Flush [Large Print] [Hardcover]

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.

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.

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