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

Author:  E.L. Konigsburg

Newberry Medal Winner of 1968


Exposition:  The story is set in Connecticut, Claudia and Jamie Kincaid run away and live in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.  Another character would be Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler herself.


Conflict:  Claudia Kincaid feels unappreciated.  She decides running away is the only way she can get her parents to take notice of her.  She talks her brother Jamie into running away with her to live in the Museum of Art in New York.  While there, they are intrigued by a statue with a mystery of the sculptor.  Is it really THE Michelangelo?  Claudia can not go home without finding out the answer. 


Rising Action:  Claudia and Jamie Kincaid have run away from their home in Connecticut and are living at the Museum of Art in New York City.  They are determined to find out whether the Angel statue in the museum was sculpted by Michelangelo or not.  The Angel statue was sold to the museum from Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler.  After some of their own investigation, they find a symbol on the bottom of the statue.  They visit the New York library and learn, it is indeed Michelangelo's symbol for his sculptures.  But they must find out if it is real. 


Climax:  Claudia and Jamie decide to ask the person who sold the statue to the museum.  Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler.  While at her house she makes a deal with them.  Out of all the files in her office, Claudia and Jamie have one hour to figure out her filing system and find the answer to their question as to the sculptor.


Falling Action:  Michelangelo really did sculpt the Angel.  Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler however wants to keep that knowledge a secret.  If Claudia and Jamie can keep her secret then they can have the documentation of this when she "passes on."  Claudia now feels she can return home.


Resolution:  Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler will return Claudia and Jamie Kincaid home in a Rolls Royce if they will tell her every detail about their adventure.  After telling their story, they return home.  On their way, they decide every time they have enough money saved up, they will sneak off to visit Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler.  They can be her adopted grandchildren.  Little do they know, her lawyer is their real grandfather. 


I remember reading this book when I was little.  I loved the mystery in the story then and I still found it to be a wonderful story.  I liked the pencil drawing scattered throughout also.  I actually read the book that was a 35th anniversary copy and had an afterword from the author. 


One of the strong literary qualities of this book is dialog.  There is banter back and forth between Claudia and Jamie.  The reader learns history about each child and extents their character.
Another strong quality is unexpected insights.  At the very end of the book we learn Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler's butler is also her lawyer who just happens to be Claudia and Jamie's grandfather.  I never saw that one coming!


Konigsburg. E. L., 1967. From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. Simon & Shuster Children's Publishing Division, New York.

ISBN:  068985322