From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
1967
- juvenile fiction
- fiction
- runaways
- self-reliance
- brothers and sisters
- history
- museums
- metropolitan museum of art (new york, n.y.)
- children: grades 2-3
- newbery medal
The story
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.
What it’s like
Crisp, bright and orderly on the page, with a wry, precise narrator who addresses the reader directly and notices everything: the cool hush of marble galleries, the echo of footsteps under high ceilings, the small comforts of a hidden bathroom and a bed made up among antiques. The voice is dry and funny, full of lists, careful plans and sly asides, so the text reads like a clever girl talking things through with a friend. Its vibe is brainy, mischievous calm, with a touch of adventure and a quiet sense of wonder at old things and famous paintings. It suits a rainy afternoon, a reading slump that needs a lift, or a read-aloud during a long train trip. Pacing is brisk and light, with short chapters and a steady puzzle that keeps curiosity turning pages. Emotionally it is warm and low-key, following a prickly older sister slowly softening toward her brother and rethinking what she wants from her own life. Intensity is very gentle: no violence, no real danger, only the mild tension of staying unnoticed. Made for young readers and grown-ups who love smart, funny children's books about museums, mysteries and sibling loyalty.
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