FROM OUR EDITORS

On Father's Day, Noah visits his dad at the local jail. Dad is a feisty environmentalist with a short fuse. Convinced that the Coral Queen was dumping raw sewage into the harbor, he decided to take matters in his own hands. He sank the floating casino (at least temporarily), but ended up in the hoosegow. Noah knows that his dad was right about the sewage, even if his corrective method was a little over the top. To clean the slate and the harbor, he drafts a motley crew of friends to get the goods on the illegal dumpers.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

You know it's going to be a rough summer when you spend Father's Day visiting your dad in the local lockup.

Noah's dad is sure that the owner of the Coral Queen casino boat is flushing raw sewage into the harbor -- which has made taking a dip at the local beach like swimming in a toilet. He can't prove it though, and so he decides that sinking the boat will make an effective statement. Right. The boat is pumped out and back in business within days and Noah's dad is stuck in the clink.

Now Noah is determined to succeed where his dad failed. He will prove that the Coral Queen is dumping illegally...somehow. His allies may not add up to much -- his sister Abbey, an unreformed childhood biter; Lice Peeking, a greedy sot with poor hygiene; Shelly, a bartender and a woman scorned; and a mysterious pirate -- but Noah's got a plan to flush this crook out into the open. A plan that should sink the crooked little casino, once and for all.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

How does Hiaasen follow up his page-turning novel about saving owls in Florida (Hoot)? With a second fast-paced story featuring an environmental theme-this time about ocean pollutants harming turtles' habitats (and the surroundings in general) in the Florida Keys. Welch (TV's Joan of Arcadia) has a compelling, snappy delivery suited to 11-year-old Noah's personality; he's a clever kid who wants to set things right, even when it pits him against shady characters and the local bully. Noah is exasperated over his father's arrest for sinking a casino boat that the man believes is flushing sewage into the ocean. The boy also knows that proving his dad's suspicions could go a long way toward healing his strained family and saving the ocean. Welch handily captures Noah's moods, though not even he can make eccentrics such as Lice Peeking and his burly bartending girlfriend Shelly likable at the outset (they grow on listeners, however). Those who couldn't get enough of Hiaasen's last outing will find plenty to hoot about in this solid recording. Ages 10-up. (Sept.) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Children's Literature - Heidi Hauser Green

On Father's Day, Noah Underwood visits his father in prison. Angry that the Coral Queen, a floating casino, has been dumping its bilge into the water of the Florida Keys, Mr. Underwood sought a vigilante's justice: he sank the boat. The situation is a tough one. Authorities have found no evidence of the dumping. Noah knows that, somehow, he must find that evidence if he is to secure his father's release and save his parents' marriage. Dogged by schoolmate Jasper Jr., son of the casino owner, Noah and his younger sister Abbey begin to investigate. They hatch a plan. It's crazy, to be sure, but it is also wonderfully beautiful in its simplicity. And it just might be crazy enough--and simple enough--to work. Carl Hiassen's latest environmental mystery is a fabulous, amusing tale full of off-beat characters which may be even better than his thrilling Newbery Honor Book, Hoot. Noah is a gem of a character: earnest, truth-seeking, amusing, and very real. 2005, Borzoi/Alfred A. Knopf, Ages 12 up.

KLIATT - Paula Rohrlick

Another wild eco-comedy set in Florida from the author of the Newbery Honor Book Hoot; Hiaasen is also a columnist for the Miami Herald and the author of many best-selling novels for adults. Our hero here is young, intrepid Noah, whose well-intentioned but impulsive father gets into trouble when he sinks a casino boat that has been flushing its sewage tank directly into the ocean. To help his father, Noah sets out to prove the boat and its sleazy owner are doing wrong and to stop the pollution. With the assistance of Shelly, a flamboyant former bartender on the boat, and his little sister, a ferocious biter, Noah hatches "Operation Royal Flush," a dangerous plan to bring down the bad guys. A wild cast of over-the-top characters and snappy dialog enliven the action. Sure to be a winner, both of awards and with YAs looking for an adventure with heart and with laughs; the underlying message about saving the environment comes across loud and clear, too. KLIATT Codes: JS*—Exceptional book, recommended for junior and senior high school students. 2005, Random House, Knopf, 272p., and (Lib. bdg: ). Ages 12 to 18.

School Library Journal

Gr 5 Up-In Flush (Knopf, 2005), Carl Hiaasen's ecological concerns focus on illegal dumping of raw sewage from a floating casino. Noah Underwood's dad has sunk the gambling ship, the Coal Queen, in protest. Now the elder Underwood is launching a media campaign from his jail cell to raise public awareness since the sewage-spewing ship will soon be back in operation. Though Noah and his younger sister Abbey believe in their father's cause, they also fear their mother will file for divorce if he continues to react so outrageously to environmental issues. After a few false starts and run-ins with the casino owner's son and the ship's hired goon, the siblings come up with a plan to use food coloring to expose the hazardous dumping. Working with Shelly, the casino's bartender, and aided by a mysterious white-haired man, Noah and Abbey set their trap, but end up adrift off the Florida Keys. Rescue and an unexpected family reunion make their successful exposure of the corrupt casino owner even sweeter. It takes a few more plot twists before the Coral Queen is closed forever, and by then Noah's parents have learned better ways to manage their marital problems. Michael Welch's narration neatly balances the protagonist's earnest youthfulness with the story's humor. In the manner of Hoot (Knopf, 2002), Hiaasen's award-winning first foray into young adult novels, Flush deals with serious ecological and personal issues. With good insight into real world relationships plus a mix of solid citizens and offbeat good guys, this audiobook has broad appeal and will be valued in middle school, high school, and public libraries.-Barbara Wysocki, Cora J. Belden Library, Rocky Hill, CT Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews