Lincoln's Grave Robbers (Scholastic Focus)

Sheinkin does it again. He creates a vivid picture of a time and place while telling a story that most people have probably never heard before. I know this isn't something I had ever heard about before and I've read a lot about Abraham Lincoln. What isn't to love here, I mean, there are counterfeiters, jail breaks, and undercover agents. What kid wouldn't want to hear about that? The icing on the cake is that the story is true. The sad part is how Lincoln's body was treated after the attempted robberies. Hiding the casket behind a bunch of lumber in a back room?! I had to admire the caretaker's efforts to protect the body when so few were willing to help him. With plenty of excitement and enough twists and turns to satisfy most readers, Sheinkin once again presents readers with a great read. Highly recommended.

My 11 year old son found this book to me compelling and could not put the book down. Every summer we require our son to read one book a week and this one was read in 3 days. He thoroughly enjoyed it and is a fan of history. I am a Lincoln historian myself and found this book to be mostly accurate. There are a few issues but overall the book is well written and enjoyed by my son and I . Steve Sheinken did a superb job of capturing the characters is such a way that my son could not put the book down. But more importantly it sparked a conversation between my son and I about the events. He spend long hours discussing the events and why the people did what they did. Nice job Steve.

I read this book for a book club made up of adults ranging from 25-30 years old. The consensus was that, while we each enjoyed it to different degrees, it would be great for young adult readers. Sheinkin gave this historical episode, which could have proven quite dry, a voice that intrigued me and left me wanting to read more of his books. As a history teacher who doesn't like many young adult history-themed books, I will gladly recommend this to my students. Adult readers who are interested in wild, little-known events of history should also enjoy this quick read.

I had no idea that counterfeiters tried to steal Lincoln's body! Even for readers who already know about this amazing bit of historical trivia, this book will hold your attention and probably teach you something. Plus, it's a Texas Lone Star book which generally means it's a great choice for readers grades 6-9.

Steve Sheinkin's books are just *the best* for your slightly (or very) nerdy middle-grades kid. My daughter is picky about what she reads, and has devoured four of Steve's books, most recently this one. He really has a talent for taking off-the-beaten path historical events and making them really engaging; great writing, just enough weird and creepy details...perfect!! Keep it up, Steve!

The book was good visually. There were plenty of relevant pictures that really helped to understand the book. It accurately told the story of what happened. 3 stars though because you have to have a certain taste to enjoy the way it was written. At some points it seemed like you were reading an actual story, and then right before you know it, it switches to a more documentary type tone. It is like a show that has actual footage, and then a reenactment.

The year is 1865 and counterfeiting is rampant. Master engraver Ben Boyd has been arrested and this affects business in a very bad way. In order to spring Boyd, his buddies hatch a plot to steal Lincoln from his grave, hold his body for ransom and collect $200,000. Will this scheme work? Follow the conspirators, the Secret Service, and an undercover agent while learning about the Lincoln Monument, grave robbing, and the Presidential Election of 1976. This is a must read for junior and senior high school social studies classes. Includes photographs and glossary.

I liked that the book was about a famous person in history and things that actually happened but few people know.I didn't like the constant change in character stories. This made it confusing at times. I would recommend this book to a more mature teen,maybe 8th graders.