From the Mixed-up Files of Basil E. Frankenweiler

Book Review By Zayni

Claudia was a big sister who had to do every chore in the house, she was not treated nicely and her parents didn’t seem to care at all. Claudia wanted to leave her boring, unfair life so she thought of running away. Claudia has to convince her brother, Jamie, to come along, because she knew that her brother had saved up his allowance. So Jamie and Claudia pack clothes in their instrument cases and run away to the marvelous Metropolitan Museum of Art. On their run, Claudia and Jamie find it’s hard to get food with so little money. They hide in the bathroom and bathe in the fountain!

One day a beautiful sculpture was brought to the museum. No one knows exactly what it is and if they find out they would get to keep it. Claudia and Jamie love the sculpture and go to the library to research but all their efforts are useless. They didn’t find anything until Claudia sees the signature of Michelangelo. Very excited she makes a call for an appointment with the mysterious Mrs. Frankenweiler. Was the sculpture made by Michelangelo? will they return home? find out by reading this book by E.L. Konigsburg .
What I disliked= she ran awayIssues raised: Chores, eldest sibling issuesMuslim Concerns: running away, gambling, cheating, lying, keeping secretsWhat I rate= amazing book- MashaAllah
Muslim Mama’s POV: Sure the kids run away but we have all had this fantasy as kids, I could certainly relate to this story as a firstborn girl. This book lets kids live out this fantasy in a safe way. The children are not morally all there though, they lie & cheat without remorse and are not terribly concerned about their parents either.

As for Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, who would not want to have someone like in their lives, like a mysterious, wise, rich Aunt with filing cabinets full of secrets?

"...Some days you must learn a great deal. But you should also have days when you allow what is already in you to swell up inside of you until it touches everything. And you can feel it inside you. If you never take time out to let that happen, then you just accumulate facts, and they begin to rattle around inside of you. You can make noise with them, but never really feel anything with them. It's hollow."
What age should read the book= 8-11 years