Hoot, by Carl Hiaasen

A favorite since its 2002 debut, Hoot remains a laugh-out-loud story about Roy Eberhardt’s attempts to avoid bullies and find some excitement in his new hometown. When Roy repeatedly witnesses a strange boy running barefoot and at full speed through the neighborhood near his middle school, Coconut Grove, Florida suddenly seems a lot more interesting… and strange. Featuring port-a-potty vandals, several burrowing owls, a couple of bullies, one oily black hair, and Roy’s dry humor, this part-comedy, part-mystery is a novel unlike any other.

Hiaasen, C. (2002). Hoot. Alfred A. Knopf: New York, NY.