Hoot by Carl Hiaasen

Described by the Financial Times as “a sharp, funny, fast-moving mystery romp” so it must be good.

Blurb on the back:

Roy Eberhardt never wanted to move to Florida. Disney World is an armpit, in Roy’s opinion, and Florida bullies like Dana Matherson are pretty much like bullies everywhere. Yet without Dana mashing Roy’s face into the school-bus window, Roy might never have spotted the running boy, who runs away from the bus, and, most oddly, has no shoes. Where is he going – and what does he have to do with potty-trained alligators, some cute burrowing owls and a dodgy pancake PR man? Maybe life in Florida won’t be so dull after all!