90-Second Newbery: From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
January 29, 2013
« Holy Cats! The Chicago 90-Second Newbery is SOLD OUT! “Between Two Ferns” with me and . . . Madison Ross! »
First of all, congratulations to the new batch of Newbery winners announced yesterday, including Katherine Applegate’s Medal-winning The One and Only Ivan. That book, along with the rest of this year’s winners, are now officially fair game for next year’s 90-Second Newbery Film Festival. Get cracking on your movies, folks! Deadline December 2013! Complete details about the film festival here. (Oh, speaking of the ALA awards, special shout-out to fellow Brother Delacorte Adam Selzer, who under the pen name S.J. Adams just won a Stonewall Honor for his novel Sparks!)
Speaking of the 90-Second Newbery, here’s a great video of From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler I received a few months ago that, somehow, I forgot to post! It’s by Rebecca, Henry, Kate, Lucy, Elliott, Peter, and Emma from Cincinnati, OH, the same crew who last year brought you the unforgettable Valley-Girl version of The Witch of Blackbird Pond.
This one lives up to the promise of the first! With definitely the sassiest Frankweiler I’ve seen in any 90-Second Newbery. It’s slightly long, at about 5 minutes, but this group knows what it’s doing, keeping interest with good cutting and use of locations, a great museum montage, and a tight, funny script. (For some reason my favorite part was the “Empty your bladder . . . with a number two pencil” bit.) I liked the ridiculousness of finding the note in the mixed-up files that just straight-up says “It’s a Michaelangelo.” Funny and well-made! In the words of their Frankweiler: “And that, Saxonberg, is what’s up.” I can’t wait to see what this group does for the third year!
And remember, folks, although the February 10 screening in Chicago is sold out, we have screenings of the 90-Second Newbery Film Festival coming up in Portland and Tacoma. See my events page for details. See you there!