their habitat. He tries to prove his point, but the pictures they took to prove the owls lived on the property were grainy and dark. The students who are at the groundbreaking ceremony join hands to prevent the bulldozers from beginning the groundbreaking. At the end of chapter twenty, a burrowing owl lands on Mullet Fingers's head, proving their existence. 

In chapter twenty-one, the press, present for the groundbreaking ceremony, reports the entire story in the newspaper the next day. Roy's family meets Kelly Colfax, a reporter Chuck Muckle assaulted during the groundbreaking. Roy's dad gives Kelly Colfax an envelope that contains the file for the Mother Paula's project. Roy's father got the file from the courthouse and had it examined by lawyers who were experts in environmental law. The file was missing the environmental impact statement, which proves Chuck Muckle and Curly Branitt knew about the owls and tried to cover it up. 

In the epilogue, the Gazette reports that the environmental impact statement turned up in the golf bag of Councilman Grandy, along with an envelope containing $4,500. This scandal permanently shuts down construction of the restaurant on the property at East Oriole and Woodbury. Chuck Muckle was demoted to Assistant Junior Vice President and was court-ordered to take an anger management class. Mother Paula's company pledges to create an owl sanctuary on the property. 

Mullet Fingers ends up in juvenile detention when his mother reports that he stole her valuable toe ring. He manages to escape juvenile detention by using his cell mate, Dana Matherson, as a decoy.

Here are some ideas that will help you understand fiction books, using Hoot as an example. When you start reading a novel, think first about characters. Who is the book about? The first person or people you read about will probably be the main character or characters. Try to find out what each character is like. Pay attention to what he or she says and does, and what other people say or do in response to the character. Early in the story, you should be able to find out what the character wants or needs. This is the conflict of the story. Also, find out where and when the story takes place. This is known as the setting. In Hoot, we first meet Roy, who is the main character of the story. He has recently moved to Coconut Cove, Florida. He wants to find out about the mysterious running boy, and he needs to keep from getting pulverized by Dana Matherson.

As more characters are introduced, think about how they relate to the main character. They may be antagonists—those who keep the main character from achieving his goal. Dana Matherson and Beatrice Leep are antagonists to Roy at first, but Beatrice ends up becoming a friend who helps Roy find out about the running boy. 

Some characters may be part of the story's subplots. These are stories that intersect with the main story. In Hoot, Officer Delinko and Curly both have their own story lines with their own conflict. Officer Delinko wants to become a detective, and Curly wants to keep his job as the construction site foreman. Sometimes the action of the story leaves Roy and follows one of these other main characters. The running boy, Mullet Fingers, has his own wants and needs, as well. He wants to save the owls and to keep his mother from finding out where he is.

Pay attention to how the characters' wants and needs change throughout the novel. When Roy finds out who the running boy is and what he's trying to do, Roy's goal changes to wanting to save the owls. 

As various events happen in the novel, keep track of main events and how they move the characters closer to their goals or further away from them. When Officer Delinko's car windows are spray-painted black, he is set back from becoming a detective, and they get Curly in trouble with his boss. This is all part of Mullet Fingers's plan to protect the owls, as we find out later.

Eventually a story will reach a high point of tension called the climax. Events come together so the conflicts will be resolved. The characters will achieve their goals and solve their problems, or they will fail. In Hoot, this is when "Mother Paula" arrives for the groundbreaking ceremony, but the children block the event and reveal the presence of the owls. The owls are saved.

At the end of a novel, in the final chapter and possibly in an Epilogue, as Hoot has, look for all the loose ends to be tied up and all the questions answered. This is called the resolution. We find out Mullet Fingers's real name is Napoleon Bridger. The Mother Paula's company is embroiled in a scandal. Dana Matherson is sent to juvenile detention, and Napoleon uses him as a pawn in an escape plan. 

Keeping track of characters, setting, conflict, subplots, climax, and resolution as you read will help you understand and enjoy novels.

The generated response is correct in identifying the major messages of Carl Hiaasen’s novel Hoot. It accurately discusses the novel’s description of environmental conservation efforts and the power of individuals, even young people, to make a difference in the world. Let’s look at a couple more points to help you fill out your answer.

You may wish to think about the changes in Roy’s life due to his participation in the efforts to save the owls. He finds meaning and purpose in this activity. You could also discuss how people’s desire for money blinds them to things that may be more important than profit. The foreman, for instance, actually denies that the owls exist even though the evidence for them is plain. Readers are to question whether he is fooling himself or is being deliberately dishonest.

Finally, consider the fate of Mullet Fingers. He does not get a happy ending in this story, and that is very much a part of real life. His efforts have helped save the owls, but he is still in a touch spot with his family and ends up on his own, falsely accused, and facing an uncertain future.