One Mixed-Up Night

Inspired by their great love of IKEA, and by one of their favorite books, The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, Frankie and Walter hatch a plan to stay overnight at an IKEA after a joint family trip. They convince Walter's mom Alice that they're having a sleepover at Frankie's house, and convince Frankie's parents they're at Walter's. They hide until closing, and then the world of IKEA is theirs. Frankie sees the experience not just as wish fulfilment, but as an opportunity to reawaken the old Water, whose father died of brain cancer. Frankie and Walter are best friends, and their families are very close, but even Frankie doesn't know the depth of sadness in their household. The two have a transformative night, but eventually show more cause enough damage (unintentionally) that they're stopped by compassionate security guard Shirley, who talks with them before calling their parents.

*
Re-read February 2026

Quotes

The funny thing is this: people think that dorky geeks who read all the time are the kinds of kids who don't get into trouble. But they're wrong. We do. (first sentences)

But the thing is? I never feel strange with Walter. I mean, never when we're hanging out, just the two of us, obviously. But also never if he's even just in the room with me. He's like my own personal normalizer, and if he's in my class at school or at a party with me, or in a group of people, I can relax and just feel all right in the world.
"You're Frankie's knight in shining armor," my dad once said to Walter....
"I know," [Walter had] said seriously. "She's mine too." (72)

Sometimes I think that's kind of what stuff is like. You want it until you have it, and then it's like the light inside it goes out. (82)

That's what I was thinking about now....How rare it was to feel actually satisfied by things, however nice they were. (104)

"And all those things are gone, and where they were there are just these giant holes instead, and all you can do is kind of...fall into them and break your leg every five minutes." (Walter, 158) show less

I woke up last night at two a.m. feeling too hot and I knew that my husband enjoying his just right temperature. So I decided to finish One Mixed UP Night by Catherine Newman in the living room with the ceiling fan going strong. There were two friends, both six graders who had known each other from kindergarten who thought of themselves as Nerds. They had a passion for a well known furniture chain store.

The two, Frankie (a girl) and Walter plan an overnight stay at the store and have a lifetime of different adventures and reveal their secrets to each other.

This not telling you much of what happened, that is for you to discover but one of the best things things in this book is that the author lets the kids think about the consequences show more and also discuss some very serious topics in their lives. The writing is spot on but I loved reading the thoughts of the kids.

I received this Advanced Reading Copy by making a selection from Amazon Vine books but that in no way influenced my thoughts or feelings in this review. I also posted this review only on sites meant for reading not for selling. show less

Best friends Frankie and Walter sneak off to spend the night at IKEA. Walter has changed in the months since his father's death from cancer and Frankie hopes to get back the old Walter through their shared love of IKEA. The idea of an IKEA overnight sounds like fun but this send-up to "From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler" doesn't quite have the magic of its inspiration and the kids are preternaturally philosophical.