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

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler is a famous book written by E. L. Konigsburg. It won a special award called the Newbery Medal in 1968. This award is given to the best books for children in the United States.

The Story of Claudia and Jamie

This book is about an 11-year-old girl named Claudia Kincaid. She feels like her parents don't appreciate her enough. So, Claudia decides to run away from home. She wants to show her family how much they would miss her! But Claudia doesn't like being uncomfortable. She doesn't want to sleep outside or be hungry.

To solve this problem, Claudia chooses a very unusual place to hide. She decides to stay at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. This museum is huge and has many amazing things to see. Claudia asks her younger brother, Jamie, to come with her. Jamie is quiet, but he has a secret. He has a lot of money saved up from playing card games. This money will be very useful for their adventure!

Life in the Museum

A big part of the story shows how Claudia and Jamie live in the museum. During the day, they blend in with school groups. This way, they can get free tours and learn new things. When the museum is about to close, they hide in a restroom. Once everyone else has left, they come out. At night, they bathe in the museum's fountain. They even sleep on old, fancy beds that are part of the exhibits!

The Angel Statue Mystery

While living in the museum, Claudia and Jamie become very interested in a new exhibit. It's a beautiful statue of an angel. People think it might have been made by the famous artist Michelangelo. The children spend their time and money trying to find out the truth about this statue.

They believe the secret is hidden in the old files of the statue's former owner. This owner is a woman named Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. She lives in Farmington, Connecticut. Mrs. Frankweiler tells them, "You can know the secret only if you can find the truth from my mixed up files."

Claudia and Jamie search through Mrs. Frankweiler's messy files. They finally find the truth under a file labeled "Bologna." After their adventure, they decide to go home. It turns out that Jamie and Claudia are the grandchildren of Mrs. Frankweiler's lawyer, Saxonberg.

The Book in Movies and TV

This popular book has been made into movies and even inspired TV shows.

Movie Adaptations

The novel was first made into a movie in 1973. The famous actress Ingrid Bergman played Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler in this film. Later, in 1995, it was made into a movie for TV. In this version, Lauren Bacall played the role of Mrs. Frankweiler.

TV Show References

The story has also been copied in episodes of The Simpsons.

• In the episode "Smart and Smarter," Lisa hides in a science museum. She does this because she feels embarrassed that her baby sister seems smarter than her.
• The episode "Last Tap Dance in Springfield" shows Bart and Milhouse hiding in a shopping mall for a week. They are supposed to be on a camping trip.

The movie The Royal Tenenbaums also has a scene where characters Margot and Richie hide in a museum. The director, Wes Anderson, said this was a tribute to the novel.