A.R. Book Level: 5.2
A.R. Points: 9.0
Pages: 290
I LOVE Carl Hiaasen's books for kids, and for me, CHOMP is truly the most entertaining and has the most danger and suspense. It's definitely for older elementary readers and middle schoolers, though. With a perfect mix of likable characters, laugh-out-loud humor (yes, I do laugh out loud, and yes, it does creep people out), and life-or-death drama, Hiaasen tells the story of Wahoo Cray, a Florida teen who tags along when his father, a feisty swamp animal wrangler, is hired to work on the filming of a "reality" survival show in the Florida Everglades. Wahoo is shocked when the star of the show turns out to be an egotistical, whiny wimp who couldn't survive sleeping in a tent, but things get pretty REAL on this fake reality show when that star goes missing in the swamp. This book is not a follow-up to the author's other novels and can be read on its own. Readers who can tolerate a little violence and a bit of salty language (that's Hiaasen for you) will enjoy this book immensely.