Mr. Chickee's Funny Money

A 250-foot drop over a dam, a friend who does not surface at the bottom and a dozen federal agents in dark suits holding what look like satellite ray guns…this is how Mr. Chickee’s Funny Money begins. An exciting beginning leads to a story told in flashback by the narrator: fourth grader, Steven. He......more

This book is absolutely hilarious; I'm talking about quite a few laugh-out-loud moments being attributable to this book. There were also some heartfelt scenes snuck in amongst the sublime comedic syntax. Perhaps it's the limited amount of stories published by him, but Christopher Paul Curtis is alw......more

Silly. If you've never read Christopher Paul Curtis's books before, this would not be a good one to start with. Instead, I highly recommend either "The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963" or "Bud, Not Buddy," as both of those books are 5-star caliber. This story is not close to those classics. This story......more

Steven has received a quadrillion dollar bill imprinted with the face of James Brown on it from his neighbor Mr. Chickee and now it’s up to him to figure out if this very real looking bill could be authentic. Enlisting the help of his friend Russell, the two must stand up to the black-suited agents......more

I love Christopher Paul Curtis. He clearly understands kids and knows how to write for them and in their voice. Mr. Chickee's Funny Money had me a little concerned at first, but he told a story that is appropriate for middle readers, but can make any reader laugh out loud. He tells such funny storie......more