I’m happy to announce that I just published a new children’s book called The Eyemonger. I believe that this is the first work of children’s fiction about the topic of privacy.

In a faraway land, a stranger arrives with promises of greater security in exchange for sacrificing privacy. His name is The Eyemonger, and he has 103 eyes. With the help of flying eye creatures, he spies on everybody. But his plan soon starts to go wrong. His constant watching makes people feel uncomfortable and stifles their creativity. When people complain, The Eyemonger asks: “Do you have something to hide?” The Eyemonger eventually encounters an artist who resists his surveillance and teaches him an important lesson about the value of privacy.

The topic of privacy is rarely covered in children’s books. Written by the international privacy expert Daniel J. Solove, the Eyemonger discusses privacy in a way that children can understand. Ryan Beckwith’s rich and detailed illustrations create a fascinating gothic world of curiosity and wonder.

From Publisher’s Weekly:

Solove debuts in children’s literature with an age-appropriate, delightfully illustrated story concerned with issues of privacy. . . . Solove’s underlying theme and catchy rhymes sit perfectly on the cusp of children’s and middle-grade reading levels, and Beckwith’s eye-catching and brilliantly detailed illustrations will inspire young imaginations to soar. Solove’s background in privacy law is on clear display through the clever manipulation of the Eyemonger—who preaches “If you have nothing to hide you have nothing to fear”—until he at last understands that inspiration and creativity come to a standstill under his vigilance. . . . Beckwith’s evocative illustrations create a gaslit, vaguely steampunk mood that will remind readers of classic adventure tales even as the story takes on complex themes of consent and creativity. Despite the divergence from more traditional storybook lessons, the concept of government overreach presented in this uniquely cautionary fantasy will educate children and their caregivers as well.

Here are some pages from The Eyemonger:

Continue Reading