Sunday, August 11, 2013

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

11 year old Claudia's parents don't appreciate her nearly enough.  So, she decides to run away.  Not for long of course, she only wants to teach her family a lesson in Claudia appreciation.  Claudia also isn't a girl who would go somewhere without a plan, so she plans.  She plans to save money, bring her younger brother because he has money, and most importantly, stay at the Metropolitan Museum of Art while she is away.  When she finds a statute at the Met that she falls in love with, she decides she must stay until she learns the maker of it, a fact that has eluded even the best of the experts.  After all, Claudia is tired of being the perfect straight-A student and yearns for an adventure.  Her search leads her to Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler.  When  Claudia and her brother come back, it is most certainly her, not her parents who have learned the most.

There are very few books that I would re-read.  From the Mixed-up Files is definitely one of them.  It is a book that holds your attention, is well written (it won a Newbery Medal), and almost anyone could enjoy.  Because of the size of the book (162 pages) I'd recommend it to kids ages 8-12.  However, I think someone of any age could enjoy this book, and I definitely think it would make a great read aloud.  If you liked it, I would recommend the Lemonade War series by Jacqueline Davies. Happy reading, Little New Yorker!