Goodreads Challenge 17/85: From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

I've been looking for a classic of children's literature for my kids to read in a couple of weeks.  My goal is to get them used to reading chapter books.  Right now we're reading Stuart Little.  The chapters are fairly short, and there are only 15 of them.  The kids love reading a chapter book together!

Anyway, Santino recommended From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg for my class.  It's a really clever book, smart protagonists, and full of wonderful detail and surprises.  I think it's a little too advanced for my kids, though.  It's not just the level of the vocabulary.  There are numerous tiers of references in this book, from New York landmarks to classic works of art.  And certainly this would be a great opportunity for my kids, but the book is just a little too long.  If it were about 60 pages shorter, I would do it now.  Maybe we can read it at the end of the year, by which time they will have worked up their stamina for reading longer books.

Yeah.  I think that's a worthy goal to work for.