Catherine recommends "The Mona Lisa Vanishes: A Legendary Painter, a Shocking Heist, and the Birth of a Global Celebrity"

If you go to the Louvre today, you would find an ever-present crowd in front of the Mona Lisa – one of the most famous paintings in the world. But at the beginning of the 20^th century, it was not particularly famous or important, and no one paid it much attention. That all changed in 1911, when someone stole the Mona Lisa. Around the world, people were suddenly fascinated by this painting and the numerous theories about who was behind the heist. This middle grade nonfiction book tells both the story of that heist, and the surprising story of how Leonardo da Vinci came to paint the Mona Lisa four hundred years earlier. At first glance, this may seem an unlikely topic for a middle grade audience, but this book has it all: it has mystery, conspiracies, so much humor, and fast pacing that will keep any reader – even adults – turning the pages. It is one of the best things I’ve read all year!

Children, ages 10 and up.