Books in Chet Gecko series

In these two wisecracking, sidesplitting mysteries from Chet Gecko's tattered casebook, the fourth-grade detective and his punning mockingbird partner, Natalie Attired, keep the peace at Emerson Hicky Elementary. In the first, the two sleuths blow the lid off a cheating ring in Mr. Ratnose's classroom, and in the second, they track down the winning ticket for the biggest, chocolatiest, most gut-busting dessert ever, the Malted Falcon. Danger has never been so delicious!

Right in the middle of a run-of-the-mill case, the powers that be finger Chet's fine-feathered partner, Natalie Attired, as a no-goodnik blackmailer and boot her out of Emerson Hicky quicker than you can say, "Boot her out of Emerson Hicky." Chet, of course, tackles the case for free. Mess with his partner, mess with--well, somebody. (Natalie's the brains of the outfit.) But just when Chet thinks he might clear her name, Natalie disappears, leaving behind a reddish smear that looks kind of like cherry ladybug jam. . . . Is it murder, or something serious?

Inventions, spells, and bullies—oh my!It all begins when Chet’s favorite teacher is fired, only to be replaced by the mechanical invention of Dr. Tanya Lightov—a mysterious Russian scientist.Suddenly, the school seems possessed by forces that are upsetting the natural order of things: Kindergartners are beating up sixth graders; teachers’ pets are talking back; and worst of all, Chet’s faithful partner and best friend, Natalie Attired, has abandoned him in his hour of need.Will Chet be able to restore his friendship with Natalie and bring Emerson Hicky back to normal? One thing’s for certain: The crazy, mixed-up mastermind behind this case will be the last creature anyone expects.

A crime has been committed that strikes at the heart of Chet's very own family. Some slippery sneak has stolen his mother's beloved pearls, leaving Chet angrier than a nest of hornets on eviction day. When additional items go missing, Principal Zero turns up the heat by hiring Chet to flush out the thief. Will our gecko hero deliver the goods before it's too late? He'd better. Because this time, it's personal.This thirteenth entry in Chet and Natalie's tattered casebook is chock-full of the hilarious characters, wacky one-liners, and fast-paced mystery that have made this series a favorite among middle grade readers.

In these two wisecracking, sidesplitting mysteries from Chet Gecko's tattered casebook, the fourth-grade detective and his punning mockingbird partner, Natalie Attired, keep the peace at Emerson Hicky Elementary. In the first, the two sleuths blow the lid off a cheating ring in Mr. Ratnose's classroom, and in the second, they track down the winning ticket for the biggest, chocolatiest, most gut-busting dessert ever, the Malted Falcon. Danger has never been so delicious!

Chet Gecko loves a good mystery. Almost more than he loves his fee--stinkbug pie. So when fellow fourth grader Shirley Chameleon asks him to find her missing brother, Billy, Chet expects the case to be as easy a pie. But Billy's disappearance is part of a larger plot, one that involves the Rat Sisters, a riddling junkyard dog, and a vicious Gila monster named Herman. If Chet doesn't solve the case fast, the entire school could be humiliated. Worst of all, Chet might not get his fee. And Chet's hungry. . . .

Get ready for muckraking time at Emerson Hicky Elementary. The race is on for student council president, but it's quickly getting fishier than the bottom of a pelican's lunch box. Someone is sending candidates ominous threats and posting signs with messages like FIR IS FIRST! and DOWN WITH FEATHERS. Could someone be trying to rig the election? Good thing Chet and Natalie are around to expose the filthy frauds!

Get ready for muckraking time at Emerson Hicky Elementary. No, not the annual mud-pie-eating contest-it's the student council election. And, as Chet and Natalie are about to find out, politics is one dirty business. Someone is sending candidates ominous (and anonymous) threats . . . signs with messages like FIR IS FIRST! and DOWN WITH FEATHERS! are appearing all over school . . . and, oh yeah, a certain not-so-smooth-talking fox is hitting the hallways to drum up fanatic support for his flashy campaign. Yep, this presidential race is quickly getting fishier than the bottom of a pelican's lunch box. Could it be that someone is trying to rig the election? Good thing Chet and Natalie are around to expose the filthy frauds. But not before getting caught up in some dirty politics of their own.

Revealed at last--secrets and surprises from ace detectives Chet Gecko and Natalie Attired's criminal casebook! This nifty (and very handy) handbook features tips and techniques for detective work: how to shadow people, collect evidence, and conduct searches; photocopy-ready documents that every private eye needs--license, search warrants, forged sick-day notes from parents; a list of suspects and pointers on how to ID the crooks; a guide to detective lingo for all you shamuses; and tasty recipes for distinctively Chet Gecko-ish snacks, including Tick Tacos and Sweet Potato-Bug Pie (minus the bugs, of course). It doesn't take a private eye to see that this book is F-U-N.

Is it just Chet, or is everyone acting just a little bit strange? One by one, the students at Emerson Hicky Elementary are becoming mindless goody-goodies. No one talks in class, no one complains about homework--heck, the line to clean the chalkboard erasers is out the door! Everyone is acting like . . . well, a zombie. Chet loves a good nap--but this is one he's got to avoid at all costs. Can he save the school? Or will Chet and Natalie be the next in line at the chalkboard?

Most folks know him as the best lizard detective at Emerson Hicky Elementary, but it's not all knuckles and know-how with Chet Gecko. He's also got his artistic side. If it wasn't for his art, he might never have been sent to Principal Zero's office, where he stumbled onto the mystery of Mr. Nice. Because whatever you can say about Principal Zero, one thing is certain: He is not nice. Until now. Chet knows something is wrong with this picture, and he's just the gecko to solve this mystery. After all, who do you think put the art in smart aleck?

A crime has been committed that strikes at the heart of Chet's very own family. Some slippery sneak has stolen his mother's beloved pearls, leaving Chet angrier than a nest of hornets on eviction day. When additional items go missing, Principal Zero turns up the heat by hiring Chet to flush out the thief. Will our gecko hero deliver the goods before it's too late? He'd better. Because this time, it's personal.This thirteenth entry in Chet and Natalie's tattered casebook is chock-full of the hilarious characters, wacky one-liners, and fast-paced mystery that have made this series a favorite among middle grade readers.