Chomp by Carl Hiaasen
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Sep.06, 2012, under Environment, Humorous, Mystery, Sam's Reviews
Who would like this book? Anyone looking for a funny book with an environmental hook will like this book. If you enjoyed Flush, Hoot, or Scat, you will want to read Chomp.
Why? Wahoo Cray’s dad, an animal wrangler in the Everglades, has had a financial meltdown after being hit in the head by a frozen iguana that fell out of a tree. Wahoo’s mom has flown to China to make some money teaching English. Wahoo must care for the multitudes of animals on the Cray wildlife refuge, along with watching over his hard-headed dad. Things take a crazy turn when a reality television show, “Expedition Survival,” calls, seeking an alligator for their star Derek Badger to wrestle. Wahoo and his dad take a job as wranglers for the show, pick up a classmate of Wahoo’s named Tuna (yes, two kids named after fish), and plunge into the Everglades with the so-called survivalist star, Badger. Chomp is a rocking combination of colorful characters, crazy humor, suspenseful mystery, and a good message. It’s over-the-top absurd in places, and Hiaasen is such a good writer that I went for the whole wild ride willingly.
The details: 290 pp. 2012
