E.L. Konigsburg

Run away to the Metropolitan Museum of Art with E. L. Konigsburg’s beloved classic and Newbery Medal­–winning novel From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler—now available in a deluxe keepsake edition! Claudia knew that she could never pull off the old-fashioned kind of running away…so she decided to run not from somewhere but to somewhere. That was how Claudia and her brother, Jamie, ended up living in the Metropolitan Museum of Art—and right in the middle of a mystery that made headlines. Celebrate the legacy of the Newbery Medal–winning classic with this special edition.

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

Sarah Sammis

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by EL Konigsburg won the 1968 Newbery medal. Claudia Kincaid decides she's had enough of her routine filled life and decides to runaway to a museum. She enlists the aid of her brother Jamie, mostly because he's good with money and has more than any of her other brothers.

After settling in to their new routine of living in the museum and taking tours with different school groups, the children begin to feel the need for something more. The museum obliges their wish with a beautiful and mysterious angel statue. The museum believes it to be the work of Michelangelo but as it was bought at auction without papers, they can't be completely sure. Claudia decides it is her calling to learn the truth of Angel's provenance.

All the while, there is Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler who is explaining and commenting on the Kincaids' adventures. How she relates to the adventure in the museum and the mystery of Angel is a big part of the fun of this novel.

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler often elicits exclamations of fond memories from many of my friends. I have to admit that my recent car trip where I listened to the book on CD was my first time. I'm sorry I waited so long.

I probably would have read it in my childhood except for a well meaning but misguided school librarian. My best friend's sister who was briefly in the same elementary school as us (before she moved onto junior high) checked out the book. The librarian knowing full well that she had two young taggers along (in the form of her sister and me) warned her not to let either of us read the book until we were old enough. She gave this warning in a whisper which I suspect was purposely loud enough for us to hear. Now maybe she was trying reverse psychology on us — and I know my best friend promptly read the book right after her sister finished with it.

But I took her warning as being deadly serious. I didn't read the book even when I was in the upper grades. I was afraid of getting in trouble — which strikes me as odd since I found plenty of other ways to get in trouble at school back then. But somehow pissing off the librarian had put the fear of I don't know what into me.

What changed? Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick — that's what. In the afterword, he explains that he put a bunch of homages to the book in his novel. I decided it was time to rectify my ignorance of the book and read it.

As I listened, I tried to figure out what had caused the librarian to warn against first or second graders reading the book. I think it was Claudia's rant about doped up chocolate bars. Of course just as her concerns went right over Jamie's head, so did the whole thing go over my kids' heads. It probably would have gone over my head too back then. In other words, I should have read the book as a kid.

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs Basil E.Frankweiler

i read this in one night when i was in maybe 3rd grade and it changed my life

eris

Jeannette Ordas

Can I just say that kid books set in NYC are my favourites? This is so good and such an adventure. It even taught me the value of secrets. If I had read this as a kid, I'd be stuffing my viola case with underwear and planning my own secret trip.

Ryan LaFerney

E. L. Konigsburg’s 1967 book “From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler,” is a children's fiction classic. Written over fifty years ago, author E.L. Konigsburg's children’s literature classic highlighted the wonder of museums, and in particular, art museums. The popularity of Konigsburg's novel created a resurgence in museum attendance nationwide and ushered in a new era of museum security. You see, the central conceit (imagery) that the novel evokes is that of children running away to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and living within its galleries.

Feeling unappreciated by her parents and bored with her orderly, straight-A existence, Claudia Kinkaid wants to go on an adventure and teach her parents a lesson. She is nearly twelve when she decides to run away from her home in suburban Connecticut. Being practical, she chooses a comfortable destination--New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art--and a thrifty traveling companion, her nine-year-old brother Jamie. Like Home Alone 2, Claudia and Jamie find out that New York is a great place to hideout. No one notices no one.

After careful planning, Claudia and Jamie arrive at the museum, hiding from the guards in the rest rooms, sleeping on priceless beds, and bathing in the fountain. But when a statue of an angel, rumored to be a possible Michelangelo, is given to the museum, Claudia decides they must solve the mystery. Their search leads them to the statue's original owner, eccentric Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, who narrates the story in a peppery letter to her lawyer. Mrs. Frankweiler both solves the mystery and helps Claudia understand why the secret of the statue is so important to her. 

The novel reads as if we were watching a Wes Anderson film (In the director’s commentary for The Royal Tenenbaums DVD, Wes Anderson says the book inspired him to construct a mini-museum in a bank for Margot and Richie to “run away to.” Come on, Wes, make an adaptation). Konigsburg's novel is smart, quirky, and a pure delight (hence the comparison to Anderson films). The quest for the sculptor's identity is bound inextricably with Claudia's own search for self. The mystery is complicated, but the voice of Mrs. Frankweiler allows the author to clarify without ever seeming to lecture. An unusual choice for a children's-book narrator, 82-year-old Mrs. Frankweiler makes a precise and witty storyteller. She even saves one delicious secret for the very end that ties the story together nicely.

The novel has historical ties as well. According to the Smithsonian, "In October 1965, Konigsburg found specific inspiration—one that set the mystery at the heart of the book in motion. At the time, the New York art world was obsessed with the question of whether a sculpture purchased by the Met for $225 was actually a work by Leonardo da Vinci. (It is now believed to be a da Vinci from 1475.) Konigsburg reimagined the statue as “Angel,” the could-be-a-Michelangelo that captures Claudia’s imagination and leads her to the mansion of the titular Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler."(https://www.smithsonianmag.com/histor...). Additionally, Konigsburg was influenced by her own children to write this classic novel.

Sadly, the novel's illustrations have not aged well but do not let that persuade you from reading this wonderful novel.

linda

Rick Dobrowolski

This is another book that I read through with my kids. It works great as a read aloud book. The story was entertaining, simple, and short. It also had enough plot twists to keep it interesting. The main characters were excellently written. Quite often I find myself reading books with children as main characters who act more like adults than children. This book was not one of those. The kids actually behave like kids.

Caitlin Snyder

I loved this book just as much as the first time I listened to it - it was the first audiobook I ever listened to (and it was on tape!).

Maria

книжка детская, но вполне милая. только очень грустно от невозможности посидеть в египетском крыле метрополитена, повтыкать в людей на катке рокфеллер-центра или прогуляться до публичной библиотеки на 42-ой улице в обозримом будущем

Chris Aldrich

I read half of this in my youth, but somehow never finished it. Now decades later, I've come back to finish it off.

soph

Having run away with her younger brother to live in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, twelve-year-old Claudia strives to keep things in order in their new home and to become a changed person and a heroine to herself.

From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

Tiffanie Dang

This was my first time reading this book, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Both Claudia and Jamie, who are kids, not only act like kids, but are believable ones at that. I loved all the themes that were explored in this short book and of course, that there were pictures. I wrote an essay on this for VCFA and am so glad I read it. It’s no wonder than Konigsburg won the Newbery Medal for this and received a Newbery Honor for another one of her books the same year. Then, 30 years later, she won another Newbery Medal for yet another one of her books. This book is a tour de force!

Aly Valenz

I was given this book in 2006, But I didn’t get around to reading it until now. I probably would’ve really really really loved this book if I read it sooner. But better late than never. It was very interesting and it kept me going the only reason it took so long was because I accidentally missed placed it. Very good read.

Chelsea Breher

It was recommended that I read this by a coworker so I borrowed it and read it in one sitting. It's a great kids chapter book and made me want to run away and live in a Museum 😂

New York City girl Claudia, a mere month shy of being a twelve-year-old, has resolved to run away from home with her younger brother, Jamie. She knows that she could never pull off the classic spur-of-the-moment departure without a destination (inevitably involving having to eat outside with the insects, and cupcakes melting in the sun); so she plans everything to perfection, including their destination: the grand, elegant, beautiful, all-encompassing Metropolitan Museum of Art. However, no sooner have Claudia and Jamie settled into their new home, than they are caught up in the mystery of an angel statue bought by the museum for the bargain price of $225. Is it in fact an as yet undiscovered work by Michelangelo, worth millions? Claudia is determined to find out, and her quest leads her to the remarkable, secretive Mrs. Frankweiler, who sold the statue to the museum - and to some equally remarkable discoveries about herself. Since its first appearance nearly 50 years ago, The Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler has gained a place in the hearts of generations of readers - and has rightly become one of the most celebrated and beloved children's books of all time.

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

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