The Mona Lisa Vanishes

“[A] witty thriller.“ —The New York Times“One of the best books of 2023, bar none.” —Betsy Bird, School Library Journal Fuse #8 blog“The tale of a stunning art heist told with a contagious love of stranger-than-fiction true stories!” —Steve Sheinkin, Newbery Honor–winning author of Bomb “A thrilling, often hilarious, page-turning read.  Kids will devour it. I know I did.” —Candace Fleming, Sibert Honor–winning author of The Family Romanov★ “A multistranded yarn skillfully laid out in broad, light brush strokes with some cogent themes mixed in.“ —Kirkus Reviews, starred review★ ”A completely engaging book.“ —Booklist, starred review★ ”A wildly entertaining, thoroughly contextualized look at art, history, and fame.“ —Publishers Weekly, starred review“Helquist’s cartoonlike black-and-white illustrations do an excellent job of matching the narrative voice and bringing the book’s dramatic moments to life.“ —The Horn Book“The playful prose in direct address charmingly invites readers into a story that details everything from the stuffy gender roles of fifteenth-century Florence to a wildly inept police investigation to a rather deceitful and not at all admirable Pablo Picasso.“ —The Bulletin“An intriguing exploration of a significant yet little-known event.“ —School Library Journal

NICHOLAS DAY is the author of Baby Meets World, a work of narrative nonfiction for adults about the science and history of infancy, which Mary Roach called “a perfect book.” He has written regularly for Slate; his work has also appeared in the Atlantic, the New York Times, and the Washington Post, among other publications. He lives in Western Massachusetts with his family.

BRETT HELQUIST is the illustrator of classics such as A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket, The House of Bunnicula by James Howe, and books by Blue Balliet, including the New York Times bestselling Chasing Vermeer.