Review

Chomp

Common Sense Media says

Zany adventure in the Florida Everglades spoofs reality TV.
Age
12
Quality
 
  • Educational value4
    Hiaasen includes facts about the flora and fauna of the Florida Everglades as well as a strong environmental message. Wahoo's dad, Mickey Cray, is an animal handler with a lot of respect for animals. Wahoo's schoolmate, Tuna, is a girl who finds an escape from her abusive father by memorizing the Latin names of animals she discovers.
  • Positive messages4
    Although nontraditional, Wahoo's family is a strong and supportive one, and the bottom line is they all love each other.
  • Positive role models3
    Wahoo and his friend Tuna are the sane ones on the set of a reality show full of crazy adults. Wahoo's level head and smarts keep his father's animal wrangling business going so they can pay the mortgage. He intervenes with clients, since his dad isn't "a people person." Wahoo makes good choices and uses his brains to help his family and save his father and friends. Mickey Cray isn't always a good father, but he consistently works to protect animals of all types.
  • Violence3
    Tuna's father is a mean alcoholic who gives Tuna a black eye and caused her mom to leave, shoots two people, and holds several other hostage. Younger children will be uncomfortable with such a mean dad. A scene from the past is described, in which a younger Wahoo had his thumb bitten while feeding his dad's pet alligator. Derek Badger bites a bat, but the bat is fine and escapes.
  • Sex0
    Not applicable.
  • Language2
    A few instances of crude or strong language: "damn," "jackass," "horse's ass," "sorry-ass" as an adjective, "butt," "butt wart."
  • Consumerism3
    The kids drink a lot of Coke and Mountain Dew as they romp through the Everglades and eat Fruit Roll-Ups for breakfast. Google Earth, TiVo, Facebook, and the iPhone are also mentioned in the context of making the story reflect current tween lives. Chomp is a take-off on reality TV shows and their stars, and Bear Grylls of Man vs. Wild is mentioned. 
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking2
    An adult character is an often-cruel alcoholic. Tuna gives Mickey some prescription "pink pills" to get rid of his headache. They turn out to be a placebo. Wahoo gives bourbon to a python to distract it from eating Mickey's leg.  
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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that Chomp, a funny, sarcastic novel from the author of Hoot, Flush, and Scat, is a perfect story for middle schoolers who are beginning to realize the world isn't perfect. Parents don't always act responsibly, and many other adults are downright unethical, but the kid characters are remarkably levelheaded. Chomp primarily pokes fun at reality TV, while throwing animals and upbeat adventure into the mix. But there is some violence: A main character's abusive alcoholic father gives her a black eye and causes her mom to leave the family, shoots two people, and holds several other hostage. Younger children will be uncomfortable with such a mean dad. There are also scenes of a young kid being bitten by a pet alligator and an adult biting a bat, but the bat escapes unhurt.

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Most useful reviews by all members

Kid, 11 years old
August 2, 2012
11
OK for kids & up
 
Nice Book.
i love carl hiaasen's books. this one was fun, interesting, and enjoyable.
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Helped me decide (12) | Had useful details (9) | Read my mind (8)
Teen, 13 years old
October 11, 2012
10
OK for kids & up
 
Chomp by Carl Hiaasen
This was a hilarious book that i loved. All of it was amazing. In the end the abusive father comes back with a gun but the people work together to make it stop and nobody is seriously hurt.
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Teen, 13 years old
May 14, 2013
10
OK for kids & up
 
Another really good book from Carl Hiaasen
I read this book at age 13, after loving the other Carl Hiaasen books when I was younger. I have learned about science, Florida ecosystems, monkeywrenching, and environmental protection from these books. In Chomp, I could not find an exact age for the main character. There are mentions of romance, but it's not an issue. This book does expose the reality of reality TV: staged, scripted, produced. Violence, drinking, and poverty are prevalent. The two young characters are in peril at times, and people are injured by purposeful gunshots. One girl is abused by her alcoholic father, who drinks during the book. I would say that this book is a go for age 10 and up, but make sure that the reader is aware of poverty and violence in rural areas.
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