7 /10
RATING

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

by E.L. Konigsburg

Snappy Review

It’s felt like I was reading something I already knew…. I’m pretty sure I remember the tale from when I was younger, and reading it as an adult with different eyes didn’t deter any enjoyment. A delightful story of innocence and discovery in a simpler time.

Book Synopsis

The million-selling, Newbery Medal-winning classic novel, one of the most celebrated and beloved children’s books of all time.

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.