Common Sense Media Review
Eco-mystery is suspenseful and funny.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 3 parent reviews
Based on 27 kid reviews
Kids say that while some find it to be a captivating and entertaining read with relatable characters and valuable messages about nature, others criticize it for poor writing, lack of character development, and offensive content. The polarized opinions highlight its appeal to some tweens and older readers, yet express concern over its language and themes for younger audiences.
- mixed reviews
- character development
- nature themes
- language concerns
- age suitability
- captivating story
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
Nick's strict biology teacher angers a semi-delinquent student named Smoke by humiliating him in front of the class. The next day, after a class trip to the swamp that ends when a brush fire mysteriously flares up, she disappears. Smoke, who's been known to set fires, is the prime suspect, but when the police go to arrest him, he takes off and disappears too. Meanwhile, a shady oil company plans secret drilling in protected land, and a rare, endangered panther is sighted in the swamp. Somehow, all these events are connected.
Is It Any Good?
The basic plot outline may sound familiar to fans of Carl Hiaasen's previous books for kids, but this one has less potty humor (a surprise, given the title). There are still a few stupid adults around, but most of the adults are great role models from whom the younger characters learn a lot: smart, knowledgeable, caring, and just as dedicated as the kids to doing what's right. The characters are more multidimensional and well fleshed out, and the plot is tighter.
In addition to the main mystery plot, there's a beautifully done subplot about Nick's father returning from Iraq, having lost his right arm to an RPG. The actions Nick immediately takes to understand and support his father are concrete, believable, and highlight Nick's exceptional talent for empathy, a trait that comes into play in all of the various plot strands. Although there is a cartoonish villain, he's such a bit player compared with all of the strong, decent, complex characters, children and adults, that he's hardly noticed.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about protecting endangered animals. Do the characters in Scat go too far? How far would you be willing to go?
How does Scat compare with other Carl Hiassen books?
Kids may want to learn more about Florida panthers. See what you can find out on the Internet.
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Mystery
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Alfred A. Knopf
- Publication date : January 1, 2009
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 9 - 12
- Number of pages : 371
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate