Dear Mr. Hiaasen,

When I first read your book, Hoot, I didn’t get it; it confused me.  It made me think critically – Why would some kid work so hard just to save a few owls?

Isn’t that just like, I don’t know … a little, unrealistic?

But then I read Hoot again. And I got it, I understood it, I realized that this book wasn’t *just* a book about some kids saving some owls. It was about courage, strength, standing up for what you believe in.  Working together to meet goals….

I have mixed feelings about Hoot. On one hand, I feel it was good to stand up for the owls, the way Roy, Beatrice and Mullet Fingers did. But then again, the pessimistic side of me wonders if anyone would go so far just to save a few owls.

I mean, building a pancake house doesn’t seem like a serious crime. But when you get deeper into the matter, it’s actually a very big deal. Not to us, but to the animals that first lived there.

Your book showed me that you have to think about others, even if they’re owls, or ten times smaller than you. It showed me that our natural actions – like throwing away a piece of trash that could be recycled – are actually kind of self-centered, and could hurt an animal or the environment somehow.

Hoot showed me that there is actually a very good reason for all those animal protection laws, like the Endangered Species Act. It made me think more about saving the environment, and how important it is to take care of it.

Writing this letter has made me feel much more enthusiastic about Hoot so I might as well just say, thank you for writing this really great book!

Sincerely,

Flora Kielland

7th grade
Randy Smith Middle School, Fairbanks, Alaska
Teacher:  Jessica Westfall