Scat by Carl Hiaasen

I have always loved Hiaasen's kids books and this one did not disappoint me one bit.  He had a few different plot lines going on that all really dealt with things that kids would be going through in our current environment along with an environmental issue that can't be taken lightly.  The big story was that the biology class went on a field trip, a fire started, one of the teachers went in and did not show up again.  It is all the little things that make the story fun. The teacher, Mrs. Starch, was not loved by her students.  So as happy as they were to not have her teaching, they were concerned about where she was.  Nick was missing his father who was in Iraq.  Duane was just one of those bully students who did not care much about things, but made a change through out the story.  On top of all of that there was some illegal oil well digging and an issue with the endangered Florida Panther.  Hiaasen does a great job weaving all of these things together and you are rooting for the good guys and the panthers and you just don't want it to end.  Great book!!  I hope he writes some more for kids.

Sing You Home by Jodi Picoult

Picoult always takes on difficult subjects, or ones that are going to push the comfort zones of people.  A happily married couple is trying to have a baby.  After many failed tries the husband, Max, is done and wants a divorce.  Zoe is crushed.  As she comes out of her depression she starts hanging with Vanessa.  They end up together and decide they want a baby.  There are still frozen eggs from Zoe's earlier attempts at IVF and she wants them, but has to go through Max.  He has gotten involved in a church that is very conservative and the church takes over this case and really lays it on thick.  Many subjects that people do not like to discuss, but Picoult puts it right out there and has the ability to make you feel for all of the characters.  The ending was kind of what I expected, but I was not really disappointed.  There was a music CD that went along with the book, but I did not listen to it.  I did not want it to influence me in any way with the book.