Book Summary:
Claudia Kincaid is bored with her life at home taking out the trash and caring for her little brother. She finds a train pass and then convinces her brother Jamie to runaway from home with her. They escape to the New York Metropolitan Museum, and they manage to live there for one week without getting caught.While there Claudia sees a mysterious beautiful angelic statue that may have been created by Michelangelo. She finds a clue and then writes a letter to the museum informing them about the mark on the bottom of the statue. This was Michelangelo's mark, but she learns that there is a possibility that it could have been done another artist. Claudia is shattered and makes a last ditch effort to see Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, the statues former owner. After meeting with her, she finds out the truth about the statue in return for details about their stay at the Metropolitan Museum. Both Claudia and Jamie will inherit the manuscript that proves that statue is authentic from Mrs. Frankweiler as their inheritance. Claudia now has something that no one has - a secret that she can keep all to herself.
APA Reference of Book:
Konigsburg, E. L. (1967). From the mixed-up files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. New York, NY: Atheneum.
Impressions:
This was exciting to read because the premise is something that I wish I could have done. What better place to live in for a week than the Metropolitan Museum. I love museums, history, and art and this story offers an interesting mystery all thrown in together.
Professional Review:
KIRKUS REVIEW
Elaine Konigsburg's first sharp bite of suburban
life, Jennifer, He- cate, Macbeth...(131, J-43) was a dilly; this one's a
dandy--just as fast and fresh and funny, but less spoofing, more penetrating.
From the files of Mrs. Frankweiler comes the chronicle of Claudia Kincaid,
almost twelve, and her brother Jamie, who is nine. Tired of being her same old
taken-for-granted self, Claudia decides to run away, and Jamie goes along
because he is flattered at being asked. Claudia has planned every detail:
escape on the empty school bus, change of clothing in a violin case, sanctuary
in the Metropolitan Museum. For a week the children elude the guards and
exploit the opportunities of the museum: they sleep in a royal bed, bathe in
the cafeteria pool, and pass part of each day in study on the fringe of lecture
tours. Midweek, a marble angel of dubious origin arrives; Claudia is convinced
that it is a Michelangelo and determines to prove it: she will authenticate
Angel and become a heroine before going home. But no--by arrangement of Mrs.
Frankweiler, she goes home a heroine only to herself (and happy); and she knows
something about secrets she hadn't known before--they have to come to an end...
Like the title, Mrs. Frankweiler is a bit of a nuisance; and an offhand, rather
bemused reference to dope addiction is unnecessary but not inappropriate. What
matters is that beyond the intriguing central situation and its ingenious, very
natural development, there's a deepening rapport between their parents;
"we're well trained (and sure of ourselves)...just look how nicely we've
managed. It's really they're fault if we're not homesick." There may be a
run on the Metropolitan (a map is provided); there will surely be a run on the
book.
Retrieved February 18, 2015 from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/el-konigsburg/from-mixed-up-files-of-mrs-basil-e-frankweiler/
Library Use:
This would be a good book to tie in with an art class studying renaissance art, Michelangelo, or the Metropolitan Museum.A class can read the book or a portion of it and then view a slide show of the metro museum and of the art found there.
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