BRUCE HALE is the author of five picture books as well as the Chet Gecko mysteries. A popular speaker, teacher, and storyteller for children and adults, he was awarded a Fulbright grant in 1998 to teach storytelling and to study folklore in Thailand. He lives in Santa Barbara, California.

When it comes to splitting dessert, Chet Gecko may cheat a little, but who's going to complain if Chet's half is more like two-thirds? He's never been good at math. Still, there's a big difference between sneaking a bigger slice of stinkbug pie and sneaking the answers to Mr. Ratnose's history test. When a cheating ring is suspected at Emerson Hicky Elementary, Chet takes on the case as a matter of honor. Or of stupidity. It's so hard to tell the difference sometimes.