The Second Mrs. Gioconda by E.L. Konigsburg

Length: 138 Pages, 22 Chapters

This book centers around Leonardo da Vinci's work in
Milan and the boy that he comes into contact with and offers him work as an apprentice. The boy's name is Salai and he is the direct opposite of Leonardo's character. Salai is a petty thief and is good at entertaining people around him especially Leonardo. One of the characters in the story is the Duke of Milan and the girl that he marries who he is not in love with because she is plain looking. Through Leonardo's and Salai's help the girl named Beatrice gets the Duke to fall in love with her by showing him her inner self and her appreciation for beauty and art around her. The book ends with the explanation of why da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa also known as The Second Mrs. Gioconda.