Though Mrs. Frankweiler's files be madness, yet there is a method to it

Dear Saralinda*:

I’ve been searching through stacks of books at our library’s used book store to find books that I think you might like. Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a chore. I’m rather delighting in the task. I’m finding so many books that I savored as a child and even seeing the covers bring back memories from when I was your age and the joyous times I had romping with the characters in them and discovering so many things from the black and white pages.

At first, I was going to ship you a whole pile of books. Then I thought better of it. I’ll mail you but one book at a time and share with you a few of the reasons I like the particular book so much. Then, perhaps, you could write me back and tell me whether you thought I was anywhere near right—and don’t be afraid to tell your aunt she doesn’t know what she talking about. Just because something was enjoyable for me at one point in my life, doesn’t mean you’ll have the same experience. And I’d love to hear what you think—even if it is different from what I think. That’s one of the joys of books—being able to discuss how they make us feel and making individual decisions on whether a book has merit.

The first book I’m mailing you is From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. I first read it when I was your sister’s age—or maybe I was 11. I don’t remember exactly.

It’s the story of a young girl who decides to run away from home. She’s the oldest of four and doesn’t feel that her family appreciates her very much. She’s decided, though, to take along her 8-year-old brother, Jamie, because he’s so good at saving money. Claudia, who is 12 years old, is quite the planner. She’s figured out just how much money they will need to survive and even has a place for them to run to. They run to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City and take up residence there.

I remember how delighted I was the first time I read this book at Claudia’s resourcefulness. Perhaps the most memorable part of the book to me was the way in which they were able to get money for food. I won’t spoil it for you—but watch for it.

This will sound strange, but I think I understood the book better when I was your age than I do now. There are some things we forget as adults. We sometimes forget the emotions we experience as a child and how very important and significant certain feelings are that adults tend to brush off. I re-read the book after I picked it up from the library and before I mailed it to you. It had lost a little of its magic. Perhaps it can again be traced to the unfortunate jading that comes with adulthood. There were, though, still many things that I adored about the book.

First, Claudia really has a love for learning. She wants to know everything and is convinced that everything is within her grasp. She’s determined and independent. Stated simply: I like her a lot.

There’s a good mystery in the book. It’s a mystery that the adults cannot figure out, and so it provides even more of a challenge to the kids. It’s not a typical mystery either. By the time I had read this book, I’d also read nearly 60 of the Nancy Drew books, several Hardy Boys, and several Trixie Belden books. The mystery in The Mixed-up Files was very different from all of these. There’s no “bad guy.” Rather, they’re trying to find out whether a statue named Angel was really created by Michelangelo or not. They start by having to learn who Michelangelo is and what he accomplished.

You’ll quickly be able to tell that the book is somewhat dated. Certainly things cost a lot more now than they did when this book was set. The two siblings would need a lot more money now to survive on now. Also, New York City was a little less dangerous in the late 60s, early 70s.

There are several New York specific terms such as “Horn and Hardatts.” Most of them, though, are easy to figure out from the context.

Back in 1967, when the book was first published, it won a Newberry Award. Now, I realize that doesn’t necessarily mean it is going to be a good book, but it does contribute to people still reading it today.

Perhaps when you’re older, you and I could take a special trip to visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I’ve never been to New York, and I’d love to visit this museum with someone else who has read the book and would go visit the bathroom stalls with me to see if anyone is hiding there.

Love,
Bridgette

I’m currently reading a stack of juvenile fiction in search of books that my 13-year-old niece would enjoy. Since I don’t want to just dump the books on her, I’ve decided to write letters to go with each one. After I strip out the strictly personal information, I’ll post them here as reviews. After all, my goal in the letter is to get her to read the book, perhaps I can do the same for you.

* I’ve changed my niece’s name to protect her identity. The name I borrowed from another beloved children’s book. She’s the princess in James Thurber’s The 13 Clocks.