Author: E. L. Konigsburg
Recommended Age: 12-14
Date Published: 1967
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery
Summary: Claudia knew that she could never run away in the old-fashioned way, hiding in the woods or living somewhere remote, so she didn’t try. Instead, she and her brother, Jamie, run away to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. And there, they uncover a mystery that is more startling and baffling than anything they’ve ever known.
Notes from The Radical Reader:
- Noble Characters: Claudia is perfect and Jamie is not. Claudia is detailed, succinct, and matter-of-fact. Jamie is stingy, annoying, and the proud possessor of twenty-four dollars and forty-three cents. But he has the money and Claudia does not, so she needs him to join her on her extravagant escape plan. Though they barely tolerate each other in the beginning, this sibling pair learns to overcome confusion, chaos, and disappointment as they become steadfast partners and loving friends.
- Captivating Plots: Runaway children. Mysterious statues. From The Mixed-Up Files Of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler clashes mystery and mayhem as two children run away to New York in the hopes of finally persuading their parents to treat them properly and fairly. But in New York, Claudia and Jamie stumble upon a statue with an unidentified origin and a mysterious allure.
- Elaborate Worlds: Claudia knew that the regular, old-fashioned type of running away would never work for her. So the Metropolitan Museum of Art becomes her home for weeks as she and her younger brother, Jamie, hide from the police and fight to uncover the mystery of a statue. Hilarious, mysterious, and adventurous, readers will love this contemporary story!
Noteworthy Elements:
- Sexual Tension: At one point in the book, Jamie asks to go and explore the Italian Renaissance wing of the museum with the innocent purpose of boring his older sister. Claudia, however, assumes that Jamie is doing it to look at the art pieces containing nudity. Though discreet, the reader will still see Claudia’s thoughts at the moment.
- Profanity: There is no explicit language in the story, but the word “gosh” is used at least once.
- Other: The sibling pair badgers each other sometimes rudely at the beginning of the story. As the book progresses, we see their respect for each other grow into a loving friendship.
