A true story about a story hiding the truth…
It’s 1911. The Mona Lisa, a little-known painting by an old artist, has vanished. As Nicholas Day tells it, it’s the best thing to happen to The Mona Lisa’s career.
Have a kid who loves non-fiction? Have a kid you’d like to get more into non-fiction? The Mona Lisa Vanishes: A Legendary Painter, A Shocking Heist, and the Birth of a Global Celebrity by Nicholas Day would be a great book to encourage an interest in the stories that happen all around us. Every detail of the theft of the Mona Lisa was interesting, especially told in Nicholas Day’s conversational voice. This book touches on art history, history of police investigation, the history of the Italian Renaissance, birth of newspapers, and so much more!
While I didn’t know what to expect from this book, I certainly didn’t expect how engaging this book was. It read like a story while staying firmly in the non-fiction realm (not historical fiction). Being engaging is good because the book is quite hefty. The shorter chapters that flip back and forth between the creation of painting and its theft were smart decisions by the author and will help a middle grade or young adult audience stay interested.
I also didn’t expect this book to have a message, but it certainly does. Day brings up how people often choose to believe lies over truth, fabulous stories over boring real life. While this message can be skated over by readers who just want to find out what happened, it would make great discussion for families or a class.
Bottom Line: The Mona Lisa Vanishes: A Legendary Painter, A shocking Heist, and the Birth of a Global Celebrity by Nicholas Day is non-fiction for middle grade or young adult readers who like compelling historical events or like to learn, told in a conversational tone. Great for discussion and/or to pair alongside early 20th century or Renaissance history.
I was impressed by this book too. It has a good message, like you said, and is a great way for young readers to step into non fiction.