Happy Birthday, E. L. Konigsburg!
Today is author Elaine Lobl Konigsburg’s birthday and to celebrate, we’re making a special offer! The Arrow for her novel, From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, is:
HALF PRICE through Friday, Feb. 12, 2016 at Midnight EST! ($4.95)
Hannah Hayes, Brave Writer student and former intern, writes:
In preparation for family road trips, my mom, brother, and I would eagerly search the library shelves for audio books. Without fail, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, would be weeded from the sea of plastic cases and invariably placed in a prominent place atop overflowing piles to be listened to first.
It came as no surprise to me to find the tell-tale Newberry Medal upon the cover for the award is well deserved. This book remains a sheer classic—it was as compelling each time for my parents as it was for my child-self. And with each retelling, it only got better. That, to me is proof of its power.
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler is a story about the adventures of childhood and the lessons the characters discover on the runaway road of growing up. Without giving too much away before you read this gem for yourself, here are some of my favorite quotes:
“The eyes are the windows of the soul… If someone was to look into your eyes, what would you want them to see?”
“But lying in bed just before going to sleep is the worst time for organized thinking; it is the best time for free thinking. Ideas drift like clouds in an undecided breeze, taking first this direction and then that.”
“Claudia knew that she could never pull off the old-fashioned kind of running away. That is, running away in the heat of anger with a knapsack on her pack. She didn’t like discomfort; even picnics were untidy and inconvenient: all those insects and the sun melting the icing on the cupcakes. Therefore, she decided that her leaving home would not be just running from somewhere but would be running to somewhere.”
I know that this book will be considered the icing on the cake in your collection as you delight in the words of E.L. Konigsburg time and time again.
So, celebrate E. L. Konigsburg’s birthday and take advantage of our special offer!
Also, if you’d like to buy a copy of the novel, it’s available through Amazon: From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler (affiliate link).
The Arrow is a monthly digital product that features copywork and dictation passages from a specific read aloud novel. It’s geared toward children ages 8-11 and is an indispensable tool for parents who want to teach language arts in a natural, literature-bathed context.
