The Mona Lisa Vanishes by Nicholas Day, illustrated by Brett Helquist, 2023
Recommended for grades 6-12
Non-fiction, Mystery
On August 21, 1911, a man walked out of the Louvre art museum in Paris with a painting hidden under his coat. Despite the fact that this was the time and birthplace of forensic science, law enforcement had few clues and no suspects. It took over two years for the Mona Lisa to return to the Louvre, and in that time, it became the most famous painting in the world. Interspersed with the story of the high-profile investigation, this book describes the life and times of Leonardo da Vinci and the sequence of events that led to him painting the Mona Lisa. It also relates the limited biographical information we have of Lisa Gherardini, the subject of the painting. Da Vinci is described as a genius with a serious procrastination problem and an inability to follow through with his commitments. The appraisal is historically accurate, but the author’s choice of words is humorous, as is his frequent reiteration that “Michelangelo was a jerk.” (His contemporaries and art historians are all in agreement on that fact)
This well-researched YA-oriented nonfiction book provides readers with a wealth of information not only on one historical event and the contextual information about two different eras, but also on the history of detective fiction, forensic science, and some aspects of art history. It also makes some interesting philosophical points by contrasting da Vinci’s unique perspective and thought process with that of the brilliant investigators who failed to solve the theft of the Mona Lisa centuries later. Thanks to short chapters, light-hearted prose that frequently addresses the reader directly, and lots of illustrations, this book feels like a much lighter read than it actually is. Recommended for adults as well as for teens and tweens.
Librarian Magdalena 