'The best books, reviewed with insight and charm, but without compromise.'
- author Jackie French

Tuesday 22 February 2011

Review: Mademoiselle Lisa

Totally love a book with anything foreign inside - like visits to Paris. And also totally love a book that thinks, looks, acts and reads outside the fomulaic square.

Mademoiselle Lisa does all of the above. Nice.

When the Mona Lisa gets a tad tired of her role as the most-observed artwork in the world, she absconds. During a film at the cinema, she not realises popcorn can get itchy, but that she must go to America and seek her fortune.


But will her discoveries make her a happy abscondee?

Yes, yes they will.

Delphine Perret is my new favourite author. I love her creative processes. I love her clever, everyday use of the vernacular like 'comfy' and 'intense coffee brown no.4509' hair colour. I love her use of sudden, inexplicable, totally fun plot twists. I love her gorgeous illustrations and multimedia blendings. And I love what she does with the world-famous La Jaconde, who surely must be tired of being ogled at the Louvre.

I particularly love the fact that Perret puts the Mona Lisa in a blonde wig and gives her an addiciton to cowboy boots. And a boyfriend (Titian is looking fine).

Quirky, clever, fun, gorgeous. Ah, La Jacond, je t'aime.

Title: Mademoiselle Lisa
Author/Illustrator: Delphine Perret
Publisher: Black Dog Books, $14.99 RRP
Publication Date: October 2010
Format: Hard cover
ISBN: 9781742031620
For ages:
Type: Picture Book