From Newbery Honoree Carl Hiaasen comes this New York Times bestseller set in Florida's Everglades in which an eccentric eco-avenger, a stuffed rat named Chelsea, a wannabe Texas oilman, a singing substitute teacher, and a ticked-off panther can’t stop two kids on a mission to find their missing teacher!
Bunny Starch, the most feared biology teacher ever, is missing. She disappeared after a school field trip to Black Vine Swamp. And, to be honest, the kids in her class are relieved.
But when the principal tries to tell the students that Mrs. Starch has been called away on a "family emergency," Nick and Marta just don't buy it. No, they figure the class delinquent, Smoke, has something to do with her disappearance.
And he does! But not in the way they think. There's a lot more going on in Black Vine Swamp than any one player in this twisted tale can see. It’s all about to hit the fan, and when it does, the bad guys better scat.
“Ingenious . . . Scat won’t disappoint Hiaasenphiles of any age.” —The New York Times
“Woohoo! It’s time for another trip to Florida—screwy, gorgeous Florida, with its swamps and scammers and strange creatures (two- and four-legged). Our guide, of course, is Carl Hiaasen.” —DenverPost.com
From the Hardcover edition.
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"A fun and interesting book. An engaging environmental lesson for middle schoolers without being heavy handed. Great characters, humor and adventure. Nick and Marta wonder what really happened to their terrifying biology teacher, Bunny Starch, who has been missing since a field trip to a Florida swamp. They wind up saving a baby panther and reuniting it with its mama, by standing up for what they know is right."
— Eileen (4 out of 5 stars)
Starred Review, School Library Journal, January 2009:“This well-written and smoothly plotted story, with fully realized characters, will certainly appeal to mystery lovers.”
Review, The New York Times Book Review, February 15, 2009:"Not many authors are equally successful at writing books for adults and children, but Carl Hiaasen seems to have made an effortless transition ... The ingenious plotting makes SCAT more engrossing than either of its predecessors."
" This was just an amazing book. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to save endangered species. C; "
— Hikari, 2/16/2014" A light mystery novel that incorporates ideas of treating the environment right as well as dropping some facts about Florida wildlife. 3 stars for a very nice mystery. "
— Danny, 2/1/2014" This book is as lively as its cover. Billed as an eco-thriller, Scat intrigues and informs with biological trivia. The characters quickly become real and chapters end with pleasant twists and teases. This would be a 5-star book if the writing had as much sass and style as the plot. "
— Amanda, 1/29/2014" I wasn't sure how I'd like Ed Asner as a narrator, but he was a great choice for this audiobook. Didn't like it as much as Hoot or Flush, but still enjoyable. The kid characters were terrific, the adults brought me down. Environmentally/animal- focused kids will like it. "
— Marcia, 1/8/2014" I love Carl Hiaasen's books. They're always good for a laugh and to learn more about Florida. "
— Betsy, 12/23/2013" It was predictable and almost every single character (except Smoke) was utterly forgettable... but the story was fun, so there's that. "
— Kate, 12/3/2013" Great read for kids. It has a bit of everything; the impact of war, endangered species, and kids that don't fit in. "
— Jim, 12/1/2013" i remember reading this and thinking, "really, this is a endangered animal mystery book.":0 "
— Claire, 11/28/2013" it was the best!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! "
— Gray, 11/16/2013" I absolutely loved this book. The mystery was very exciting and creative. "
— Scarlett, 11/4/2013" i want to read it again! "
— Dansoa, 10/22/2013" This should be required reading, along with "Hoot" and "Flush," for all youth. You can make a difference! Another great YA read by Hiaasen. "
— Lea, 8/31/2013" Another wonderful young-adult book by Hiaasen. Full of the quirky, funny characters I've come to expect with a mystery that held my interest to the end. It will surely be a book that my entire family will enjoy. "
— Dana, 8/7/2013" Yup, this is how our children should learn to write. Carl uses amazing adjectives! "
— Jill, 10/31/2012" OMG, so totally funny! "
— Skylar, 7/11/2012" Would have enjoyed it much more when I was ten, had it been written. "
— Poslfit, 3/8/2012" This is the first Carl Hiaasen book I have read. I have heard his other books are similar to this one. Similar topics about the environment and such. I might not think this is as great and original after reading his other ones. "
— Renee, 3/2/2012" Omg omg omg omg this book is awesome! "
— Connor, 11/19/2011" A longer read than the other two in the seris but well worth the time. Great book! Great author! "
— Sadie, 10/12/2011" Mrs. Starch, the "mean" biology, teacher has disappeared while on the class field trip to Black Vine Swamp. Nick and Marta are trying to figure it out because too many things don't add up. Another enjoyable book with an environmental theme from Hiaasen. "
— Debby, 10/5/2011" Not his best book, but still very entertaining. Good for the young adult it was labelled as. Plus, great title. "
— Dave, 9/22/2011" Good book for young readers. "
— Marie, 8/3/2011" Interesting. Just dragged on a little too long. "
— Kimberly, 6/29/2011" This book has an interesting plot, and is a a fun and easy book to read. It has some funny characters that are described very well. However, sometimes the characters act a bit young for their age. Overall though, I think this book is pretty good. "
— Eva, 6/28/2011" I have read this 2 times. "
— Loryn, 6/27/2011" This book was on James's summer reading list. It's a clever fun read. "
— Kirsti, 6/19/2011" It is a really good book. Makes me thinkl about hte environment. If you like this you should read Hoot and Flush, both also by Carl Hiaasen. "
— Aqua, 6/12/2011" It was a fairly quick read and a bit predictable. There were too many characters to keep up with. At the end I finally could remember who was who, but at the beginning it was too difficult. A very environmentally charged book. "
— Mikaela, 6/4/2011" I'm a big fan of Carl Hiaasen so enjoyed this young adult novel. Just love his unique characters and the underlying environmental messages. "
— Karla, 6/1/2011Carl Hiaasen is a successful journalist and novelist. He is a writer and investigative reporter for the Miami Herald, and his work has appeared in Time, Life, Esquire, Playboy, Gourmet, and Sports Illustrated. His earliest novels—Powder Burn, Trap Line, and A Death In China—were cowritten with fellow journalist Bill Montalbano. Since then, he has written books in a variety of genres. His novel Strip Tease was made into a movie in 1996, and his young adult novel Hoot, a Newbery honoree, was made into a movie in May 2006. A number of Hiassen’s works have appeared on the New York Times bestseller list, including Star Island, Chomp, Sick Puppy, and Scat. In addition to being a writer, Hiassen is also a public speaker. He lives in Florida with his family.