Carl Hiaasen

Hoot follows Roy Eberhardt, a new kid who moves from Montana to the fictional town of Coconut Cove, Florida. At school, he quickly makes an enemy in the form of a bully, Dana Matherson, but also befriends two unique kids: Beatrice Leep, a tough and tomboyish soccer player, and Mullet Fingers, Beatrice’s barefoot stepbrother who lives off the grid. Mullet Fingers is on a mission to stop the construction of a Mother Paula's All-American Pancake House that threatens to destroy the habitat of a colony of endangered burrowing owls living on the site.
As Roy becomes involved, he learns the importance of environmental preservation and joins the cause to save the owls. The trio uses clever pranks and protests to delay construction, exposing the company’s illegal actions and ultimately preserving the owls' homes. Along the way, they deal with various antagonists including the corporate executive Chuck Muckle and the school bully Dana, who also add tension to the story. The novel ends on a positive note with the pancakes project halted and the owls protected, while Roy finds friendship and belonging in his new home