From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

Reading Check and Short Answer Questions on key plot points are designed for guided reading assignments, in-class review, formative assessment, quizzes, and more.

Prologue-Chapter 3

Reading Check

1. To whom is Mrs. Frankweiler’s letter addressed?

2. What game does Jamie play on the bus with his friend?

3. What does Jamie do with the written instructions Claudia gives him after he finishes reading them?

4. How does Claudia calm Jamie down when he begs to go to Central Park instead of the museum?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. Why does Claudia select the Metropolitan Museum of Art as her destination?

2. Summarize Claudia’s reasons for running away from home.

3. Why does Claudia select Jamie to accompany her?

4. How does the relationship between Claudia and Jamie change in the moment they compliment each other after picking out a place to sleep?

Paired Resource

“Why They Run Away From Home”

• This New York Times article discussing the trend of children running away from home was published in 1964, just three years before From the Mixed-Up Files was published.
• This supports the theme of Self-Discovery Through Adventure.
• How do Claudia’s motivations for running away from home match or differ from the trends identified in the article?

 “Can We Talk About ‘The Mixed-Up Files’ and the Met?”

• This brief video touches on the enduring appeal of From the Mixed-Up Files and shows how accurately the novel portrays the museum.
• This reinforces the theme of The Enriching Influence of Art.
• Which displays in the museum would you most like to visit? Why?

Chapters 4-7

Reading Check

1. Where do Claudia and Jamie hide while waiting for the museum to open?

2. Which galleries does Jamie choose to visit first?

3. What does Jamie eat after finding it on the ground?

4. When Claudia and Jamie find the marks in the velvet, what is their first guess about where they came from?

5. In which gallery does Jamie spot his class visiting the museum?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. Why does Jamie refuse to buy a copy of The New York Times?

2. Why don’t Claudia and Jamie feel homesick?

3. Why does Claudia refuse Jamie’s suggestion that they return home after finding Michelangelo’s mark?

4. Why do Claudia and Jamie rent a post office box?

Paired Resource

“Could The Masterpiece Be a Fake? Profit, Revenge and 'The Art of Forgery'”

• This NPR interview with scholar Noah Charney explores the complex factors involved in determining whether a work of art is authentic. It also includes an anecdote about Michelangelo’s work as a forger.
• This supports the theme The Enriching Influence of Art.
• Why do we attach so much importance to knowing who created a work of art? Does knowing the artist behind a work change the way you see it?

“To a Daughter Leaving Home”

• A poem by Linda Pastan offers a parent’s perspective on watching a child gain independence while facing risks.
• This further develops the theme of Self-Discovery Through Adventure.
• How do the themes in the poem mirror Claudia’s progress through her adventure? How might Claudia’s parents feel while she and Jamie are not home?

Chapters 8-10

Reading Check

1. Jamie tells the receptionist at the United Nations that school was canceled due to what?

2. Where does Claudia decide to go instead of returning home?

3. How much money does Jamie have left after paying the taxi driver?

4. The information about Angel is filed under the name of which Italian city?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. What is Claudia’s impression of the United Nations tour guide?

2. Describe Mrs. Frankweiler’s personality.

3. Why does Mrs. Frankweiler make Jamie and Claudia search her files instead of just showing them her file about Angel?

4. On the way home, Claudia realizes that Mrs. Frankweiler sold Angel for what reason?

Recommended Next Reads 

The View from Saturday by E. L. Konigsburg

• This novel about a group of sixth-grade students who compete in an Academic Bowl won Konigsburg her second Newbery Award.
• Shared themes include Self-Discovery Through Adventure and Finding Strength in Difference.
• The View from Saturday on SuperSummary

Augusta Savage: The Shape of a Sculptor’s Life by Marilyn Nelson

• This biography in poems centers on the life and work of an African American sculptor who was active during the Harlem Renaissance.
• A shared theme is The Enriching Influence of Art