Chomp: 12/30/14

Chomp by Carl Hiaasen is the latest of his tween environmental stories. Wahoo Cray lives with his parents at an Everglades animal rescue center. While Mom is in China, Wahoo has to help Dad try to run the zoo. Dad hasn't been the same since a bad head injury.

In the midst of all this chaos, the zoo is hired to provide animals and setting for a "reality" survival show. Wahoo and his Dad need the money but they don't want their animals exploited by Derek Badger, the star of this questionable but popular series.

Mixed into this reality TV show mess is a girl named Tuna. She is running fro her abusive, drunk of a father. He won't let her go and he has a gun. No good can come from this situation.

Thematically the book is most like Scat with a little bit of Hoot. But it has pacing issues. Too much time is spent on the gags of the reality show and on Badger's ego and stupidity.

Three stars

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