There’s something beguiling about running away from home towards adventure. What would our autonomous life look like—free, easy, and fun? Or dangerous, fraught, and lonely? And why do we find ourselves drawn to this particular premise, especially as young readers?
In today’s episode, we surmise it’s partly the appeal of full independence, as well as something resonate about the need to create a space (physical or emotional) entirely meant for oneself. This runaway plot loved by generations of young readers has been made possible by the likes of The Boxcar Children, My Side of the Mountain, and today’s feature book, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler.
Tune in to hear us discuss the way E. L. Konigsburg’s writing and images made a lasting impression on us as young readers. For us, these images left more of a mark than the characters or plot of the novel, which has interesting ties to Konigsburg’s background.
Konigsburg’s was an art enthusiast and, when she was not writing, devoted part of her time to taking art classes. In a follow-up story celebrating fifty years of From the Mixed-Up Files, Paul Konigsburg, one of the author’s sons, talks about his mother’s appreciation for the the Japanese expression “yohaku,” meaning the unpainted part of a painting. We think this connection is utterly fascinating compared with our own personal impressions! You can watch Paul talk about his mother’s work along with artist Nikhil Chopra’s artistic experience living and creating inside the Met here:
To hear more of our thoughts and trip down memory lane, make sure to check out our latest episode wherever you get your podcasts.
The Real Deal about Mrs. B—plus a guide to squatting at the Met
Our extra links for this week’s episode are extra fun, so let’s hop in! Did you know that Konigsburg’s mystery in the novel involves a real-life story of artistic mistaken identity? In the 1960s the Met bought a statue to add to their collection for a bargain only to discover the purchase was later attributed to the work of a late Italian Renaissance artist. Other aspects of how Konigsburg’s book came to be are explored in this in-depth historical essay published by Smithsonian Mag. We recommend checking it out for contextual details.
And if you are curious about whether or not you could get through a few days of squatting at the Met, Hyperallergic has you covered with a child’s how-to guide to give you pointers. While we don’t recommend following the advice literally, we do love how this article highlights the humorous elements of this cherished children’s classic.
Save the Date!
This Friday, we’re revealing our BIG plans for summer reading in a special Patreon bonus episode. You won’t want to miss it.
Before we get ahead of ourselves with excitement, there’s still time to join us for the last month of reading children’s classics together with Classics Club! We would love to see you in our community of enthusiastic and nerdy bookworms. Here’s a look at our events scheduled for May, note: highlighted events indicate live Zoom events for Literature Scholars.
To join our Patreon and help us keep the show running, visit patreon.com/novelpairings. Send us an email or a DM on Instagram if you have any questions about our membership community. We would love to answer them.
Final Words
Readers, thanks for coming along with us on this nostalgic rendezvous through classic kid lit. We loved getting to reminisce about today’s classic and cannot wait to see your memories in the comments.
Next week, we’ll be back with with our episode on Inkheart by Cornelia Funke.
Chelsey & Sara