Name:________________________________

From the Mixed Up Files of

Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

Discussion Questions: Chapter 1Page: 5-18

1) What are some of the reasons that Claudia chose to run away from home? How would you have felt if you were in Claudia’s situation?

2) How did Jamie’s mindset change when he felt chosen by Claudia?

3) How do Claudia and Jamie complement each other? (How are they a good match for each other? How do they balance each other?)

Discussion Questions: Chapter 2Page: 19-27

1) How do you think that Claudia and Jamie felt when they were waiting on the bus? Do you think you could have waited that long?

2) Why do you think that Claudia and Jamie keep arguing about grammar?

3) How do you think the Kincaids (Claudia and Jamie) feel at the end of the chapter?

Discussion Questions: Chapter 3Page: 28-42

1) What is Claudia and Jamie’s plan?

2) What do Claudia and Jamie become near the end of the chapter?

Discussion Questions: Chapter 4Page: 43-66

1) What do you think about Jamie’s “brush with danger”?

2) Why did Claudia “look as satisfied as the bronze statue of the Egyptian cat?” (p. 56/p. 59)

3) Who do you think really made Angel? Why?

4) What do you think about this statement? “Jamie and Claudia had acquired a talent for being near but never part of a group. (Some people, Saxonberg, never learn to do that all their lives, some learn it all too well.)” What does Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler mean?

Discussion Question: Chapter 5Page: 67-87

1) Do you think that Claudia’s plan to learn everything about Angel is practical? Why or why not?

2) “Some one very rich must have thrown in this quarter,” Jamie whispered.“Some one very poor,” Claudia corrected. “Rich people have only penny wishes.”

What do you think she means? Do you agree or disagree?

Individual Question: Chapter 6Page: 88-101

1)Why do you think Claudia cares so much about Angel?

2) Do you think that the “M” that Jamie finds on the velvet really stands for Michelangelo?

3) How do you think the “Museum Head” will react to Claudia and Jamie’s letter?

Discussion Questions: Chapter 7Page: 102-109

1) Why do you think Jamie chooses Angelo Michaels to be his name for the post office box?

2) What happened when Claudia and Jamie were in the Egyptian wing?

3) What do you think is going to happen in the next chapter?

Discussion Questions: Chapter 8Page: 110-123

1) Why do you think Claudia was so disappointed when she received the letter from the museum?

2) What do you think will happen when Claudia and Jamie arrive at Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler’s house?

What do you think that Claudia means when she says that she “wants to know how to go back to Greenwich different?”

Name :_____________________________________ Date:___________________

Discussion Questions: Chapter 9Page: 124-154

1) How do you think that Claudia and Jamie felt when the car pulled up to Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler’s house?

2) How do you think that Jamie felt when he gave away their secret to Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler? How do you think that Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler felt?

3) Do you think we are finally going to get know why this book is called From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler?

Name :_____________________________________ Date:___________________

Discussion Question: Chapter 10Page: 155-162

1)What did Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler mean when she said “I need having the secret more than I need the money?”

2) How do you think Claudia and Jamie felt when they looked at all of the files that they had to sort through?

3) Why do you think that Claudia starts crying?