Comments on: “From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler” by E.L. Konigsburg http://www.girldetective.net/?p=4498 Reading, Writing, Movies and Mothering in Minneapolis, Mostly Fri, 22 May 2026 17:20:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Amy http://www.girldetective.net/?p=4498&cpage=1#comment-26864 Amy Sat, 16 Jun 2012 04:16:39 +0000 http://www.girldetective.net/?p=4498#comment-26864 Our teacher read this aloud to us in sixth grade. It sounded heavenly to me--adventures in a museum in New York. Not once did I ever think about the parents' feelings, or museum security,or the children's safety. Maybe that was because I was a kid, or maybe it was because I was a kid in 1976. Certainly no parent could read it and not think of those things. Our teacher read this aloud to us in sixth grade. It sounded heavenly to me–adventures in a museum in New York. Not once did I ever think about the parents’ feelings, or museum security,or the children’s safety. Maybe that was because I was a kid, or maybe it was because I was a kid in 1976. Certainly no parent could read it and not think of those things.

]]> By: girldetective http://www.girldetective.net/?p=4498&cpage=1#comment-26763 girldetective Wed, 13 Jun 2012 02:00:40 +0000 http://www.girldetective.net/?p=4498#comment-26763 Shannon, re: parentless children, there was recent article by a Stanford professor who lamented how tied her college students still were to their parents apron strings, and posited that the orphan lit of the Victorian era (which I see as a forerunner of the parentless child trope in kid's/YA lit) was how each generation finds its own way, growing up and learning about oneself just as Claudia does. I think the book does require a suspension of disbelief--I'm sure their parents were frantic, and Caroline Cooney (who made after-school-special-y books) would have made an entirely different story out of it. Shannon, re: parentless children, there was recent article by a Stanford professor who lamented how tied her college students still were to their parents apron strings, and posited that the orphan lit of the Victorian era (which I see as a forerunner of the parentless child trope in kid’s/YA lit) was how each generation finds its own way, growing up and learning about oneself just as Claudia does. I think the book does require a suspension of disbelief–I’m sure their parents were frantic, and Caroline Cooney (who made after-school-special-y books) would have made an entirely different story out of it.

]]> By: shannon http://www.girldetective.net/?p=4498&cpage=1#comment-26753 shannon Tue, 12 Jun 2012 20:52:14 +0000 http://www.girldetective.net/?p=4498#comment-26753 i read this book for the first time last year - with a mother/daughter bookclub. i found the themes of growing up, looking for validation, and needing something that is one's own timeless. i was especially surprised to see books THAT old figured parentless children. i really thought this was a more modern construction and i've criticized the device often. yet this plot was near harmless, and the absence of parental perspective made the whole endeavor innocent and sweet. you are SO right about the lack of 'awful-ness'. i just loved it. meanwhile, my daughter (unable to conceive of a time before today's security-obsessed reality) found the book implausible, and therefore ridiculous. i read this book for the first time last year - with a mother/daughter bookclub. i found the themes of growing up, looking for validation, and needing something that is one’s own timeless. i was especially surprised to see books THAT old figured parentless children. i really thought this was a more modern construction and i’ve criticized the device often. yet this plot was near harmless, and the absence of parental perspective made the whole endeavor innocent and sweet. you are SO right about the lack of ‘awful-ness’. i just loved it.
meanwhile, my daughter (unable to conceive of a time before today’s security-obsessed reality) found the book implausible, and therefore ridiculous.

]]> By: girldetective http://www.girldetective.net/?p=4498&cpage=1#comment-26721 girldetective Mon, 11 Jun 2012 20:43:19 +0000 http://www.girldetective.net/?p=4498#comment-26721 Patricia, I feel that way sometimes when I wonder why no one had me read Jane Eyre or Pride and Prejudice growing up. I guess we can only hope to be better book guides to our kids, right? I read Konigsburg's A View from Saturday a few years ago, and really loved it, especially the friendships. Patricia, I feel that way sometimes when I wonder why no one had me read Jane Eyre or Pride and Prejudice growing up. I guess we can only hope to be better book guides to our kids, right? I read Konigsburg’s A View from Saturday a few years ago, and really loved it, especially the friendships.

]]> By: Patricia http://www.girldetective.net/?p=4498&cpage=1#comment-26719 Patricia Mon, 11 Jun 2012 20:23:01 +0000 http://www.girldetective.net/?p=4498#comment-26719 I didn't read Mixed Up for this challenge as I already had one re-read on my list, but it is fresh in my mind because it is another I discovered with my boys not too long ago. The more I look at the books on this list, the angrier I am get. Where were all of these books when I was 10-12 years old? Why didn't my school librarian lead me in this direction? It isn't like she didn't know who I was. One of my other all time favorites is Koningsburg's "The Outcasts of 19 Schuyler Place" and another Meg - Margaret Rose Kane. I didn’t read Mixed Up for this challenge as I already had one re-read on my list, but it is fresh in my mind because it is another I discovered with my boys not too long ago. The more I look at the books on this list, the angrier I am get. Where were all of these books when I was 10-12 years old? Why didn’t my school librarian lead me in this direction? It isn’t like she didn’t know who I was. One of my other all time favorites is Koningsburg’s “The Outcasts of 19 Schuyler Place” and another Meg - Margaret Rose Kane.

]]> By: Kate http://www.girldetective.net/?p=4498&cpage=1#comment-26695 Kate Mon, 11 Jun 2012 14:37:56 +0000 http://www.girldetective.net/?p=4498#comment-26695 I liked this book, but I realize now how I was confused a LOT when I read certain books (the earliest I can remember is Madeline--why is she living with other girls and a woman with a weird hat? Where on earth are her parents?), and this was one I just didn't get. I'd never been to New York, couldn't figure out the laundromat stuff, and had no concept of that kind of wealth. I enjoyed it as a girl, but found it bewildering. More in the other post, but I realized reading Shelf Life the same thing happened with Sally J. Friedman. As an adult, I'm really enjoying rereading them with a lot of the knowledge a 9 year old kid in small town Michigan just didn't have. Also--reading these books are what opened my eyes to all sorts of new things. It wasn't a bad thing to be bewildered, obviously (!), but I think one of the reasons I initially loved Laura and Anne Shirley and even Meg so much was because I understood their locales so much better (and academic parents)! And no, I don't know why I never asked anyone my questions. Reading was (and still is, frankly) such a private matter for me that I just needed to figure out things on my own. I liked this book, but I realize now how I was confused a LOT when I read certain books (the earliest I can remember is Madeline–why is she living with other girls and a woman with a weird hat? Where on earth are her parents?), and this was one I just didn’t get. I’d never been to New York, couldn’t figure out the laundromat stuff, and had no concept of that kind of wealth. I enjoyed it as a girl, but found it bewildering. More in the other post, but I realized reading Shelf Life the same thing happened with Sally J. Friedman. As an adult, I’m really enjoying rereading them with a lot of the knowledge a 9 year old kid in small town Michigan just didn’t have.

Also–reading these books are what opened my eyes to all sorts of new things. It wasn’t a bad thing to be bewildered, obviously (!), but I think one of the reasons I initially loved Laura and Anne Shirley and even Meg so much was because I understood their locales so much better (and academic parents)!

And no, I don’t know why I never asked anyone my questions. Reading was (and still is, frankly) such a private matter for me that I just needed to figure out things on my own.

]]> By: Amy http://www.girldetective.net/?p=4498&cpage=1#comment-26691 Amy Mon, 11 Jun 2012 13:56:36 +0000 http://www.girldetective.net/?p=4498#comment-26691 Did Not Finish. Did Not Finish.

]]> By: girldetective http://www.girldetective.net/?p=4498&cpage=1#comment-26687 girldetective Mon, 11 Jun 2012 13:16:23 +0000 http://www.girldetective.net/?p=4498#comment-26687 Also, would it be possible to have the run of a museum? I'm so accustomed by thrillers to think of them full of lasers and alarms. What is DNF? Wrinkle in Time was probably my first fantasy, but I'd go on to delve deep into that genre. Also, would it be possible to have the run of a museum? I’m so accustomed by thrillers to think of them full of lasers and alarms. What is DNF? Wrinkle in Time was probably my first fantasy, but I’d go on to delve deep into that genre.

]]> By: Amy http://www.girldetective.net/?p=4498&cpage=1#comment-26684 Amy Mon, 11 Jun 2012 13:00:42 +0000 http://www.girldetective.net/?p=4498#comment-26684 I read this again a year or so again--maybe during your 15/15/15 project?--and loved it. But in a wistful way, because the world was so different then. Can you imagine trying to write this story today? With Amber alerts and heavy security and the digital age? I'm not saying then was better--it's just this story is a product of its time. I read this again a year or so again–maybe during your 15/15/15 project?–and loved it. But in a wistful way, because the world was so different then. Can you imagine trying to write this story today? With Amber alerts and heavy security and the digital age? I’m not saying then was better–it’s just this story is a product of its time.

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