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Eddie Red Undercover #1
Mystery on Museum Mile
Art, mystery, fun and friendship, combine in this illustrated middle grade series debut. Sixth grader Edmund Xavier Lonnrot, codename "Eddie Red," has a photographic memory and talent for drawing anything he sees. When the NYPD is stumped by a mastermind art thief, Eddie becomes their secret weapon to solve the case, drawing Eddie deeper into New York's famous Museum Mile and closer to a dangerous criminal group known as The Picasso Gang.
With page-turning adventure and fun characters, this first installment in the Eddie Red series is a must-read for any fan of puzzles and mystery.A Spring 2014 Indies Introduce New Voices selection
With page-turning adventure and fun characters, this first installment in the Eddie Red series is a must-read for any fan of puzzles and mystery.A Spring 2014 Indies Introduce New Voices selection
256 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 202 reviews
June 10, 2014
Sixth grader Edmund Xavier Lonnrot has an amazing ability. He has a photographic mind and the artistic ability to be able to draw people he has mentally photographed. Which is how Edmund ended up working undercover for the NYPD.
It all began the day his dad had to break the bad news to Edmund that he would not be returning to his private Upper East Side school Senate for 7th grade; they just couldn't afford it anymore. But just as this conversation was starting, Edmund and his dad heard a woman's shout for help coming out of an alley. Telling Edmund to call the police, his dad took off to help the lady. Luckily, Edmund saw the "perp" and was able draw a much better likeness of him than the police artist.
And so, Edmund Lonnrot became Eddie Red, working undercover for the gruff Detective Bovano, who clearly resents having this young kid doing police work. Nevertheless, Eddie works weekends at either the Jewish Museum on Fifth Avenue and East 92nd Street or the Neue Galerie on Fifth Avenue and East 86th Street, NYC. His job is to pretend to be a student artist, all the while keeping an eye out for anyone that looks like the pictures Det. Dovano very quickly showed him of the perps.
At first, Eddie seems to just bungle everything. Working without any information, though, Eddie soon begins to figure out what he is looking for and why with the help of his best friend, the very OCD Jonah, whose latest obsession is all things military.
The case has become important to Eddie. If he can help solve it, the police department will make a donation allowing him to return to his private school in September. If he botches it, he is, as we used to say when I was a kid, "sorry outta luck." But when the case is given a deadline, Eddie is no closer to figuring it out than he was before.
Can he and Jonah accomplish what the police couldn't and do it under pressure of this deadline?
Even though Eddie Red Undercover requires a fair amount of suspension of disbelief on the part of the reader (as if the NYPD would ever hire a young kid), it is a fun, entertaining book. It is told in the first person by Edmund?Eddie, who has a pretty good sense of humor about things, one can even see the beginnings of a nice wry touch forming. He is a really likable, somewhat geeky (in the best sense of the word) young man, whip smart and from an intact family - mom and dad are still in the picture. He is also African American.
Eddie's friend Jonah is a big eater of peanut butter sandwiches and is also whip smart with a well developed ability to detect patterns in anything, I would have liked to learn a little more about Jonah, but maybe in future Eddie Red novels. Still, together Edmund and Jonah form quite the dynamic duo.
The novel is a nice lighthearted mystery that is sure to appeal to middle school readers. Edmund is an astute observer of people and has plenty to say about them that will tickle a young readers funny bone. But there is also plenty of excitement for them as well.
This book is recommended for readers age 9+
This book was borrowed from the NYPL
This review was originally posted at Randomly Reading
It all began the day his dad had to break the bad news to Edmund that he would not be returning to his private Upper East Side school Senate for 7th grade; they just couldn't afford it anymore. But just as this conversation was starting, Edmund and his dad heard a woman's shout for help coming out of an alley. Telling Edmund to call the police, his dad took off to help the lady. Luckily, Edmund saw the "perp" and was able draw a much better likeness of him than the police artist.
And so, Edmund Lonnrot became Eddie Red, working undercover for the gruff Detective Bovano, who clearly resents having this young kid doing police work. Nevertheless, Eddie works weekends at either the Jewish Museum on Fifth Avenue and East 92nd Street or the Neue Galerie on Fifth Avenue and East 86th Street, NYC. His job is to pretend to be a student artist, all the while keeping an eye out for anyone that looks like the pictures Det. Dovano very quickly showed him of the perps.
At first, Eddie seems to just bungle everything. Working without any information, though, Eddie soon begins to figure out what he is looking for and why with the help of his best friend, the very OCD Jonah, whose latest obsession is all things military.
The case has become important to Eddie. If he can help solve it, the police department will make a donation allowing him to return to his private school in September. If he botches it, he is, as we used to say when I was a kid, "sorry outta luck." But when the case is given a deadline, Eddie is no closer to figuring it out than he was before.
Can he and Jonah accomplish what the police couldn't and do it under pressure of this deadline?
Even though Eddie Red Undercover requires a fair amount of suspension of disbelief on the part of the reader (as if the NYPD would ever hire a young kid), it is a fun, entertaining book. It is told in the first person by Edmund?Eddie, who has a pretty good sense of humor about things, one can even see the beginnings of a nice wry touch forming. He is a really likable, somewhat geeky (in the best sense of the word) young man, whip smart and from an intact family - mom and dad are still in the picture. He is also African American.
Eddie's friend Jonah is a big eater of peanut butter sandwiches and is also whip smart with a well developed ability to detect patterns in anything, I would have liked to learn a little more about Jonah, but maybe in future Eddie Red novels. Still, together Edmund and Jonah form quite the dynamic duo.
The novel is a nice lighthearted mystery that is sure to appeal to middle school readers. Edmund is an astute observer of people and has plenty to say about them that will tickle a young readers funny bone. But there is also plenty of excitement for them as well.
This book is recommended for readers age 9+
This book was borrowed from the NYPL
This review was originally posted at Randomly Reading
October 21, 2018
Seems like the start of a great series! Eddie is an interesting and endearing character and I thoroughly enjoyed this adventure of his. The book offers a diverse cast of characters without being a “multicultural” story. Great book for kids, and the NYC setting is just fabulous. Reminds me why I love the city!
December 1, 2015
Finally, a black protagonist for a cool middle grade series! I half want to praise the publishers, half want to ask them what took so long.
The book is fun and my kids will love it. I'm going to book talk the crap out ta this one.
The book is fun and my kids will love it. I'm going to book talk the crap out ta this one.
February 17, 2015
I think kids will really like this book. I liked the mystery, the main character, Edmund, and his best friend Jonah.
March 9, 2015
Great mystery for kids, with a perfect voice. Recommended!
March 8, 2015
Clever mystery with plenty of action and plot twists.
March 18, 2015
Hilarious caper. Loved Edmond's voice. Thoroughly enjoyed this one.
March 7, 2015
Good story with witty writing. My son read this for a book report and loved it so much I decided I needed to read it to!
September 14, 2021
This clever middle-grade story revolves around art thieves and a bright kid with a photographic memory. When the New York City police bring in eleven-year-old Edmund Lonnrot who’s witnessed a crime, they don’t believe he can accurately draw the fleeing criminal. They’re astonished when he sketches a very realistic likeness. Soon they’ve employed him to help them catch a band of elusive art thieves and identify the mastermind. With help from his wacky but genius friend, Eddie figures out where the crooks might strike next. But can he convince the gruff detective to believe him? Math, mystery and mayhem mingle in this well-plotted story.
June 23, 2020
Thinking about using this as a summer reading read-aloud for school, and it has many qualities that make it a good choice: 1) the main character is an 11-year old black boy who has a photographic memory, and he has a best friend with diagnosed ADHD & OCD (the book discusses-in a lighthearted way- his struggles) 2) suspense! There's always something to keep you guessing at the end of each chapter 3) the plot mystery is engaging & difficult to figure out, even as an adult!
April 7, 2014
“A clanging noise echoes in the alley, a hollow machine clank like a robot zombie is coming. My hand grabs Grant’s and tugs on him urgently. He’s not much help. More rattling. I peer down the dark path; something is definitely there. The robber? A zombie? Or worse? I curse the red strobe light shining behind me from the car, which is clearly calling the attention of whatever evil is stirring in the darkness beyond. Bang!” (110).
Author Marcia Wells creates a must-read book, Eddie Red Undercover: Mystery on Museum Mile, filled with adventure, humor, and suspense which many young adult readers will love.
Edmund Lonnrot may seem like the average scrawny kid, but he has a very special talent, a photographic memory. While his father tries easily to break the news about his recent cut-back-on-hours at his job, and that they can no longer afford to send Edmund to Senate Academy, an expensive private school, next year, their conversation is interrupted when sudden cries for help erupts from the alley.
His father instructs him to run to safety, and to call the police, but Edmund is glued to the spot he’s standing. Finally, he hides under a park bench when a man approaches with a bloody knife in his hand—“Click goes the camera in my mind” (14). When Edmund is able to draw, from memory, the face of the man he saw, it leaves the New York Police Department flabbergasted.
Thanks to Edmund’s photographic memory, he soon becomes the key spectator in the police case. However, while Edmund’s parents are not keen on the idea their son will be working a case that could be dangerous, he doesn’t back down—especially when it means the police will compensate him; the perfect opportunity in funding his tuition at Senate Academy. After meeting Detective Bonvano, Edmund realizes not everyone is amazed at his talent. However, Bonvano has no choice but to work with Edmund, giving him the code-name “Eddie Red.”
Will Edmund be able to solve the case? Will he return to Senate Academy next year?
Wells’s readers will thirst for more adventure and crime solving after this book. Not only is the cover art quite appealing to grab her readers, but the illustrations inside are beautifully drawn with detail that reminds one of The Spiderwick Chronicles.
Wells’s Eddie Red Undercover: Mystery on Museum Mile will become a favorite for young adults because “Eddie Red” is über awesome.
**Note: My copy of this book is an uncorrected proof which I won in a Goodreads’s giveaway.
Author Marcia Wells creates a must-read book, Eddie Red Undercover: Mystery on Museum Mile, filled with adventure, humor, and suspense which many young adult readers will love.
Edmund Lonnrot may seem like the average scrawny kid, but he has a very special talent, a photographic memory. While his father tries easily to break the news about his recent cut-back-on-hours at his job, and that they can no longer afford to send Edmund to Senate Academy, an expensive private school, next year, their conversation is interrupted when sudden cries for help erupts from the alley.
His father instructs him to run to safety, and to call the police, but Edmund is glued to the spot he’s standing. Finally, he hides under a park bench when a man approaches with a bloody knife in his hand—“Click goes the camera in my mind” (14). When Edmund is able to draw, from memory, the face of the man he saw, it leaves the New York Police Department flabbergasted.
Thanks to Edmund’s photographic memory, he soon becomes the key spectator in the police case. However, while Edmund’s parents are not keen on the idea their son will be working a case that could be dangerous, he doesn’t back down—especially when it means the police will compensate him; the perfect opportunity in funding his tuition at Senate Academy. After meeting Detective Bonvano, Edmund realizes not everyone is amazed at his talent. However, Bonvano has no choice but to work with Edmund, giving him the code-name “Eddie Red.”
Will Edmund be able to solve the case? Will he return to Senate Academy next year?
Wells’s readers will thirst for more adventure and crime solving after this book. Not only is the cover art quite appealing to grab her readers, but the illustrations inside are beautifully drawn with detail that reminds one of The Spiderwick Chronicles.
Wells’s Eddie Red Undercover: Mystery on Museum Mile will become a favorite for young adults because “Eddie Red” is über awesome.
**Note: My copy of this book is an uncorrected proof which I won in a Goodreads’s giveaway.
May 24, 2015
Our local uber-indie bookstore in Wichita, KS, Watermark Books held an Event for Middle School Educators to meet authors and hear about their books. I was especially intrigued with Marcia Wells' "Eddie Red Undercover: Mystery on Museum Mile" when she told me that #1--she wrote it for reluctant readers (boys) #2--the main character is an excellent artist with a photographic memory and #3--the mystery involves an impending heist at NYC art museums. I bought the book and read it over just a few nights. I am an elementary art teacher and I think this book would be excellent for 4th and 5th graders.
Wells also told us she is nominated for the "Oscar for Mystery Award Writers"--The Edgar Prize for Best Juvenile book, which will be awarded this coming Wednesday, April 29, 2015. I will be rooting for her to win. The book has great voice and Edmund Xavier Lonnrot (Eddie Red) and his also gifted buddy, Jonah think outside the box to intuit where the next art heist will take place.
I had never heard of the Edgar Awards before, so did a little sleuthing of my own ala internet. Named for Edgar Allen Poe, the Edgars are awarded each year by the Mystery Writers of America, One of my favorite mystery authors, Rex Stout of the Nero Wolfe series, was given the Grand Master award in 1959, the third year it was awarded. I found a kinship between Edmund, Archie Goodwin and Nero Wolfe through the New York City locales and the fun-to-read dialogue.
Wells also told us she is nominated for the "Oscar for Mystery Award Writers"--The Edgar Prize for Best Juvenile book, which will be awarded this coming Wednesday, April 29, 2015. I will be rooting for her to win. The book has great voice and Edmund Xavier Lonnrot (Eddie Red) and his also gifted buddy, Jonah think outside the box to intuit where the next art heist will take place.
I had never heard of the Edgar Awards before, so did a little sleuthing of my own ala internet. Named for Edgar Allen Poe, the Edgars are awarded each year by the Mystery Writers of America, One of my favorite mystery authors, Rex Stout of the Nero Wolfe series, was given the Grand Master award in 1959, the third year it was awarded. I found a kinship between Edmund, Archie Goodwin and Nero Wolfe through the New York City locales and the fun-to-read dialogue.
June 17, 2016
Very much looking forward to discussing this with 3rd-5th graders in July for our book group.
It was delightful to have such a diverse main character whose family is so connected to their African ancestry (I'd love more on that - but it'll be a great discussion point, as many of the participants in our group have immigrant parents who may be very similar to Edmund's parents).
I enjoyed the photographic memory aspect as well - haven't read a mystery with a character of that ability since Cam Jansen (which, I hate to compare this book to, because it's so much stronger).
I was extremely mistaken about certain aspects of my previous review of this book, and was contacted by the author to set the record straight, something I appreciate more than I was probably able to communicate to her in my message back. I'd like to, here, thank Marcia Wells for so eloquently and politely correcting me, and apologize to those of you who may have read my previous review and been influenced by my false impression of two occurrences in the book. I feel like a very bad librarian for my comments, but am glad to be contacted by Marcia Wells.
It was delightful to have such a diverse main character whose family is so connected to their African ancestry (I'd love more on that - but it'll be a great discussion point, as many of the participants in our group have immigrant parents who may be very similar to Edmund's parents).
I enjoyed the photographic memory aspect as well - haven't read a mystery with a character of that ability since Cam Jansen (which, I hate to compare this book to, because it's so much stronger).
I was extremely mistaken about certain aspects of my previous review of this book, and was contacted by the author to set the record straight, something I appreciate more than I was probably able to communicate to her in my message back. I'd like to, here, thank Marcia Wells for so eloquently and politely correcting me, and apologize to those of you who may have read my previous review and been influenced by my false impression of two occurrences in the book. I feel like a very bad librarian for my comments, but am glad to be contacted by Marcia Wells.
August 30, 2014
This is a fun, adventure-filled middle grade mystery. Eddie Red has a photographic memory. His father has been laid off from his library job and Eddie will have to leave his wonderful, expensive, private school unless he can earn the money for the tuition. Fortunately, when Eddie draws a perfect picture of a fleeing suspect he's hired to help the police. But the last thing Detective Bovano wants on his special task force is a kid. Eddie knows he has to figure out who the suspects are and what they plan to steal if he's going to earn the bonus money needed for his tuition. The only problem is that Detective Bovano won't tell him anything. Eddie is on his own.
What I liked the most about this book was that Eddie and his friends were total kids. The way they figure things out and the solutions they come up with were true to their characters. They weren't mini adults and adults didn't tell them what to do. A good read and I look forward to more of Eddie's adventures.
What I liked the most about this book was that Eddie and his friends were total kids. The way they figure things out and the solutions they come up with were true to their characters. They weren't mini adults and adults didn't tell them what to do. A good read and I look forward to more of Eddie's adventures.
July 5, 2014
A fairly good story with an interesting "twist", Eddie Red has a photographic memory. He only needs to look at someone once and he can recall the details accurately enough to draw a picture of them. I'm sure my students will enjoy reading this story. There is, however, one "problem" I had with it. Not sure how to explain it, maybe it's because I spent 20 years in the military, maybe it's because of the way I raised my sons, maybe it's something else altogether. But, I have some difficulty accepting characters who knowingly disobey, or disregard, direction given by adults. Eddie Red is one of these kids. There are so many things he is told NOT to do and yet he does them anyway. I find engaging with these characters difficult. As a result, I'm not sure whether or not I'll read the next offering in the series.
December 3, 2015
This was nicely written. Goodness knows we need some decent mystery series. The genre got swamped by fantasy after Harry Potter...and I love HP but this is still true. It is also great that the hero detective is a person of color. He is portrayed as a person of color on the cover, but it is a small part of the cover. I guess it is some improvement....
The kid is very kidlike. He wants an active part of the investigation even when the cop tries to protect him. He also can't resist pushing those fascinating buttons in cop cars.....fun reading. Recommended for kids, especially boys.
The kid is very kidlike. He wants an active part of the investigation even when the cop tries to protect him. He also can't resist pushing those fascinating buttons in cop cars.....fun reading. Recommended for kids, especially boys.
July 26, 2016
Edmund Lonnrot is your typical sixth-grader at school, but very non-typical in that he has photographic memory, is a gifted artist, and works undercover for the police! In his first case, Edmund (code name Eddie Red), must help the NYPD solve an art theft in order to pay for next year's tuition to his private school. Can he do it? Wells wrote the series to interest young and I believe she's succeeded. There is plenty of middle school angst, bullying issues, and a budding interest in the opposite sex sprinkled in to keep the story realistic.
September 20, 2016
This was a pleasant little surprise! I wasn't expecting much from a middle grade mystery, particularly one where an 11-year-old gets hired by the police, but it was really fun. I love Edmund's voice--it's got the humor and sarcasm I love, but is appropriate for younger readers. I like the quirky side characters: his hyper best friend and odd-couple parents are my favorites. Officer Bovano is a LITTLE too cliche for me to really like him, but Edmund's descriptions of him and interactions with him are pretty hilarious. Kids will like the inclusion of Edmund's drawings, as well.
July 24, 2017
Edmund has a photographic memory. After becoming a witness to a stabbing/after a robbery, Eddie gets a job to watch and remember the Picasso Gang. He's up against a stubborn cop leading the investigation that won't share info and possibly not paying for his private school. I really enjoyed the age appropriate problems, the sketches and that he is an African-American main character. Bullying, don't see stabbing, but one officers is shot, fears of possible death, bully refers to friend as girlfriend in mocking way. For tweens to teens, no swearing
April 1, 2018
This was quite the fun, fast read. I enjoyed all the humorous interactions and dialogue between Eddie (or Edmund as he prefers to be called), and his best friend Jonah. The terrific illustrations were an added bonus that really helped bring the story alive for me. I would definitely recommend this to students looking for a book with lots of mystery and adventure.
October 25, 2016
Eddie Red undercover is full of twists and turns. It is in the point of view of a child but it involves pretty serious action. Eddie has a photographic memory. Once he snaps a picture in his mind he can draw it perfectly. He gets a job at the police office. Solving crime with his friends and his mind.
Want to read
July 5, 2014The main character's friend has AD(H)D.
December 26, 2014
A fun, fast read. I would highly recommend to 6th and 7th graders. Great for figurative language, plot, and characterization.
February 19, 2016
Great fun read. I'm glad it's a series and enjoyed the fact that the main character is African-American.
October 29, 2016
Nice. Fun and easy to read. Would easily recommend to the 4th grade crowd.
December 21, 2021
Oh my gosh, I rarely gush over the voice in a middle grade novel, but this was the BEST! We fell in love with Edmund's voice on the very first page and devoured this book. It's a bit older, published in 2015, but I'm gifting it to myself as a mentor text for my middle grade writing, it's that good.
Twelve-year-old Edmund just happens to be outside the ice cream shop, where his father broke the bad news that he's going to have to look for a new job and pull Edmund out of his beloved private school, Senate, when there's a call for help in a nearby alley.
His father responds, and Edmund hides under a bench, but he sees everything that happens next. Literally. He has an eidectic memory, or the ability to recall images with a high degree of accuracy after only a brief exposure to them. He can also draw them with stunning accuracy.
Which the New York Police Department, specifically Chief Williams, quickly discovers and recruits Edmund to the force. In return, he'll get paid enough to stay at his precious Senate school.
Edmund's paired with the gruff, skeptical Det. Bovano while staking out different places around town. He's asked to draw pictures of the people who pass by. But Bovano doesn't fill Edmund in on who he's looking for, so Edmund does a little snooping of his own, and discovers Bovano's in pursuit of an art heist gang, called the Picasso Gang.
He can't do it all on his own, and he makes a series of mistakes I won't detail becaue I don't want to spoi the mystery. But in the end, with help from his best friend, Jonah, the boys figure out where and when the next heist is to take place and thwart it.
This was a great mystery, and a series I look forward to reading more of in the new year! It will make a great gift, even if it has to be bought used (I'd love to see a new edition of this come out!). Enjoy!
Looking for more book suggestions for your 7th/8th grade classroom and students?
Visit my blog for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com/
Twelve-year-old Edmund just happens to be outside the ice cream shop, where his father broke the bad news that he's going to have to look for a new job and pull Edmund out of his beloved private school, Senate, when there's a call for help in a nearby alley.
His father responds, and Edmund hides under a bench, but he sees everything that happens next. Literally. He has an eidectic memory, or the ability to recall images with a high degree of accuracy after only a brief exposure to them. He can also draw them with stunning accuracy.
Which the New York Police Department, specifically Chief Williams, quickly discovers and recruits Edmund to the force. In return, he'll get paid enough to stay at his precious Senate school.
Edmund's paired with the gruff, skeptical Det. Bovano while staking out different places around town. He's asked to draw pictures of the people who pass by. But Bovano doesn't fill Edmund in on who he's looking for, so Edmund does a little snooping of his own, and discovers Bovano's in pursuit of an art heist gang, called the Picasso Gang.
He can't do it all on his own, and he makes a series of mistakes I won't detail becaue I don't want to spoi the mystery. But in the end, with help from his best friend, Jonah, the boys figure out where and when the next heist is to take place and thwart it.
This was a great mystery, and a series I look forward to reading more of in the new year! It will make a great gift, even if it has to be bought used (I'd love to see a new edition of this come out!). Enjoy!
Looking for more book suggestions for your 7th/8th grade classroom and students?
Visit my blog for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com/
September 6, 2021
Meh. This one is around two stars for me, rounded up because it is a first book and first books always have bugs to work out. In writing my review, I realized that no, this one for me is two stars.
The story is OK, though the underlying premise stretches credulity to the breaking point. But, it's a fiction book and so I chose to suspend disbelief. After that, there are many interesting points, but also many places where the story drags.
For me, the bigger hurdles were:
>the über-this, über-that, über-everything else
-as a German speaker, I kept thinking 'you keep using that word... I do not think it means what you think it means'. Actually I KNOW that it does not mean what Wells, through Edmund, claims it means
-Ms. Wells please note über means 'above' if you are looking for 'very' you need 'sehr'
-very annoying and incredibly easy to figure out on the quickest of google searches
>More importantly, this book is incredibly male and the role of women/girls in the book is almost worse than not including them at all. The women are:
-mother
-potential love interest for Eddie
-secretary
-
-I was wondering how a female author in the 21st Century could write this type of gender-binary, stereotyped female character, but then I saw in the acknowledgements that this same author thanked her family for tolerating 'microwave meals' while she was working on her book, because what? her adult husband is unable and unwilling to cook???
OK, in writing this review, I realized that i) the book is really a two-star read, so I am changing my rating, especially because ii) if I leave three stars then GR will insist on saying 'since you liked this book...' every time I open my home page. It will really irritate me if that happens, so I need to change back to two stars.
The story is OK, though the underlying premise stretches credulity to the breaking point. But, it's a fiction book and so I chose to suspend disbelief. After that, there are many interesting points, but also many places where the story drags.
For me, the bigger hurdles were:
>the über-this, über-that, über-everything else
-as a German speaker, I kept thinking 'you keep using that word... I do not think it means what you think it means'. Actually I KNOW that it does not mean what Wells, through Edmund, claims it means
-Ms. Wells please note über means 'above' if you are looking for 'very' you need 'sehr'
-very annoying and incredibly easy to figure out on the quickest of google searches
>More importantly, this book is incredibly male and the role of women/girls in the book is almost worse than not including them at all. The women are:
-mother
-potential love interest for Eddie
-secretary
-
-I was wondering how a female author in the 21st Century could write this type of gender-binary, stereotyped female character, but then I saw in the acknowledgements that this same author thanked her family for tolerating 'microwave meals' while she was working on her book, because what? her adult husband is unable and unwilling to cook???
OK, in writing this review, I realized that i) the book is really a two-star read, so I am changing my rating, especially because ii) if I leave three stars then GR will insist on saying 'since you liked this book...' every time I open my home page. It will really irritate me if that happens, so I need to change back to two stars.
June 20, 2020
Eddie Red Undercover: Mystery on Museum Mile by Marcia Wells is a 4-6th grade juvenile fiction novel about a smart kid who teams up with the police to catch art thieves.
Sixth grader Edmund, aka Eddie Red, has a photographic memory and some really great art skills, which makes him the perfect tool for the NYPD to use to catch a renowned group of art thieves called the Picasso Gang. But not everyone is as thrilled as Eddie is to be working with the police.
As Eddie continues to work the case, he and his genius best friend dig themselves in deeper and may find themselves in a whole lot of trouble.
This was a fun, quick read that will be an easy one for my 4-6th grade book club. It is perfect for mystery and action readers alike. It is also the first book in a series, which parents are always looking for when trying to get their kids to read more.
One of the things I love about this book is that Eddie doesn't get all full of himself once he starts working with the police. He openly admits that he is scared and he has the same flaws any kid would have--he's short, skinny, sometimes awkward, has to deal with bullies and school work, and a budding interest in girls that makes his hands sweat and his stomach knot. I think this is great for a middle grade read. Relatable characters that are still extraordinary are some of my favorites.
I also think the artwork inserted here and there throughout the book adds a nice touch. And for the budding artists out there, there is a short face drawing tutorial at the end.
Overall, this was a good read for 4-6th graders and though not super deep, should be a decent one for discussion. This one gets 4 stars from me.
Sixth grader Edmund, aka Eddie Red, has a photographic memory and some really great art skills, which makes him the perfect tool for the NYPD to use to catch a renowned group of art thieves called the Picasso Gang. But not everyone is as thrilled as Eddie is to be working with the police.
As Eddie continues to work the case, he and his genius best friend dig themselves in deeper and may find themselves in a whole lot of trouble.
This was a fun, quick read that will be an easy one for my 4-6th grade book club. It is perfect for mystery and action readers alike. It is also the first book in a series, which parents are always looking for when trying to get their kids to read more.
One of the things I love about this book is that Eddie doesn't get all full of himself once he starts working with the police. He openly admits that he is scared and he has the same flaws any kid would have--he's short, skinny, sometimes awkward, has to deal with bullies and school work, and a budding interest in girls that makes his hands sweat and his stomach knot. I think this is great for a middle grade read. Relatable characters that are still extraordinary are some of my favorites.
I also think the artwork inserted here and there throughout the book adds a nice touch. And for the budding artists out there, there is a short face drawing tutorial at the end.
Overall, this was a good read for 4-6th graders and though not super deep, should be a decent one for discussion. This one gets 4 stars from me.
December 28, 2017
Edmund Xavier Lonnrot has photographic memory and he's a skilled artist. That comes in handy when he and his dad witness a knife attack in the park. Edmund wows the detective at the police station with his detailed sketch of the suspect. The police offer Edmund a job. They need him to work undercover at some of the museums on Museum Mile in New York to help catch an internationl art thief. His undercover name: Eddie Red.
It's not every 6th-grader that gets to work undercover with the police. At first Eddie loves his job, but it gets boring pretty quickly and it gets harder to keep up with his homework and the case is going to be shut down if they don't find the thief soon. Eddie decides to take things in his own hands to solve the mystery and almost gets his detective boss killed.
A fun mystery in an interesting setting. I think kids ages 8 to 12 would enjoy this book.
It's not every 6th-grader that gets to work undercover with the police. At first Eddie loves his job, but it gets boring pretty quickly and it gets harder to keep up with his homework and the case is going to be shut down if they don't find the thief soon. Eddie decides to take things in his own hands to solve the mystery and almost gets his detective boss killed.
A fun mystery in an interesting setting. I think kids ages 8 to 12 would enjoy this book.
September 14, 2017
Sixth grader Edmund Lonnrot has a gift that the NYPD want to utilize: he has both a photographic memory AND the ability to draw what he sees.
The NYPD is desperate to solve a case, so they call on Eddie to be a "camera" and to draw who he sees at the museums where he's posted. Eagerness to solve the crime and make enough money to stay at his school for gifted kids causes him to take stupid risks and raises the suspense level for readers.
An excellent voice, good plot and good sense of pacing make this a great read for 4th grade and up. Read in preparation for OBOB2018.
The NYPD is desperate to solve a case, so they call on Eddie to be a "camera" and to draw who he sees at the museums where he's posted. Eagerness to solve the crime and make enough money to stay at his school for gifted kids causes him to take stupid risks and raises the suspense level for readers.
An excellent voice, good plot and good sense of pacing make this a great read for 4th grade and up. Read in preparation for OBOB2018.
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