Book summary

Middle school student Roy Eberhardt is a new resident to the town of Coconut Grove, Florida. He doesn't have many friends but is intrigued when he notices a barefoot boy running through the woods near his home. Roy eventually befriends this boy and discovers that he is an environmental activist who will use any means necessary to prevent developers from destroying the woodland homes of a colony of burrowing owls. A 2003 Newbery Honor book.

Media reviews

"Though readers will have few doubts about the success of the kids' campaign, several suspenseful scenes build to the denouement involving the sitcom-like unraveling of a muckity-muck at the pancake house. These, along with dollops of humor, help make the novel quite a hoot indeed."