Skink No Surrender by Carl Hiaasen - ESSENTIAL

Hiaasen, Carl  Skink No Surrender, 281 pgs.  Alfred A. Knopf, 2014.  $18.99  Content: Language: PG-13 (24 swears); Mature Content: PG-13; Violence: PG-13.   

Richard’s cousin Malley has lied to her parents and ran off with a man she met online.  Malley is constantly stirring up trouble, so nobody seems too worried about finding her, but Richard has a bad feeling about it and wants to go look for her.  When Richard meets a quirky man on the beach who is saving turtle eggs, they join forces to look for Malley.  A fantastic adventure follows.   

I love Carl Hiaasen-he creates original and lovable characters.  This book had me laughing out loud and I was unable to put it down during the suspenseful parts.  Malley faces danger, which I think is a good outcome for running away with someone you meet online, so that is the mature content (there isn’t anything sexual).  The violence is a gunshot wound.  I love this book and recommend it as a great boy book (even though girls would love it too).   

MS, HS-ESSENTIAL.  Reviewer, C. Peterson.