Families who loved From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg often look for books with a similar feel. These 20 recommendations were selected for their similarity in style, theme, and reading level.
Reach for this book when your child feels like their daily contributions go unnoticed or when they express a yearning for a life that is more sophisticated and adventurous than their current routine. It is a perfect choice for the pre-teen who is beginning to crave independence and needs to see that personal growth often happens in the quiet moments of problem solving rather than just grand gestures. The story follows eleven-year-old Claudia Kincaid, who runs away to the Metropolitan Museum of Art not to escape a bad home, but to find a place where she can be different and appreciated. Accompanied by her frugal younger brother Jamie, she navigates the logistics of living in a museum while becoming embroiled in an art history mystery involving a possible Michelangelo statue. It is a gentle, humorous, and intellectually stimulating read that validates a child's desire for autonomy while emphasizing the importance of returning home with a changed perspective.
