From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
Audiobook CD - 1995
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Age
Add Age Suitabilityorange_llama_57 thinks this title is suitable for between the ages of 11 and 8
red_dog_9187 thinks this title is suitable for between the ages of 9 and 12
blue_cheetah_4402 thinks this title is suitable for between the ages of 7 and 13
Quotes
Add a Quote"The greatest adventure lies not in running away but in looking inside, and the greatest discovery is not in finding out who made a statue but in finding out what makes you."
"Happiness is excitement that has found a settling down place, but there is always a little corner that keeps flapping around."
"The adventure is over. Everything gets over, and nothing is ever enough. Except the part you carry with you. It's the same as going on a vacation. Some people spend all their time on a vacation taking pictures so that when they get home they can show their friends evidence that they had a good time. They don't pause to let the vacation enter inside of them and take that home."
"Both Jamie and Claudia had acquired a talent for being near but never part of a group. (Some people, Saxonberg, never learn to do that all their lives, and some learn it all too well.)"
(End of chapter 4)
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Add a CommentFor kids
I don't know why I haven't read this book sooner!
A perfectly complex story, about two runaway children, who live in a Museum. On their journey, they discover a mystery of a statue, a childless grandmother, and a secret. A great book for ages 10+. I highly suggest this title, and will be looking for more books by E.L. Konigsburg!
I don't know how I made it this far in life without reading this classic of children's lit, but I did. It's weird because I've always known about the book, it has a great title, and the basic plot (brother and sister run away from home to live in the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art) is exactly the kind of thing I would have loved as a kid, especially with an art history mystery thrown in. I wonder if my parents kept me away from the book when I was in elementary school in New York because I definitely would have wanted to run away and live in the Met after reading this. (Or maybe the Museum of Natural History, which was my favorite place in the city for us to visit.) Reading it now, it took me back to that childhood. This is just a really great book to read at any age, whether you've ever been to New York City or not.
Overall, I enjoyed this story, especially when the plot became more involved with uncovering details about the Angel statue. Learning about Mrs. Frankweiler added more dimension to the story, and I appreciated the mature and often funny viewpoints of both children. There were a few references that haven't aged that well, though I suppose they present further topics for discussion. I'm partial to more realistic fiction, so I found it rather hard buying in to the premise that 2 youngsters can successfully hide in a New York City museum for a week. I suppose that can happen when an adult viewpoint is brought to children's fiction. All in all, a decent read and not overly lengthy -- worth checking out.
The book titled 'From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler' by E. L. Konigsburg, is about a girl named Claudia who decides to run away because she’s tired of being a perfect A+ student. She and her brother Jamie run away to New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, where they end up sleeping in the Queen’s bed and having baths in a fountain! They also discover a mystery that needs to be solved. I liked this book a lot. Claudia and Jamie aren’t exactly getting along at the start, but soon they find a way to cooperate and work together. It's a book about family, adventures and has a little suspense too. I would recommend this book to kids ages 8+ and rate it 4.65/5.
@GymGirl of the Teen Review Board at the Hamilton Public Library
I first read this book when I was about eleven, and it was one of my favorite books of all time. I loved Claudia and Jamie's adventure: the idea of running away from home to live in a museum thrilled me, and the fact that they discovered the answer to an artistic secret while they lived in the museum was simply the cherry on top of a delicious sundae. The details about how they keep fed and housed and clean while they're on the run fascinated me: it was like The Boxcar Children, but even better because of the added delight of exploring hte museum.
Rereading it as an adult, I did feel a bit bad for their parents, who must have been wild with worry. But as a child I was far too interested in Claudia and Jamie's adventures to ever think of that.
Clearly I am a fan of children's adventure stories, and this one stands the test of time. Although the siblings' survival budget of a couple of dollars a day in New York City is now laughable, their escapades and brother-sister dynamic still delight.
The first few pages almost ruined the rest of the book. Claudia is not likable in the slightest, appears to be very stuck up, and entitled. Also, her constant correcting of Jamie's grammar starts off fun but progressively gets more and more annoying. When they run away there are almost no repercussions and they completely disregard their parents' feelings. Overall this book was borderline frustrating and boring.
Connor
Just the right amount of complexity to appeal to elementary-aged kids without being overwhelming. Excitement and adventure.