Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliet

A quick listen kids book about two kids who get involved with a stolen Vermeer. The thief publicizes that the Vermeer has been stolen so that everyone would look at Vermeer’s work more closely and realize that some of the paintings attributed to him were probably done by others, imitating him. There are some good support characters and things – the interesting teacher that lets them explore different ideas pretty freely, the old gruff spinster, who becomes their friend, the pentanicles (sp?) that the boy is constantly playing with. It is a well constructed story with a lot of puzzle pieces coming together in the end. And I enjoy books about art. (listened Feb 2005)