read it because it was lying around. The both loved it.They enjoyed the plot with it`s twists and turns. I must admit that I also read it and loved it. It was an easy read for all of us. Just found out it was written by the same author who wrote Hoot which we saw as a Movie. Great book. I really recommend it for kids, but adults will enjoy it too.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Bathroom Humor, Environmental Activism, Besting the Bullies, and Family Ties,
By Donald Mitchell "Jesus Loves You!" (Thanks for Providing My Reviews over 112,000 Helpful Votes Globally) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER) (#1 HALL OF FAME)
This review is from: Flush (Paperback)
If I hadn't known that Flush was aimed at younger readers, I would have read the book just as happily as an adult reader who enjoys rooting for heroic youngsters who straighten out their elders. The book has the trademark Hiaasen humor, concern about the environment, an ability to turn a plot upside down on a dime, and reverence for what makes youngsters laugh. It's great fun!The main difference between Mr. Hiaasen's "adult" books and this one shows up in his gentle way of describing everything. He's much harsher in the adult books, but I think the gentle style is actually more appealing. As a result, I heartily recommend this book for young readers "of all ages." The book opens with a "glug" as Noah Carmichael visits his dad in the local jail on Father's Day. No, Noah's dad didn't get drunk: He got even by sinking a floating casino that he believes has been dumping its sewage into the water. There's just one little problem: Noah's dad has no proof. His dad has a heart of gold, but he acts a little impulsively sometimes (how about all the time?). As a point of principle, Noah's dad decides to stay in jail. This creates certain tensions in the family as Noah's mom is overhead to mention the "d" word that no youngster wants to hear parents use. Eventually, a fully calmed down dad arrives home . . . and swears off tackling Dusty Muleman and his casino while agreeing to pay damages and take anger management classes. At that point, Noah and his sister Abbey decide that they will have to get to the bottom of the toilet bowl. In the best tradition of Tom Sawyer and Becky Thatcher, the youngsters hatch up and execute a hilarious scheme to catch Dusty "red-handed" with dyed evidence that tracks back to the casino boat. In between the various comings and goings of the heroes and villains, Noah and Abbey find themselves fighting off Dusty's bully son and his henchman. Abbey's sharp teeth are more than a match for the two. When a mysterious stranger shows up, the Carmichaels become invincible. Before the book ends, there's an unexpected adventure that shows just why you need to be prepared for whatever comes you way. The book's ending nicely resolves all the plot conflicts and deals justice as poetically as it should be dealt. You'll be cheering after many close calls where the authorities seem to be siding with the wrong people.
5.0 out of 5 stars
A FUN READ WITH A SERIOUS MESSAGE! GREAT JOB!,
By Betty L. Dravis "BETTY DRAVIS, author/reviewer" (Silicon Valley, CA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)
This review is from: Flush (Hardcover)
I love to read (and to write) children's books. I think they're much more creative and original than adult books, and FLUSH is no exception. What an imagination this talented author has. I especially like his kooky characters, their sassy dialogue, and that Hiaasen tackles a serious issue like the environment in a clever way that teaches children without preaching ... and makes them laugh all along the way. I may be going about this backwards, but I read FLUSH first; now I'm going back to read HOOT! After reading FLUSH, there's nothing else I can do but read HOOT. I'm hooked on Hiaasen. Fantastic! Reviewer: Betty Dravis, author of The Toonies Invade Silicon Valley
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