BOOK TITLE: Chomp
AUTHOR: Carl Hiaasen
YEAR: 2012
GENRE: Fiction
SUBGENRE: Environmental Thriller
GRADE: Pass
Mickey Cray and his son Wahoo are professional animal
wranglers who need to scrape up as much money as they can to avoid foreclosure.
Their opportunity at financial salvation comes in the form of Derek Badger, a
reality TV survivalist who wants to use the Cray family’s reptiles as creative
fuel for his show. When the egotistical Derek wants more convincing footage,
he, the TV crew, and the Crays venture out into the Everglades ,
where the animals are wilder and more likely to bite something off. Tagging
along on this adventure is Tuna Gordon, a black-eyed girl who wants to get away
from her father’s abuse. In typical Hiaasen fashion, controlled chaos is the
name of the game. Nobody is safe from Mother Nature’s harsh judgment,
especially not the phony Derek Badger.
Yes, this is yet another Carl Hiaasen novel I’m reviewing,
but Chomp is different from the others I’ve read due to its young adult audience.
The swearing is minimal, the violence is slightly toned down, and most
importantly, the content is educational enough to be taught in high school or
college. Tuna Gordon has an encyclopedic knowledge of taxonomy, or
scientifically naming organisms. Mickey Cray and his son Wahoo bring enough
common sense to their jobs that Mother Nature looks down on them favorably.
Julie Cray, Wahoo’s lawyer sister, knows enough about Florida law that she can gain leverage
against any corrupt TV official. Kids have to know all of these things if they
want to live in a cooperative and peaceful environment. The educational value
of this book is priceless: be good to Mother Nature and Mother Nature will be
good to you.
Another thing I enjoyed about this book was the budding
relationship between Wahoo and Tuna. It could never be accused of instant love.
In fact, they constantly deny that they’re in a serious relationship. But the
things they do for each other are very much worthy of true friendship. They
give each other clothing during the harsh weather. They give each other comfort
when the subject of Jared Gordon (Tuna’s father) is brought up. Tuna even has a
miracle drug in her tote bag for Mickey Cray’s headaches, which he got from
having a frozen iguana fall on his dome. As a reader, you want Wahoo and Tuna
(who both have fishy names) to thrive as friends and get through their roughest
times together. You also want them to have as many cute moments as possible.
You’ll get everything you wanted and more within the confines of this book.
The last thing I’ll comment on is how convincing of a
villain Jared Gordon is. You won’t see him for a long time in the story, but
when he pops up, you know there’s going to be trouble. He’s constantly drunk,
controlling to everyone he’s around, and he’s also carrying a loaded pistol
with extra bullets. Giving Tuna a black eye is bad enough, but when he takes
over this story, you’d better take him seriously. Throughout his time in the
story, I kept wanting Jared to get his butt kicked in the worst way. He was so
evil and disgusting that nobody would have missed him if he suddenly vanished
off the face of the earth. If he was a professional wrestler, he would be the
quintessential definition of a heel. You want him to get his comeuppance? Wait a
while.
With a fast pace, ridiculous characters, and environmental
know-how, Chomp definitely earned its passing grade, much like any other Carl
Hiaasen book. He has easily become one of my favorite authors, so much so that
I refer to him as my “go-to” option whenever I need a pick-me-up. Chomp in
particular should be required reading in high school or college. Not only would
it give the students a break from slow-paced literary claptrap, it would also
fulfill their educational needs and instill common sense. Having common sense
is really the highest education there is. Some people have it, others need it
desperately. What do you say, teachers and principals? Will you take me up on
my offer? I’m sure Mr. Hiaasen would appreciate that very much!
