Amazon.com Review
When Principal Zero doesn't punish Chet Gecko for his less than flattering drawing of a teacher, Chet, the best lizard detective at Emerson Hicky Elementary, knows something fishy is going on. "And I was just the gecko to find out what it was." Soon this hard-boiled fourth-grade detective is on the case, mixing with a tough hamster ex-con named Guido, a brass-knuckle-wielding bat called Ms. Darkwing, and the ringleader, a fat cat fake principal who aims to take over the elementary school and turn it into a vocational school for criminals. But will Chet and his cohort, a mockingbird by the name of Natalie, get to the bottom of this mystery before the ill-fated PTA meeting where this dastardly plot will be unveiled? With the help of a hyper tree frog named Popper, and Tony and Bo, a pair of food-fighting newt brothers, they just might crack this case.
Future Raymond Chandler fans will think they've died and gone to heaven when they get a load of Bruce Hale's private eye series (The Chameleon Wore Chartreuse and others). Chet Gecko has the lingo down cold ("Hey, brown eyes... How's tricks?" "Had our principal gone plumb crazy, or was he off somewhere taking the Big Nap?"), along with the most groan-worthy grade-school humor around. Hilarious line drawings of a menagerie of characters, shady and otherwise, add an even finer note of humor to this already sidesplitting mystery. (Ages 7 to 12) --Emilie Coulter
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
From School Library Journal
Grade 4-6-Humor is the outstanding element of this fast-paced mystery set in an elementary school. Chet Gecko is a sleuth who also deems himself to be an artist. He is caught drawing in class and is sent to the principal's office for discipline. However, something is strange about Mr. Zero's behavior. Chet and his sidekick Natalie, a mockingbird, soon discover that he is an impostor who is plotting to turn Emerson Hicky Elementary into a vocational school for crime. Ultimately, the young detective and his friends save the day. Told from Chet's point of view, the story is filled with corny jokes, clever wordplay, and amusing asides. The action keeps on moving and there is lots of suspense. The droll, black-and-white cartoon drawings add to the fun. A good choice for fans of gumshoe adventures.
Sharon McNeil, Los Angeles County Office of Education Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
