Let's make this birthday one to remember.

72 years old (Born on March 12, 1953)

Happy Birthday, Carl Hiaasen! May your day be filled with more laughs than a Florida swamp has mosquitoes and fewer mishaps than the characters in "Sick Puppy." Your razor-sharp wit and satirical genius have given us unforgettable adventures—from bass-fishing scandals in "Double Whammy" to linguistic lunacy in "Native Tongue."

Congratulations on continuing to charm readers young and old alike. Winning hearts (and that shiny Newbery Medal!) proves you're not just another pretty pen—you're literary royalty. Here's hoping this year brings you plenty of inspiration, minimal writer's block, and absolutely zero run-ins with eccentric Floridian villains. Cheers!