Eddie Red Undercover

May 5, 2014
A normal day turns into a life-changer for African-American New York City sixth-grader Eddie Red when he learns that his father's job loss means he can no longer attend private school. After Eddie witnesses a scuffle in an alley, the police, led by surly Detective Bovano, are impressed when Eddie uses his photographic memory to sketch the perpetrator perfectly. Promising wages and to fund Eddie's schooling, the police hires the 11-year-old to visit museums and identify disguised members of the Picasso Gang, art thieves wreaking havoc on Museum Mile. Since Detective Bovano won't release specific information on the long-open case or give him a weapon, Eddie taps the expertise of his highly intelligent, obsessive-compulsive best friend Jonah, who schemes alongside him. In Wells's lighthearted, voice-driven debut novel, first in a planned series, Eddie never truly seems in danger, but his audacity and persistence, a clever mystery that unfolds atmospherically, and Calo's sly pencil portraits result in a fun sleuthing story. Ages 9â12. Agent: Kristin Nelson, Nelson Literary.