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Tuesday 17 July 2012

Children's Book Review: "From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankenweiler"

by E. L. Konigsburg


Wow! This book is fantastic! I can't believe I never read this book when I was younger!


I'm lucky enough to have some of the absolute best co-workers, both at the library and the theatre! And Miss Kim from the theatre is a great book aficionado and all-around great person! I mentioned to her my enthusiasm of working at the library and she quickly rolled off about all the great, classic children books and shared some great ideas with me about what to do for the summer! 


She also recommended the book "From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankenweiler" by E. L. Konigsburg and the dear that she is she brought me a plethora of lovely children's books for me to go through! 


I decided to tackle down "From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankenweiler" first, since Kim had raved so much about it! I'd never heard of it! So I was excited to read it! 


May I just say that reading this book was like rediscovering a lost part of my childhood, a missing puzzle piece of my past!


It's lovely! The story follows the adventures of Claudia Kincaid and her younger brother Jamie. The story itself though, is written from the perspective of Mrs. Basil E. Frankenweiler, who is writing a letter to her lawyer, Mr. Saxonberg. This book is in fact a from the files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankenweiler!  Claudia, a headstrong, dramatic, and independent child, is sick and tired of the monotony of life and the injustice she faces at home. 


The story from Mrs. Basil E. Frankenweiler's perpective introduces us to Claudia, who, these injustices are perhaps not so bad as they are blown out to be! Setting up the table, cleaning up the table and low allowances are putting quite the toll on her life, and Claudia no longer feels appreciated at home!


Claudia is a mastermind of planning the first chunk of the book deals with her methodically planning out where she''ll run away to, when she'll run away, and who will runaway with her! 


This is such a lovely story and I fully recommend it to anyone, young or old!

5/5 for sure! Thanks Kim! and thank-you E.L. Konigsburg and Mrs. Basil E. Frankenweiler!

Happy Reading!!

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