Tag Archives: E. L. Konigsburg

The Second Mrs. Giaconda by E.L. Konigsberg

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The Second Mrs. Giaconda, by E.L. Konigsberg, is a historical novel featuring Leonardo da Vinci and the background of his famous painting, the Mona Lisa. The story is told from the perspective of Leonardo’s apprentice, Salai. Before meeting Leonardo, Salai was a liar and a thief. Leonardo catches Salai in the act of stealing, but does not punish him. Leonardo realizes that Salai and his family are living in poverty. Moved by compassion, Leonardo takes in Salai as an apprentice.

Soon after Salai is made an apprentice, it becomes apparent that Leonardo favors him over his other apprentices. A bond develops between the master and the apprentice that becomes stronger through the many hardships that they endure together. After a surprising turn of events, this relationship ultimately leads to the painting of the Mona Lisa.

This is a short novel, but I enjoyed it very much. Even though the story is fictional, it seems realistic. It gives a sense of what life was like during the Renaissance. I think that this book conveys the emotions of the characters very well. I was especially impressed by the development of the character of Leonardo da Vinci, but I enjoyed the other characters as well. 

Overall, I found this book to be very compelling. The plot twists are intriguing, and surprisingly complex for such a short book. The story also teaches good lessons, such as the dangers of wealth and materialism. This book is very entertaining, and I would recommend it to anyone.

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

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From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler is a short novel by E. L. Konigsburg. This book won the Newbery Medal in 1968. The main character of the story is a girl named Claudia Kincaid, who lives in Connecticut. Claudia is the eldest of four children. She does not feel like she is treated fairly at home, so she decides to run away. She carefully plans the best way to run away from home. She selects her younger brother, Jamie, to go along with her. After several weeks of preparation, the two siblings finally put their plan into action. They travel to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, intending to secretly live inside the museum.

Claudia and Jamie manage to live in the museum for a while. During the day, they blend in with school groups of other children. At closing time, they hide as the security staff inspects the museum to make sure that all visitors have left. At night, they sleep on an antique bed in the museum.

After several days in the museum, Claudia and Jamie discover a statue of an angel. The statue is believed to have been sculpted by Michelangelo. The children are so impressed by the statue that they decide to research its origins. They learn that it had been purchased from a mysterious art collector named Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. The children decide to investigate further, which leads them to an unexpected adventure that will change their lives forever.

This book is very well written. The story is quite unique and imaginative. I have never visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art, but the book’s description of the museum is captivating. Even though I would not generally condone the idea of children running away from home, this book includes some wise counsel at the end. I would expect that anyone who has visited this museum would especially enjoy this book. Overall, I found this book to be very original, and the ending is quite satisfying.

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by Richard Powers is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.