The Eye That Never Sleeps / by Marissa Moss / published by Abrams / From award-winning author Marissa Moss comes the first children’s book about Allan Pinkerton, one of America’s greatest detectives. Everyone knows the story of Abraham Lincoln, but few know anything about the spy who saved him! Allan Pinkerton’s life changed when he helped the Chicago Police Department track down a group of counterfeiters. From there, he became the first police detective in Chicago and established the country’s most successful detective agency. He went on to solve more than 300 murders and recover millions of dollars in stolen money. However, his greatest contribution was protecting Abraham Lincoln on the way to his 1861 inauguration. Though assassins attempted to murder Lincoln en route, Pinkerton foiled their plot and brought the president safely to the capital. The Eye That Never Sleeps is illustrated with a contemporary cartoon style, mixing art and text in a way that appeals to readers of all ages. The book includes a bibliography and a timeline.

Publishers Weekly /// PW Best Books of 2019 /// Holmes (Secrets of the Dragon Tomb) employs a digital scratchboard technique for a woodcut look; the detailed illustrations invite detectivelike inspection, while the limited color palette and multi-paneled spreads evoke a graphic novel style . . . With a narrative that moves along effortlessly, his history of the company whose eyeball logo inspired the term “private eye” will keep aspiring sleuths hooked with its intrigue.

The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books The real deal for history enthusiasts.

School Library Connection Few young people, besides history or Lincoln buffs, may know about this page in Lincoln’s life, making the book a useful addition to libraries. Digitally rendered scratchboard illustrations on dusty purple, brown, and orange backgrounds effectively recreate the Victorian era.