Goofy humor abounds when Mr. Chickee gives Steven a quadrillion dollar bill featuring the face of James Brown. This is the kind of book boys write for each other to enjoy! ( )

"A humorous and exciting tall tale about nine-year-old Steven, who loves helping his blind neighbor, Mr. Chickee, run his errands. When the elderly man tells Steven he is going on a long trip, he gives the boy a present and tells him to keep it secret. When Steven finally opens the surprise, he finds a quadrillion dollar bill...This book will surely appeal to reluctant readers as well as anyone who wants to laugh and find intrigue and just a little bit of magic."
From NoveList, (Reviewed October 1, 2005) (School Library Journal, vol 51, issue 10, p157)

I wanted to like this book more than I did. Christopher Paul Curtis's first two novels are essentials of modern children's literature. They are funny and touching, and portray important periods of U.S. history.

The Mr. Chickee's books do contain many of the humorous elements that are recognizably Christopher Paul Curtis in the interactions of the characters and the internal dialogue of the narrator, but there wasn't just enough there for me.

Both books were practically impossible for me to finish. They seem to fall into they mystery genre of children's literature next to Harriet the Spy. There is no supernatural events, just realistic mysteries. They are not fantastical, nor is there violence. So I can half heartedly recommend this to mystery fans, but it is hard to compare them to the previous works of this author. They just don't seem to measure up. ( )

Christopher Paul Curtis does it again. A very FUNNY story about a YA male and his relationship with family, community, and friends. Easy to read and filled with comedy. ( )

Steven, member of the Future Flint Detective Club, has been given a quadrillion dollar bill by his friend Mr. Chickee. When he goes to the Department of the Treasury to find out if the bill could be real, he meets Agent Fondoo and he thinks there's something fishy about him. Unbeknownst to Steven, Agent Fondoo has just gotten a memo about the missing quadrillion dollar bill and the huge reward for finding it. Fondoo will stop at nothing to get it back, but are Steven's detective skills sharp enough to keep the money safe?

I'm not a huge fan of mysteries, but the quirky characters and funny situations in this book kept me turning the pages. ( )