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

Programming note: I took a little forced hiatus from reading due to some major life and health reasons, which really, really impacted my reading habits. More soon, when I can stomach it. Feeling rusty but let's get to it.

5 stars. In this beloved 1967 children's story/urban fairy tale, Claudia Kincaid and her younger brother Jamie run away and settle in at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Resourceful and delighted by their freedom, they quickly find ways to stay clean, fed, and "educated," for the most part. And even better - helpful, to the Met, as they try to help prove that its latest acquisition is actually a piece of work by Michaelangelo. 

Can you imagine this story had it been written today? In modern times? There's no way - it's an interesting thought exercise that only leads to depressing outcomes. Despite feeling very classic, and more classic every time I read it, many of the lessons and feelings it evokes still resonate. It's funny, too, looking back on this and wondering if it even partially inspired an interest in art history and museums. I didn't even know how to pronounce Michaelangelo when I read it the first time, but maybe it sparked something that still burns decades later.

It's really nice to see the kids' competence and intelligence on full display. They each have slightly different approaches to problem-solving, but they do fit together nicely. They are so witty, and smart, and capable, and driven by wonderfully relatable motives. I know this isn't considered a perfect piece of writing - complaints about the narrator's role, for example, and the plot structure - but I didn't spend a single minute considering any of that while reading. I was way too entertained.

Looking for more of this energy in 2024.

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler on: Amazon | Bookshop.org | Goodreads