Chomp

By: Carl Hiaasen

Narrated by: James Van Der Beek

The hysterical #1 New York Times bestseller from Newbery honoree Carl Hiaasen featuring gators, snakes, bats that bite, and reality show hosts gone wild!

When Wahoo Cray’s dad—a professional animal wrangler—takes a job with a reality TV show called Expedition Survival!, Wahoo figures he'll have to do a bit of wrangling himself to keep his father from killing Derek Badger, the show's inept and egotistical star. But the job keeps getting more complicated: Derek Badger insists on using wild animals for his stunts; and Wahoo's acquired a shadow named Tuna—a girl who's sporting a shiner courtesy of her father and needs a place to hide out.

They've only been on location in the Everglades for a day before Derek gets bitten by a bat and goes missing in a storm. Search parties head out and promptly get lost themselves. And then Tuna's dad shows up with a gun . . .

It's anyone's guess who will actually survive Expedition Survival. . .


“Only in Florida—and in the fiction of its native son Carl Hiaasen—does a dead iguana fall from a palm tree and kill somebody.” —New York Post

“Chomp is a delightful laugh-out-loud sendup of the surreality of TV that will be enjoyed by readers of all ages.” —Los Angeles Times

“Chomp shines in its humorous, subtle tweaks on pop culture. . . . The real satisfaction, however, is not so much in the book’s humor but in its truth.” —Time Out Chicago Kids

Critic reviews

A USA Today Bestseller
A #1 Indie Bestseller
A Kids’ Indie Next List Selection
An ALA-YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults Nominee
A Bank Street College of Education Best Children’s Book of the Year
A Florida Book Award Silver Medalist

“Mystery, action, humor, and exotic animals and settings, all tied together by a writer with an exceptional grasp of language, makes this a sure hit with any mystery-loving readers.” —School Library Journal, starred review

“Hiaasen’s best for a young audience since Newbery Honor Hoot (2002) features a shy, deep-feeling protagonist who’s also a pragmatist and plenty of nature info and age-appropriate cultural commentary…. Humorous adventure tales just don’t get any more wacked…or fun to read than this.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“Chomp shines in its humorous, subtle tweaks on pop culture. . . . The real satisfaction, however, is not so much in the book’s humor but in its truth.” —Time Out Chicago Kids

Perfection

One again, Carl Hiaasen puts a motley crew of characters in the middle of a Florida swamp and comes up with the best contemporary humor writing being done today. BRAVO!

Great Hiaasen book!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes---it was funny. Not really for kids, though.....it gets pretty violent at times!

Any additional comments?

Enjoyable.....certainly worthwhile!

AMAZING

I loved this book so much. There was always so much action and mystery to the book.

Great for family listen

Listened with my 11 & 14 year old sons and was great. Funny, exciting, sweet, characters with depth.

Great summer reading

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

He is hilarious and his characters are unbelievable yet realistic and endearing little devils

What did you like best about this story?

The pure laugh out loud fun and crazy cast of characters

What does James Van Der Beek bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I thought he did a great job and would recommend him again. I was pleasantly surprised.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Just laugh and guffaw

Any additional comments?

I have read all his books, some twice. I would also recommend Tim Dorsey as another "off his rocker" Floridian, also my birth place, so crazy must be contagious...