Wednesday, February 7, 2024

The Mona Lisa Vanishes by Nicholas Day and Brett Helquist - ADVISABLE

The Mona Lisa Vanishes by Nicholas Day, with art by Brett Helquist
. 276 pages. NON-FICTION Random House, 2023. $20.

Content: G 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

In 1911, the Mona Lisa was stolen from the Louvre museum in Paris. This theft made the Mona Lisa the most famous painting of them all. Author Nicholas Day switches back and forth between 1911 Paris and the 1400s as he tells about Leonardo da Vinci, Lisa Gherardini, the Medici family, and the lives of women in Renaissance Italy, as well as 20th century newspapers, early 1900's forensic investigations, what would seem like a bumbling cop, and the race to find this painting. 

A lot is going on in The Mona Lisa Vanishes, but Day has skillfully weaved his narrative nonfiction to keep the reader sitting on the edge of their seat. I love Brett Helquist's illustrations placed at the perfect times to give a sense of the clothing, the culture, and the story. A delightful read, the kids who like true crime will eat this up and learn a lot about Art and the Renaissance too. Lisa Librarian

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