Juvenile Books In Order

Publication Order of Juvenile Books

The Juvenile series is a popular series of young adult, mystery, humor, contemporary, middle grade, and realistic fiction stories. It is written by a famous Florida-based novelist named Carl Hiaasen. This series is comprised of a total of 6 books, which were released between the years 2002 and 2018. Each of the books of this series feature different sets of main characters. The stories are mostly set in author Hiaasen’s native Florida. Author Hiaasen has written the stories mainly for the young and teenage readers. Before attempting to write this series’s first book, Hiaasen main areas of interest were crime fiction and thriller novels. He ventured into writing stories for the younger readers with the debut novel of this series called Hoot in 2002. This book was labeled a honor book for Newbery Medal. This book was later adapted into a movie of the same name in 2006, which starred Brie Larson, Luke Wilson, and Logan in the lead roles. Will Shriner was the writer and director of the movie. Skink – No Surrender is a very popular book of this young adult series that features one of the most famous adult characters created by Hiaasen. All of the six novels have typical environmental themes, adventure-filled plots, and eccentric casts. The latest novel in the series, Squirm, has its settings done in Montana and Florida. It has reached the #4 spot on the bestseller list of the NY Times in the category of middle-grade novels.

Author Carl Hiaasen is listed among the prominent American writers. He has worked as a journalist for a long time, and was employed with Tribune Content and Miami Herald. As a novelist, author Hiaasen has penned and published over 20 books in his career. In general, his novels are categorized as humorous stories of crime fiction featuring themes of political corruption and environmentalism set in Florida. Author Hiaasen had taken birth in Plantation, Florida in 1953. He was the eldest of the 4 kids born to Patricia and Odel Hiaasen. The author possesses Irish and Norwegian ancestry. His interest in writing stories developed when he was 6 years old. This interest grew even more after his father gifted him a typewriter on the occasion of Christmas. Author Hiaasen completed his schooling in 1970 from the Plantation High School, and went on to study at the Emory University. While at the university, he used to contribute humor columns in the university newspaper called Emory Wheel. Hiaasen got himself transferred to the Florida University, where he continued to write columns. He obtained his graduation degree in 1974 in journalism.

Following his graduation, he started working for the Cocoa Today as a reporter. He worked there for 2 years before getting hired by Miami Herald in 1976. Hiaasen worked for Sunday magazine, investigative team, and city desk of this newspaper agency. From 1985 onward, he has been writing columns for this newspaper on a regular basis. Hiaasen’s columns’ collections have been published as 3 sets of volumes, namely Kick Ass, Dance of Reptiles, and Paradise Screwed. Diane Stevenson has edited all these volumes. Author Hiaasen’s brother, Rob Hiaasen, got killed in a shootout at the office of The Capital where he was employed as a columnist and editor. When author Hiaasen was busy with his reporting work, he used to write only during the spare times. His first 3 novels were co-authored with William Montalbano, who was a fellow journalist and close friend of Hiaasen. The author wrote the first solo book of his literary career in 1986 and named it Tourist Season. As many as 19 of Hiaasen’s books have featured on NY Times bestseller list. His novels have been translated into thirty-four foreign languages and are read all across the globe.

The debut book of the Juvenile series written by Carl Hiaasen is entitled ‘Hoot’. It was released by the Yearling Books in 2006, after its initial release in 2002. The book shows the story of a new comer named Roy Eberhardt, who arrives in Florida and makes two friends and one enemy. He is shown making efforts to prevent a pancake house’s construction in order to stop the destruction of a burrowing owls colony. At the start of the story of the book, it is shown that Roy Eberhardt shifts his residence to Coconut Cove town in Florida. He gets bullied very often by Dana Matherson, his classmate. While going to school one day, Roy jumps out of the school bus for catching a kid running barefoot outside. For this incident, he gets a suspension. He tries to apologize to Dana Matherson, who tried to stop him from jumping out and getting injured, but he punched her and escaped. Dana doesn’t accept Roy’s apology. Later, he learns that the construction work of a new pancake shop has been stopped due to vandalism. And the vandal is the same boy whom Roy tried to catch by getting off his school bus. Roy also comes to know that the boy, called Mullet Fingers, is vandalizing the construction site for saving an endangered species of owls living there. Roy respects his efforts and becomes his friend. He too joins in the protest with a lot of dedication. The existence of owls is denied by the foreman Leroy Branitt. Roy helps to dismiss the claim of Leroy Branitt and makes his classmates aware of the situation so as to make them join the protest. Finally, the truth is exposed and owls’ habitat is saved with the efforts of Roy Eberhardt, Mullet Fingers, and Roy’s classmates.

Another entertaining book penned by Hiaasen is called ‘Scat’. Released in 2009, this book describes the story of disappeared teacher named Bunny Starch, and 2 of her students named Marta Gonzalez and Nick Waters are shown trying to do everything possible to bring her back. This book too deals with the endangered species of Florida Panther. At the beginning of the book’s story, it is depicted that Mrs. Bunny Starch is a very harsh and strict teacher of biology. One day, she throws a question to the class about Calvin Cycles. Knowing that Libby is the only one capable of giving the right answer, she asks Duane Scrod Jr to answer. When he does not answer, Mrs. Bunny gives him the punishment of writing an essay of 500 words. The following day, Mrs. Bunny takes the class on a field visit. Marta and Nick start recording on their camera after they hear a strange sound. Some strange wildfire-like thing happens after which Mrs. Bunny is not found anywhere. Detectives are called in to investigate, who suspect that Duane Scrod has played some mischief because of his hatred for Mrs. Bunny. It is revealed later that Mrs. Funny has indulged in saving endangered panthers, who face the danger of extinction because of drilling operations of an oil company. Nick & Marta too joins hands in her effort and call the rest of the students as well.