Art heist meets Parisian hijinks in Daisy and the Missing Mona Lisa by J.T. Allen.

Daisy Tannenbaum is 13 and staying with her aunt, who used to be a spy, in Paris. After some past adventures—this book is the third in a series—Daisy has become a bit of an amateur sleuth. When she’s gifted a copy of the Mona Lisa that was used to help fool the Nazis during WWII and it then goes missing, she and her friends jump into action to solve the mystery and regain the still-valuable art copy.

This book was a fun middle-grade read, though I found the peppering of slang used throughout off putting. The use of French throughout was explained upfront and was cleverly translated in the text, but the American slang, such as “cray-cray” and “peeps,” was not used consistently, plus these are not slang terms that my own middle-grade kids actually used, so felt contrived. It read like an adult attempting to sporadically sound like a tween. The story arc itself was fine but felt overly simplified. There’s so much that could have been explored more to increase the suspense. I wanted more from the art heist/rescue storyline.

The parent's verdict: A strong heroine, a Parisian/Loire setting, decent and unpatronising writing, and a smattering of French vocabulary and history - what's not to like?

The tween's verdict: It was fun and well written. The mystery was good, and you got used to the French after a while. I'd like to read the other books in the series.

Conclusion: Resounding approval all round.

A fun and educational read for middle graders everywhere! My son had some good questions after reading this book. Definitely recommend!

Daisy just keeps finding ways to get into (fun) trouble. This is book three of Daisy's adventures. This is a stand alone but it is highly recommended to read the first two installments also. Great adventure and fun characters. This is great fun for middle grade readers but as an adult I loved it also. Highly recommended.

I accessed a digital review copy of this book from the publisher.
This book follows Daisy as she deals with the mysteries and issues surrounding a forged Mona Lisa. Daisy spends most of her time in Paris with her Aunt Mill and is helped by her friends.
This was my first introduction to Daisy.
The book was quick and easy and the mystery was easy and fun. The author is detailed in their description of Daisy's surroundings.
One drawback was the endless directions included. I'm sure they are correct, however, they just bog down the story and I ended up skimming over them and skipping them most of the time. If they were included here and there only, it would have been better. There were also a lot of untranslated long strings of French. If they were shortened to short phrases and a word or two with translations by Daisy, then it would have been better. Despite this, the book was good and I can't wait to read more about Daisy.

This was a gem of book. My goal this year is read more middle grade stories. I love the Newbery Medal winners, and there is so much out there to delve into.

This was a fabulous choice for me.
I enjoyed the setting very much (I took years of French in high school and middle school, so this would be fun for kids in that range studying languages). The author throws in so much information and fun facts without being overwhelming. I learned a little bit more about the Mona Lisa's history and art in general.

This would also be a great group read at that age. Or a good story to read with a young children. Mystery, trouble, adventure, fun. Gives me some Sammy Keyes mystery vibes. BIG FAN

There were only a couple things that "threw" me. When the book began it felt as if the main character was much older, as in high school. Although this lessened after the first 2-3 chapters. And second, there was lots of talk of champagne/drinking. The setting is in France. But I tend to think of those middle grade ages not just 7-8th grade (pre-high schoolers)...but also those avid readers that are in grades 4-6. And while I can understand it being mentioned once, the frequency with which it is tossed in with the adults in the story isn't really necessary to setting atmosphere/tone/location.

I did start this series on this book; which may have been why the character felt older to me starting; as the author jumped right in (which is a GOOD thing, not enough authors do this). But this will make this a - "best read in order" type of book for your sheer enjoyment.

Unfortunately not for me. Also did not realize it was part of a series. I'll do better before requesting all willy-nilly.

A great read! The perfect mix of mystery and adventure. The protagonist was a great character full of life and curiosity - gave me memories of the character Madeline in the film, very cheeky, precocious, independent. Very enjoyable book

This was my first time reading one of Diasy's adventures. This new to me author didn't disappoint. Daisy is full of adventures. Even though she is only twelve she is mature for her age and helps to unravel the mystery of the missing portrait. It was a slow start for me, but once I got into it it was a fun read. I can't wait to share this with my young friends. I will also be recommending this to my middle school teacher friends to share with their class. I will be looking forward to more of her adventures.

Daisy and the Missing Mona Lisa
by J.T. Allen



#NetGalley #MiddleGradeMarch

This is book 3 in the Daisy Tannenbaum series. The story is set in Paris where Daisy is visiting her Aunt Mill for spring break. Twelve year old Daisy helps out Aunt Mill's friend Felix, with his art collection and he gifts her a painting of the Mona Lisa.

Said painting disappears and the mystery begins.

I liked Daisy and could relate as an American how difficult it would be to navigate getting around in the city since not everything is written out in English.

I liked Daisy's friend Lucia, the American teen model who was in Paris and helps Daisy out with the mystery.

I enjoyed the mystery, was grateful for the glossary in the back of the story, and would recommend this book to middle graders or anyone who enjoys middle grade mysteries.

I had not read the earlier books in the series but it did not hamper my enjoyment of this book.

thank you NetGalley, the author and publisher for the opportunity to read and honestly review this e arc.

recommended 3 1/2 ****

I am new to this series so I was a little behind some others, but quickly became entranced by the quick and precocious mc and her strange and fascinating family. I now need to read a litlle more about how this all came about. Daisy is a fun character without being obnoxious. Why do so many people confuse obnoxious and precocious? You don’t need to be both.

Thirteen-year old Daisy Tannenbaum, an American girl living in Paris and homeschooling with her Aunt Mill, takes a break from city life and spends two weeks staying in a remote French chateau with her aunt's friend, Felix. Among the historic items at the chateau is a famous replica of the Mona Lisa that was used as a decoy in WWII, and a dramatic series of events kicks off with Daisy and the Mona Lisa at the center. I won't say much more because I feel the official synopsis gives away too much.

Daisy and the Missing Mona Lisa was a fun read! Daisy is a smart, resourceful, clever protagonist and the ensemble of supporting characters are all lovable. The book takes awhile to establish the plot, but I didn't mind because it tells an interesting story as Daisy chronicles her adventures in Paris, at the chateau, and even exploring the Parisian fashion scene with her best friend, Lucia. While the events feel somewhat far-fetched at times, that's par for the course for a middle grades novel- the events have to be exceptional to be exciting! This book has some awkward use of Gen Z slang and sometimes goes into too much detail (I don't need the exact street directions to every place Daisy goes). However, it didn't detract too much from my enjoyment. This book was definitely a page turner and I finished it quickly.

I hadn't read the first two titles in this series before reading this book, but for the most part I didn't need to. Save for a few references to events in the first two books, this book can be easily understood as a standalone. I would be interested to read the first two books in the series. This is a fine choice for middle-grades readers and I would recommend it.

Thank you to J.T. Allen and Sumus Press for the free eARC of this book, which I received on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was my introduction to Miss Daisy Tennenbaum and the Daisy Tennenbaum series.
In this story, Daisy heads for a break in the Loire Valley to help her Aunts friend Felix, who is a former spy sort out his art collection. On her departure, Felix gives her a copy of the Mona Lisa, a very good forgery from WWII. When Felix dies, his relatives accused Daisy of theft, the painting goes missing and Daisy decides to get her painting back

This was an awesome quick and entertaining read. It was full of adventure and action, with a touch of danger and intrigue. This is the third book in the series, however, I was able to read and appreciate the story and characters without reading books one and two.

Thank you Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

An okay book for young children. Not very exciting for older young adults. Thank you for sending me this e-ARC.

The heroine in this story was just brilliant. My whole class throughly enjoyed listening to parts of this. All were keen to purchase as soon as possible. A really engaging book with some cool twists and turns.

Very interesting read! I loved reading Daisy's story with her knack for finding adventure there's never a full moment. Great setting and description and a cast full of badass women. Safe to say it's a YA James Bond with a female protagonist. Can't wait to see what Daisy gets up to next. Gorgeous cover too!

⭐⭐⭐⭐ -- Very cool cover on this one!

This was my introduction to the Daisy Tannenbaum series (and J.T. Allen), and it was a super cute middle grade read. It was well written and well paced. Held up well as a standalone. I adored the Paris setting. The plot was engaging, and had some heartfelt moments. The characters themselves were very likable. However, I do think Daisy and her friend's read like they were older than 12. (and 15?). I also thought the ending felt a little rushed, but overall this was a quick and entertaining read. I'll definitely keep my eyes out for the next in the series.

**ARC Via NetGalley**

Daisy and the Missing Mona Lisa is another book in the series A Daisy Tannenbaum Misadventure. It is the first I read, and its stands well on its own. It’s a fun and fast-paced read that should easily appeal to a young audience interested in history, art, travelling and languages. They’ll get to familiarise themselves with the French language and culture, as well as learn a few things about the Second World War. The author did a thorough job to offer detailed descriptions of the local areas, maybe a bit too detailed and descriptive at times to my taste though. Personally, I didn’t feel very invested in the story. At the end we learn that the author actually pitched Disney to make Daisy Tannenbaum into a movie. I think it would still be a good idea to see that through.

A good book to start off young kids into reading mysteries. I recommend this for 10 year old kids; for older kids, not so much.

The third Daisy Tannenbaum Misadventure finds Daisy traveling to a chateau to stay with Felix, a friend of her aunt's. When she goes to leave Felix gifts her a copy of the Mona Lisa they found while cleaning the chateau. Although her best friend Lucia, in town for fashion week, thinks it is the real deal, Daisy knows it is a good forgery made during WWII to fool the Nazis. Soon though, Felix dies and his relatives accuse Daisy of theft. When the painting then goes missing, Daisy decides to investigate to get her painting back.

There was less mystery here than I though there would be, but I really enjoyed it once Daisy got back to Paris with the painting (before that it was a little slow). I liked the plucky character of Daisy and I definitely want to go back and read the first two in this series. I'm looking forward to seeing what other misadventures Daisy has in the future!

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.