One of my favorite books as a elementary aged student was the Newberry Award Winning, From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. Looking back on the book, it is obvious that it was written in a different time for a different audience, because the hero and heroine run away from home, walk around the city of New York by themselves and never seem to be in any danger.
One of the classic points of this book is how E. L. Konigsburg has the children face adult sized problems with intelligence and grace.
How did this book inspire me? For one thing, it provoked in me a love of museums. The children run away and live in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. If you’re going to run away, why not sleep in a Queen’s bed? I also loved how responsible the children are; budgeting their money, and bathing in museum fountains.
To this day, when the Field Museum has sleepover parties, (they do by the way), I dream about going and pretending that I am Claudia.
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I LOVED this book as a kid – can’t count how many times I’ve read it! I grew up one train ride away from NYC and dreamed of running away to live in the Met.
I was so excited when my boys were old enough to read it – they both loved it as well!
Have you ever seen the movie with Lauren Bacall as Mrs. Frankweiler? It’s pretty good.
Oh wow that is one of my absolute favorite childhood books! Love it!!
Me too! Almost everytime I see a fountain, I think of it.
Never read the book, but even at a young age, I would’ve LOVED to overnight in the Museum of Science and Industry’s U-505!
Then again, I’m just strange that way. 😉
(Yeah, I know, I’m strange in EVERY way……..)
It would be so creepy and fun at the same time, wouldn’t it? Remember this book was written far before the Night at the Museum movies!
Oh, I loved this book too! I read it for the first time only a couple of years ago and fell in love with it. Thanks for the reminder.
It’s fun to return to books we love, isn’t it?
This, too, was one of my favorite books in elementary school. It was one of the only books I actually bought at a school book fair and liked! I’ve never seen the movie. I’ll have to try and find it.
Thank you for the encouraging comment on my blog. I definitely have my ups and downs with it. We have graduated two from homeschool and are on the last one. He’s 13 and 10 1/2 years younger than my older two who I keep looking at for inspiration!
Oh, and I still have my original copy of the book.
I thought I still had mine, but I couldn’t find it the other day.
You are a finisher! He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it!
This sounds like fun. That would be quite an experience, even though it seems a bit outdated for our time. Isn’t that what fiction is all about, taking us somewhere imaginary for awhile?
The only thing really outdated is that someone would write a book detailing how to run away…but maybe if you run away in your imagination, you won’t have to in real life…right?
This sounds like one of those wonderful fantasy books that children simply devour! I still enjoy children’s books and am thinking I should get a copy of this to read!
It is wonderful for every age! 😀
Sounds like a great book! Do you think boys would like it too? I’m looking for more book ideas for my son.
My boys loved it! The girl who runs away takes her brother with her.
I love this book, too–JTE! Wasn’t Lauren Bacall in the movie?
She sure was! It was a decent depiction of the book.