Jackie and the Mona Lisa

Written by Deborah Rovin Murphy

Illustrated by Jen Bricking

Sleeping Bear Press, 2022. Biography.

This is an inspiring story of how First Lady, Jacqueline Kennedy went about organizing the first public showing in America of the famous painting, the Mona Lisa. Mrs. Kennedy loved art and during her time as First Lady, she worked hard to restore the White House and fill it with historical artifacts. Her plan was to have the White house be a venue for art shows, concerts, dance recitals, and more.

This is the story of how she arranged to bring a 450-year-old art piece, the Mona Lisa, to America. After a lot of negotiations with the French government she was able to arrange for the Mona Lisa to travel by Boat from France to America to be displayed in two American museums. When the French public found out that their beloved painting was traveling so far they were very worried but the American people couldn't wait for the chance to see the beloved French masterpiece by Leonardo da Vinci.

This story that has almost been forgotten, inspired me to want to read and learn more about First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy. A perfect story for any art lovers or lovers of history.

Comments

If You Like...KPop Demon Hunters

KPop Demon Hunters has been one of the most talked-about movies of the summer. If you loved this movie as much as I did, you don't want the magic (or the music) to stop. Try reading these books that touch on some of the same topics and themes as the animated hit! Brick Dust and Bones By M. R. Fournet New York: Feiwel and Friends, 2023. Fiction. 247 pages. Orphaned Marius works in the family business--as their cemetery's ghost caretaker. However, Marius also moonlights as a monster hunter in order to earn the costly Mystic currency he needs to bring his mother back from the dead. As the window to bring his mother back begins to close, Marius's exploits get more and more dangerous, and he may have set his sights on a monster too big to handle on his own. Like Mira, Marius longs for familial connection, and his work as a monster hunter will satisfy the thrill of demon hunting for fans the movie. Where's Halmoni? By Julie J. Kim Seattle, WA: Little Bigfoot, 2017. Comics. W...

Five Faves: New Dragon Chapter Books for Middle Grade

As a kid I was OBSESSED (all caps!) with dragons. Dragons can be scary, majestic, loyal, greedy, but what they all have in common is how fun they are to read about! Check out the dragon books below for some fun new reads! Dad Rock Dragon Quest Written by Joan Reardon New York : Aladdin, 2025. Fiction. 342 pgs. Dad Rock Dragon Quest follows 12-year-old aspiring rockstar Zadie Drake, whose summer plans to bond with her super cool, if sometimes absent, daredevil park ranger dad get complicated when her mom’s boring new boyfriend tags along. After they arrive at her dad’s cabin, a poacher kidnaps her dad’s ice-breathing dragon, revealing her dad's secret role protecting magical creatures and thrusting the family into a high-stakes rescue mission. Along the way, Zadie begins to rethink her relationships with both her father and her mom’s boyfriend. Dragonborn Written by Struan Murrya New York, NY : Dutton Children's Books, 2025. Fiction. 320 pgs. Dragonborn follows 1...

Review: The Picasso Curse

The Picasso Curse By Dan Gutman New York : Holiday House, 2025. Fiction. 183 pages. In this funny tale, Edwin Hodge visits the flea market with his parents all the time. Mostly he wanders around bored, but this week he decides to haggle his way into a "signed" Kobe Bryant poster (that the stall owner refuses to confirm is actually autographed) for $10. When he gets home and pulls it out of the frame he sees a random doodle in the frame behind the poster and rolls them both up to bring for show-and-tell. When his art teacher sees the doodle she speculates that it was created by Picasso, which Edwin's family later gets confirmed by art specialists. But when a string of terrible things begins happening to Edwin's family, he worries that he may be cursed. Dan Gutman, who is known for his My Weird School series, focuses for much of the book on why Edwin is making the decisions he's making, and gives kids ample opportunities to think through what they would do if the...

Provo Library Children's Book Blog

Search This Blog