Twelve-year-old Claudia decides to run away from her frustrations to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. She takes her brother Jamie, carefully selected because of his pocket money savings and ability to keep secrets. Their routine at the Met involves sleeping in an antique bed, fishing coins out of the fountain and learning about the exhibits.

Claudia is particularly enchanted by a newly donated sculpture, said to be by Michelangelo, and the two children become determined to find out the truth about the beautiful angel.

Konigsburg writes delightfully. She is deeply considerate of the feelings that children have and takes seriously the problems they face. Claudia and Jamie are smart, independent and curious, making for a book that has been adored by similarly thoughtful children of all ages since its publication in 1967.

Kim Gruschow