Writing and Editing Services
  Rosebud Communications
  • Home
  • About
  • Projects
    • Clients
  • Rose's Red Pen Blog
  • A Rose in Oz Blog
  • Photos Down Under
  • Contact

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

5/22/2014

0 Comments

 
Picture
A girl as the protagonist! The Metropolitan Museum of Art! When I think of books that I loved as a child, this one leaps in front and loudly demands my attention. This book has it all for readers of any era and much to teach writers today.

Written by E.L. Konigsburg, From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler was published in 1967 and won the John Newbery Award in 1968.

Eleven-year-old Claudia tires of her mundane life and plans to run away from home to New York City and live in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. From her three brothers, she selects nine-year-old Jamie as her partner. The two make a formidable team. Konigsburg tells us: "They complemented each other perfectly. She was cautious (about everything but money) and poor; he was adventurous (about everything but money) and rich."

Writers today can learn from how Konigsburg must have thought through each detail about the children running away and living undetected in a museum. Her meticulous planning informs Claudia's every move. Those concrete, plausible details bring their journey to life -- from hiding their clothes in instrument cases to avoiding the guards at closing by standing on toilets in bathroom stalls. (Oh, how I wanted to try that as a child!) 

Those details also make the book resonate with readers. We can all imagine doing what Claudia and Jamie did. Their adventures are believable and timeless because they are so firmly rooted in reality.

The main plot, about whether Mrs. Frankweiler's angel sculpture is really Michelangelo's work, is still reasonably interesting after all these years. For me though, the real heart of the book is Claudia's journey -- what makes her leave home and what eventually brings her back. 

Occasionally, Rose's Red Pen will revisit children's books to explore why they still resonate with readers and what writers can learn from them. If you have a favorite book to recommend, please tell me about it in the Comments or drop me an email. I'd love to hear from you.

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Categories

    All
    Action
    Books
    Dialogue
    Editing
    Grammar
    Mechanics
    Punctuation
    Usage
    Verbs
    Writing

    Author

    Rose Ciccarelli offers writing and editing services through Rosebud Communications.

    Archives

    July 2019
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
Photos used under Creative Commons from Camp Pinewood YMCA, ChrisL_AK, sylvrilyn, Banjo Brown, OC Always, CapCase, John-Morgan, quinn.anya, poppet with a camera, quinn.anya, Moyan_Brenn, pierre bédat, iansvendsplass, Philippe Put, Hackley Public Library, mrhayata, amslerPIX, romana klee, n_sapiens, perpetualplum, Images_of_Money, trophygeek, fontplaydotcom, Thomas Leth-Olsen, reynermedia, U.S. Army Europe Images