Steal Back the Mona Lisa!
Kindergarten-Grade 2–Jack was asleep, but something wakes him up. Jack has a mission. But what is it? What looks like a flying radio has advised him to recover the famous painting, which has been stolen by two crooked crooks who seem to want nothing more than to paint a mustache on her. This story draws inspiration from spy stories and old-time radio serials. It's full of secret-agent gadgets, rhetorical questions, and some outrageously dangerous situations. The comic illustrations, done with acrylic paints, strike an effective balance between mock gravity and overt silliness. The plot may be the book's weakest part. As the events unfold, they verge on seeming random rather than inspired. While some readers may be amused, others will be confused. An interesting endnote describes an actual theft of the Mona Lisa. All in all, a fun but nonessential purchase.–Lauralyn Persson, Wilmette Public Library, ILCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.