In the Library Reviews - Bruce Hale Reviews -- Page Two



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Reviewed Titles The Chameleon Wore Chartreuse - A Chet Gecko Mystery Hiss Me Deadly - A Chet Gecko Mystery Key Lardo - A Chet Gecko Mystery The Possum Always Rings Twice - A Chet Gecko Mystery	Bruce Hale Reviews Page Two Added March 28, 2008 The Possum Always Rings Twice A Chet Gecko Mystery Author: Bruce Hale Publisher: Harcourt Publishers Available At: Bookstores everywhere Publishing Date: Available Now Genre: Middle Reader: Mystery Format: Trade Paper Price: $4.95 ISBN-13: 978-0-15-205075-7 Author Email/Website: http://www.brucehale.com/ Reviewer: Joyce Handzo Rating: 9 Gargoyles Have you caught Chet Gecko yet? Opportunity's knocking (or should I say ringing?) in the next book of this terrific series. In this story, our boy detective gets into politics when he's asked to straighten up a crooked campaign. Although something certainly is fishy, it takes all the wits and wiles of Chet, and his sidekick Natalie, to reel in the bad guys. It's time to pick the next student council president at Emerson Hickey Elementary School, but there's dirty dealings afoot. (Okay, actually it should be "a- paw" since all the characters are not technically humans!) When Viola, a skinny sandpiper with ambition, started to receive threatening notes telling her to quit the election, she turned to Chet for help. But discovering the bullies makes him a front-runner for their fists. Talk about running in an election! Author Bruce Hale keeps the pace and the puns flying in another episode starring everyone's favorite fourth-grade P.I. The mystery is real, the characters are outrageously great, and the writing has more enthusiasm than an army of red ants on a picnic. Chet Gecko is both lovable and laughable, and raises the respect level of lizards everywhere. His bumbling and stumbling way of getting at the truth is a pleasure to witness. (And after tackling some of these bullies, he may need a few witnesses!) Centering the plot on an election bring young readers closer to the world of politics, while keeping the story safely within the parameters of the playground. Humor abounds and spills into the story like a juice-box with a hole in it. I can't wait to see what the author comes up with next. Return to top of page. Added November 23, 2007 Hiss Me Deadly A Chet Gecko Mystery Author: Bruce Hale Publisher: Harcourt Inc. Available At: Bookstores everywhere Publishing Date: October 2007 Genre: Middle Reader: Mystery Format: Hardcover Price: $15.00 ISBN-10: 0152054820 ISBN-13: 978-0-15-205482-3 Author Email/Website: http://www.brucehale.com/ Reviewer: Joyce Handzo Rating: 9 Gargoyles Hiss Me Deadly is another lively tale from the mind of Bruce Hale. If you haven't met Chet Gecko yet, now's the time to latch onto this lizard and follow him on another clever caper. When a variety of valuable items goes missing at school, Principal Zero enlists Chet's help in solving the crime. Our boy detective has a very personal interest in this case since his mother's pearls were part of the plunder. Yet, the thief isn't going to give up easily. As Chet tries to outwit the halfwit, he literally feels the pressure of his pursuit. Will he be able to crack the case before it cracks him? This thirteenth book in the series is as fresh and clever as the first story. The action zooms along, taking readers on a wild ride through the fourth-grade world of Chet and his friends. All of the characters contribute significantly to the story line, offering a delightful mix of human and creature personalities. This is anthropomorphism at its best! Humor abounds, as Chet's wisecracks and one-liners pepper the pages with grins and giggles. Although it's not all fun and games, as there is a genuine mystery to solve. Readers will have to watch out for the clues, decide on the thief's motivation and hope our hero figures things out fast! The urgency handle is cranked faster as the conclusion draws nearer, leaving everyone, especially Chet, gasping for air. Yet, when the dust settles and the book is closed, these characters will still be creeping, slithering, hopping and flying around inside readers' heads. And that's definitely a good thing. Return to top of page. This page was last updated on March 28, 2008 This page and all its contents are Copyright© 2002-2008 In the Library Reviews and the individual reviewers. Except where noted, all graphics are Copyright© Eos Development and are used with permission. All book covers are Copyright© their respective publishers and are used with permission. The In the Library Reviews logo is Copyright© 2002 by In the Library Reviews/Sharyn McGinty. Site maintained by In the Library Reviews.