Scat [Englisch] [Taschenbuch]

Don't miss this book!

I admire Carl Hiaasen's messages, story-telling ability, and writing skill as expressed in Scat. While the story is slightly gentler than what an adult version might read like, Scat doesn't talk down to younger readers. Instead, Mr. Hiaasen assumes that all his readers are caring, concerned, idealistic, and dedicated to doing the right thing. We need more books like this one.

In weaving his tale, Mr. Hiaasen shares a point of view that what seems to separate us is less important than what should draw us together: Selfish, inappropriate desires drive us apart and everything else is good glue. The book is populated by selfish people (both present and not present, but referred to) and people who find that their concern for others (including all the animals) is greater than their concern for their immediate comfort.

If you aren't in favor of protecting endangered species when you start Scat, you may well become one after reading this story. In addition, you'll realize that you can play a role in helping: You just have to reach out to find and do something useful.

Teachers will love the way that Scat shows that teachers can be better and worse than their students and administrators. Students may learn not to judge teachers too quickly by their appearances and mannerisms in the classroom. I didn't learn that lesson until I was almost 16 when I had a teacher who was terrific to and for me, but whose quirks made her a source of humor for many of my classmates. I honor to this day what Mrs. Verna L. Reynolds did for me. In some ways, she could have served as a prototype for Mrs. Starch (don't you love that name?) in the book. I wish I could share this book with her, but she's passed on to a better place.

I also think that this book could be a big blessing to families where a member has served in the military and the results of that service weren't always what were hoped for.

The book also has a lot of the trademark Hiaasen humor. There are two scenes involving Smoke and Mrs. Starch that cracked me up causing gales of laughter to erupt.

As the book opens, there's a tense scene in biology class as Mrs. Starch tries unsuccessfully to find a student who has read the assignment and is willing to answer a question. When she chooses the grumpy Smoke, it gets rougher for everyone. How could a teacher humiliate a student like Mrs. Starch did to Smoke? That scene is followed by the mysterious disappearance of Mrs. Starch at the end of a biology field trip cut short by a wildfire. Smoke cannot be found either. There's an old saying: Where there's smoke, there's fire. Is that the case here?

The mystery takes all kinds of twists and turns, including the unexpected delivery of a student's inhaler in the middle of the night.

And what did Nick see and hear in the swamp?

Be prepared to learn two meanings of the word, "scat."

Da ist er wieder.
'Wer Hiassen mag, der mag ihn halt, und der mag auch dieses Buch.
Da ich alle Bücher von ihm kenne, würde ich diesen Titel so in etwa bei 7-8 auf der 10er Skala einordnen.
Kaufen!

Ein wunderbarer Roman, der gerne noch viel länger sein dürfte. EIne typische Hiaasen Geschichte, nicht ganz so abgedreht wie in den früheren Büchern - aber ebenso einfaltsreich, komisch wie kritisch und wenn man sich darauf einlässt, auch lehrreich.
Sehr empfehlenswert, besonders wenn man schrägen Gestalten und in ebenso schrägen Geschichten liebt.