Jonathan C. (northville) reviewed From The Mixed-up Files Of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler on + 3 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 4
Classic childrens book that is almost more enjoyable for grown-ups! two children run away from home and hide in the Metropolitan Museum in New York. All sorts of historical asides and insight into human nature all wrapped up together in a charming book. After you've read it, go visit the museum!
Amy C. (Amyyma) reviewed From The Mixed-up Files Of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler on + 5 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 4
This was one of my favorite books as a child because it featured my favorite art museum as well - The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met). And the best part about Claudia and Jamie's run away adventures is they get to stay over night at the museum, solve a mystery and earn the respect of the reclusive and mysterious Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler.
Even time I go to the Met, I entertain thoughts of hiding myself away in a bathroom stall just like Claudia did so I could stay the night too! Of course, the security guards are well aware of this book and throughly check all the bathrooms at closing every night.
Even time I go to the Met, I entertain thoughts of hiding myself away in a bathroom stall just like Claudia did so I could stay the night too! Of course, the security guards are well aware of this book and throughly check all the bathrooms at closing every night.
Helpful Score: 3
This book for young people won the Newbery Medal. A girl and her younger brother run away from home to a museum and solve a mystery. It has a clever plot and is well-written, and I appreciate the fact that the author was not out to rub a child's nose in death and misery in the name of being relevant to modern youth. Nevertheless, I enjoyed it less than stories that have more humor and maybe a touch of fantasy or imagination in them.
Pamela F. (emmajane) reviewed From The Mixed-up Files Of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler on + 2 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
One of the best books for an 11 year old girl I can imagine. And if yoy're not 11 anymore you may love it too. Especially if you like funny books about adventure in NYC!
Helpful Score: 1
I see that this book is recommended for age up to 14. At age 62, I keep my copy of this book close and read it at least once a year. It is magic for the soul, no matter your age. Excellent writing which takes you on an adventure that we just might all wish we could have.
Helpful Score: 1
I read this book out loud to my kids and we all really enjoyed it. We fell in love with all the characters and their adventures.
Alli T. (neugotik) reviewed From The Mixed-up Files Of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler on + 13 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
This book is a wonderful children's adventure! The cover is actually a full-color image with white writing on it though - so it's very colorful and modern. It makes a wonderful gift - I've given to some 9-12 year olds and they LOVED the book, and my neice immediately read it more then once!
Mindi S. (Cranberry) reviewed From The Mixed-up Files Of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler on + 4 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
This is an old favorite of mine, first read when it was new & I was a child. It's a wonderful story, especially if you're from NYC and have been to this museum. A classic. I got this copy for my son's girlfriend, who is an Art History major in college & had never heard of the book! She enjoyed it very much.
Helpful Score: 1
"From The Mixed-Up Files Of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler" is a fantastic book, about two siblings (a young boy and girl) that decide to run away. This book captures their journey, from taking baths in a fountain, to sleeping in a bed that is on display at teh museum. This is an awesome book for all ages!
Cynthia S. (Cynthia) - , reviewed From The Mixed-up Files Of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler on + 155 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
WINNER OF THE NEWBERRY MEDAL!!
"Not only one of the most original stories of many years but one of the most humorous and one with characters fully developed!" THE HORN BOOK
YOU AND YOUR CHILD WILL LOVE THIS BOOK!
"Not only one of the most original stories of many years but one of the most humorous and one with characters fully developed!" THE HORN BOOK
YOU AND YOUR CHILD WILL LOVE THIS BOOK!
I read this book as a kid, and I loved it! I am ordering it so that I can read it with my kids. If your kids like fun and adventure, this is a great read!
Susan P. (britnavygirl) -
I've heard about this book forever; I know it's a children's book, but many children's books are so good, even for adults (indeed, that's a hallmark of a good children's book!). Well, I was so disappointed and disgruntled, shall I say! I didn't like it at all, it was tedious, and the title was a misnomer.
Melody F. (haikumelody) reviewed From The Mixed-up Files Of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler on + 2 more book reviews
Fun! I loved it more than my daughter did.
Amanda C. (ghostlysun) reviewed From The Mixed-up Files Of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler on + 37 more book reviews
I read this many years ago as a teenager. I remember enjoying the book, but I don't think I was highly impressed. I expected a little more to happen to kids locked in a museum. At the time I was only interested in paranormal and horror novels. It's a cute story nonetheless.
Good Read
Loved it as a kid and an adult!
Cassondra B. (cmbailey21) reviewed From The Mixed-up Files Of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler on + 2 more book reviews
Excellent young adult fiction
CM C. (CocoCee) reviewed From The Mixed-up Files Of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler on + 404 more book reviews
Age 8 to 12. Great story of a sister and brother who run away and hide out in a museum. With this 35th anniversary edition, don't miss the author's afterwards.
Great characters!
Taylor E. (Gilmorisms) reviewed From The Mixed-up Files Of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler on + 22 more book reviews
Couldn't put it down.
Mari D. (luv2cnewthings) reviewed From The Mixed-up Files Of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler on + 55 more book reviews
It has been over TWO DECADES since I've read this book, but when the title popped up on screen my eyes widened and a smile crept onto my face.
I remember reading and loving this book waaay back in elementary school! I remember reading how the older sister was methodic and planning, which reminded me a lot about myself. I remember the younger brother simply following. I also remember how the book went from a pair of runaways into something of a mystery. What did it start with? An emblem at the bottom of an angel statue. (If I remember correctly.)
Even as a child, it was a very fun and easy read.
I remember reading and loving this book waaay back in elementary school! I remember reading how the older sister was methodic and planning, which reminded me a lot about myself. I remember the younger brother simply following. I also remember how the book went from a pair of runaways into something of a mystery. What did it start with? An emblem at the bottom of an angel statue. (If I remember correctly.)
Even as a child, it was a very fun and easy read.
At 55, I recently reread the book and it holds ups. And while changes in the ways we communicate and do security in public places might make the nights in the museum tough from a modern perspective, the book still has a lot of wonder and delight. y only disappointment was that when my middle-school self contemplated how I would do it from my NJ home, I was sleeping under the blue whale at the Museum of Natural History.
Anita C. (sapphirescarlet) reviewed From The Mixed-up Files Of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler on + 16 more book reviews
I first read this book in junior high. I loved it, couldn't put it down, and it started a love of mysteries for me that has continued to this day, some 40 years later. E. L. Konigsburg has a great grasp of the mind of a pre-teen girl; her characters are believable, lovable and quirky. There might be a few scenes that made me sad as a kid, because the adults in the book act responsibly for the most part. But I got so caught up in the world of these runaways that I didn't even think about what their parents might be going through. In fact I can recall the first time I read it I completely missed the references to stories in the paper about the runaways, etc. Only when re-reading it as an adult did I pick up on that subtle understory. Konigsburg is well deserving of her Newberry Awards, and I look forward to reading more of her writing.
This book has humor,intrigue and it's a good read for kids 8 to 10. It has a lot of dialogue. It won a Newbery Medal.
Lenora O. (katzen0466) reviewed From The Mixed-up Files Of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler on + 55 more book reviews
Haven't you always wanted to hide in a museum until after closing? I have since my 4th grade teacher read us this book in class.
Lyla T. (thepinkpapayagirl) reviewed From The Mixed-up Files Of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler on + 12 more book reviews
SO much fun!
John O. (buzzby) -
Very odd book. It was a read aloud in my 4th grade class back in 1968 (Mrs. Stockbridge probably picked it because it won the Newberry Award), but after an exciting start, the class soon got bored with it, and - HORRORS! - she and the class decided we should stop reading it. When I protested and said that I thought it was interesting, she said the most humiliating thing a teacher ever said to me - "You would!" Well, she still was one of my favorite teachers.
Kristina P. (Luckistarr4) reviewed From The Mixed-up Files Of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler on + 79 more book reviews
Another fun Newbery Award Winner. I love reading these Award winning novels because they are so good. A couple of curious kids in a museum...very fun!
Sherrie M. (sghm) reviewed From The Mixed-up Files Of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler on + 14 more book reviews
Great children's mystery. When Claudia decided to run away, she planned very carefully She would be gone just long enough to teach her parents a lesson in Claudia appreciation. And she would live in comfort-at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She invited her brother Jamie to go, too, mostly because he was a miser and would have money
Lisa S. (Praise2Him) reviewed From The Mixed-up Files Of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler on + 106 more book reviews
One of my favorites as a child, I recently re-read it as an adult and it was still just as good!
Kathryn H. (momtothreeboys) reviewed From The Mixed-up Files Of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler on + 39 more book reviews
Excellent. My son loved it!
Appropriate as a read aloud for young children and an independent read for middle school aged and up. I read it as an adult and enjoyed it!
Jessica K. (jezzxlou) -
I loved this book as a kid; now my kids love it!
Molly B. (vintagereader) reviewed From The Mixed-up Files Of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler on + 21 more book reviews
Very good middle grade book.
Barbara J. (cookie2) -
Best book ever. My Favorite book on my bookshelf!!
Jennifer P. (kalimantanjenny) reviewed From The Mixed-up Files Of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler on + 11 more book reviews
This is a fun story about a brother and sister running away from home and hiding in a museum. It's fun because at night they get to sleep in some of the exhibit beds, hide from the staff, and take baths in the museum fountain and collect the fountain change for their lunch money. Of course they make it back home safe and sound in the end after making a really special friend, Mrs. Frankweiler.
It is reading level 6.8 according to Scholastic.
It is reading level 6.8 according to Scholastic.
Carla B. (puppyluv) reviewed From The Mixed-up Files Of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler on + 552 more book reviews
A NEWBERY AWARD-WINNING CLASSIC
Annotation
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 Publisher
When Claudia decided to run away, she planned very carefully. She would be gone just long enough to teach her parents a lesson in Claudia appreciation. And she would go in comfort-she would live at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She saved her money, and she invited her brother Jamie to go, mostly because be was a miser and would have money.
Claudia was a good organizer and Jamie bad some ideas, too; so the two took up residence at the museum right on schedule. But once the fun of settling in was over, Claudia had two unexpected problems: She felt just the same, and she wanted to feel different; and she found a statue at the Museum so beautiful she could not go home until she bad discovered its maker, a question that baffled the experts, too.
The former owner of the statue was Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. Without her-well, without her, Claudia might never have found a way to go home.
Annotation
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 Publisher
When Claudia decided to run away, she planned very carefully. She would be gone just long enough to teach her parents a lesson in Claudia appreciation. And she would go in comfort-she would live at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She saved her money, and she invited her brother Jamie to go, mostly because be was a miser and would have money.
Claudia was a good organizer and Jamie bad some ideas, too; so the two took up residence at the museum right on schedule. But once the fun of settling in was over, Claudia had two unexpected problems: She felt just the same, and she wanted to feel different; and she found a statue at the Museum so beautiful she could not go home until she bad discovered its maker, a question that baffled the experts, too.
The former owner of the statue was Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. Without her-well, without her, Claudia might never have found a way to go home.
Pam B. (PamelaK) reviewed From The Mixed-up Files Of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler on + 1217 more book reviews
elementary/middle school level
This is one of those books that you see listed in Goodreads as a highly-rated novel. I'd never heard of the author, yet the premise was engaging. Claudia Kincaid wants to run away from home, but she realizes she needs to run to somewhere, to be successful. So she decides to take her brother Jamie (because he is a money hoarder and would have enough money to make a successful run to the New York City Metropolitan Museum of Art).
This story first appeared in 1968 and it holds up well. Kids everywhere occasionally feel underappreciated and long for an adventure. Claudia and Jamie lead the reader to a fun experience without having to buy a ticket. A delightful adventure.
When I searched to see more about the author, I was amazed to find that she is the only author to win the (1) Newbery Medal and (2) a Newbery Honor in the same year of 1968 for (1) FROM THE MIXED-UP FILES OF MRS. BASIL E. FRANKWEILER and (2) for JENNIFER, HECATE, MACBETH, WILLIAM MCKINLEY, AND ME, ELIZABETH.
This story first appeared in 1968 and it holds up well. Kids everywhere occasionally feel underappreciated and long for an adventure. Claudia and Jamie lead the reader to a fun experience without having to buy a ticket. A delightful adventure.
When I searched to see more about the author, I was amazed to find that she is the only author to win the (1) Newbery Medal and (2) a Newbery Honor in the same year of 1968 for (1) FROM THE MIXED-UP FILES OF MRS. BASIL E. FRANKWEILER and (2) for JENNIFER, HECATE, MACBETH, WILLIAM MCKINLEY, AND ME, ELIZABETH.
Good Book!
A classic:
Marianne S. (sfc95) -
I remember loving this book as a pre teen. Has a wonderful story that keeps a young person interested.
Really good, quick read. Was on the Today show book club list.
My daughter LOVED this book!
Karissa E. (ophelia99) reviewed From The Mixed-up Files Of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler on + 2527 more book reviews
As a child I remember loving this book a ton. I thought there was so much adventure and mystery here. I was really excited to read it with my 10 year old son (we read it as a family). We all thought it was a bit lackluster and I think a lot of it is because of how dated the book is. This is not one of those books that ages gracefully and remains relevant.
When I read this as a child I remember thinking the adventure of living in a museum would be amazing and I admired how Claudia and James made it all work out. This time through that seemed kind of silly and lame; there is no way you'd be able to do that in a museum today. My son ended up thinking that was âboring and sillyâ and couldn't get past the logistics of it.
As an adult I think the ending of the book had more impact on me than the rest of the story. I don't think when I read this the first time I grasped how important the ending was. I also think that the gravity of the ending was also missed by my son this time around, but my husband did appreciate it.
Unfortunately a lot of time was spent explaining archaic terminology and processes to my son because this book is just SO dated. Some of this was of interest to him and some was not. In the end I don't think anyone in the family liked how dated the book was. I supposed some could say it's a nostalgic look into the past, but that really doesn't fit the tone of the story.
Overall everyone in the family decided that this was an âokayâ book but not great. Complaints were that it was too slow, too boring, and just old sounding. My son thought the âliving in a museum idea was kind of neat but sillyâ. He also didn't think it was nice of the kids to leave their parents worried like that :-) In the end this is one of those books I kind of wish I hadn't re-read as an adult because it's not nearly as awesome and adventurous as I remembered. This just isn't one of those books that stand the test of time well.
When I read this as a child I remember thinking the adventure of living in a museum would be amazing and I admired how Claudia and James made it all work out. This time through that seemed kind of silly and lame; there is no way you'd be able to do that in a museum today. My son ended up thinking that was âboring and sillyâ and couldn't get past the logistics of it.
As an adult I think the ending of the book had more impact on me than the rest of the story. I don't think when I read this the first time I grasped how important the ending was. I also think that the gravity of the ending was also missed by my son this time around, but my husband did appreciate it.
Unfortunately a lot of time was spent explaining archaic terminology and processes to my son because this book is just SO dated. Some of this was of interest to him and some was not. In the end I don't think anyone in the family liked how dated the book was. I supposed some could say it's a nostalgic look into the past, but that really doesn't fit the tone of the story.
Overall everyone in the family decided that this was an âokayâ book but not great. Complaints were that it was too slow, too boring, and just old sounding. My son thought the âliving in a museum idea was kind of neat but sillyâ. He also didn't think it was nice of the kids to leave their parents worried like that :-) In the end this is one of those books I kind of wish I hadn't re-read as an adult because it's not nearly as awesome and adventurous as I remembered. This just isn't one of those books that stand the test of time well.
Newberry Medal Award Winner about kids who run away to the library
Great story for all ages.
Terry V. (mistyks) reviewed From The Mixed-up Files Of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler on + 22 more book reviews
I read this book in my youth. I loved this book!
This is a winner of the John Newberry Medal.
Marsha S. (Chycole) reviewed From The Mixed-up Files Of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler on + 479 more book reviews
When Claudia decided to run away, she planned very carefully. She would be gone just long enough to teach her parents a lesson in Claudia appreciation. And she would live in comfort--at the Metropolitan Museum of ARt. She invited her brother Jamie to go, too, mostly because he was a miser and would have money.
The two took up residence in the museum right on schedule. But once the fun of settling in was over, Claudia had two unexpected problems: she felt just the same, and she wanted to feel different; and she found a statue at the museum so beautiful she could not go home until she had discovered its maker, a question that baffled even the experts. The former owner of the statue was Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. And without her help Claudia might never have found a way to go home.
The two took up residence in the museum right on schedule. But once the fun of settling in was over, Claudia had two unexpected problems: she felt just the same, and she wanted to feel different; and she found a statue at the museum so beautiful she could not go home until she had discovered its maker, a question that baffled even the experts. The former owner of the statue was Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. And without her help Claudia might never have found a way to go home.
Celeste M. (CellieM) reviewed From The Mixed-up Files Of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler on + 27 more book reviews
Newbery Award Medal winner
Susan C. (SusanofGreenGables) reviewed From The Mixed-up Files Of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler on + 618 more book reviews
used in Sonlight Core 100 (was SL 7)
Sandy A. (SandyA) reviewed From The Mixed-up Files Of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler on + 21 more book reviews
We've had this book for a long time. The pages are intact and the book is readable, but the book has some modest signs of age.
