The Boxcar Children

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The Boxcar Children is a children's literary franchise originally created and written by American writer and first-grade school teacher[1] Gertrude Chandler Warner and which today includes well over 100 titles. The series is aimed at middle readers in Grades 2-4.

Originally published in 1942, the original The Boxcar Children novel tells the story of four orphaned children who run away from their grandfather and start a new life of independence in an abandoned boxcar. Eventually they are reunited with their grandfather. Subsequent stories follow the further adventures of the titular children and their various adventures.

Only the first 19 stories were written by creator Warner. Other books in the series have been created by other writers, but always feature the byline "Created by Gertrude Chandler Warner".

Contents

[edit] Plot Summary of the First Novel

The first book tells the story of four children: Henry James Alden, 14; Jessie Alden, 12; Violet Alden, 10; Benny Alden, 4(and 6 in books not by Gertrude Chandler Warner); and their dog Watch. Upon the death of their mother and father, their grandfather assumes custody of the children, but they run away because they believe him to be cruel. Finding an abandoned boxcar, they start a new life of independence. A man named Dr. Moore, who lives in a nearby city, hires Henry to do jobs around his home, such as mowing the lawn and organizing his garage. With the help of Henry's income and living off the land, the children are able to take care of themselves until Violet becomes ill and they must go to Dr. Moore for assistance.

Earlier in the novel, Dr. Moore has read in the newspaper that a man named James Alden was offering a $5,000 reward for anyone who can locate his four lost grandchildren. When Violet is taken ill, Dr. Moore finally contacts James Alden, who arrives just after the children bring in Violet for treatment. Not wanting to frighten the children into running away again, their grandfather referred to himself as Mr. Henry (Henry being his middle name). Not knowing that the man was their "cruel" grandfather, the children warm to his kindness and are surprised but delighted when Dr. Moore reveals to them that he is their grandfather. After moving in with their grandfather, Mr. Alden moves the boxcar to his backyard for their enjoyment.

[edit] About the Series

The series involves the children solving various mysteries, and occasionally traveling to other locations as they do so.

The series are divided into mysteries and specials; all of the specials were written after Warner's death. As of 2007, there are 113 mysteries and 22 specials in the series, with the most recent mysteries being #112, The Ghost in the Front Row and #113, The Box That Watch Found (Warner, G. (2007)

[edit] About the Author

Warner's life was chronicled in the biography "Gertrude Chandler Warner and the Boxcar Children"[2] by Mary Ellen Ellsworth, illustrated by Marie DeJohn, which tells the story of Warner's childhood living across the street from the railroad tracks, her bouts with poor health, her teaching career, her earliest attempts at writing and her inspiration for The Boxcar Children. [3]

The Gertrude Warner Museum opened in a red boxcar in Putnam, Connecticut in 2004.[4]In July 2004, a museum in Putnam, Connecticut was opened to honor Gertrude Warner and the Boxcar Children series.

She is buried in Grove Street Cemetery, Putnam, Connecticut.


As she wrote the story, Warner read it to her classes and rewrote it many times so the words were easy to understand. Some of her pupils spoke other languages at home and were just learning English, so the The Boxcar Children gave them a fun story that was easy to read. Warner once wrote that the original book "raised a storm of protest from librarians who thought the children were having too good a time without any parental control! That is exactly why children like it!"

[edit] List of Boxcar Children novels

Note that these are only the books in the main series. For descriptions and info on the series for younger readers and the Specials, see

Main article: List of Boxcar Children books
  1. The Boxcar Children
  2. Surprise Island
  3. The Yellow House Mystery
  4. Mystery Ranch
  5. Mike's Mystery
  6. Blue Bay Mystery
  7. The Woodshed Mystery
  8. The Lighthouse Mystery
  9. Mountain Top Mystery
  10. Schoolhouse Mystery
  11. Caboose Mystery
  12. Houseboat Mystery
  13. Snowbound Mystery
  14. Tree House Mystery
  15. Bicycle Mystery
  16. Mystery in the Sand
  17. Mystery Behind the Wall
  18. Bus Station Mystery
  19. Benny Uncovers a Mystery
  20. The Haunted Cabin Mystery
  21. The Deserted Library Mystery
  22. The Animal Shelter Mystery
  23. The Old Motel Mystery
  24. The Mystery of the Hidden Painting
  25. The Amusement Park Mystery
  26. The Mystery of the Mixed-Up Zoo
  27. The Camp-Out Mystery
  28. The Mystery Girl
  29. The Mystery Cruise
  30. The Disappearing Friend Mystery
  31. The Mystery of the Singing Ghost
  32. The Mystery in the Snow
  33. The Pizza Mystery
  34. The Mystery Horse
  35. The Mystery at the Dog Show
  36. The Castle Mystery
  37. The Mystery of the Lost Village
  38. The Mystery of the Purple Pool
  39. The Ghost Ship Mystery
  40. The Canoe Trip Mystery
  41. The Mystery of the Hidden Beach
  42. The Mystery of the Missing Cat
  43. The Mystery on Stage
  44. The Dinosaur Mystery
  45. The Mystery of the Stolen Music
  46. The Chocolate Sundae Mystery
  47. The Mystery of the Hot Air Balloon
  48. The Mystery Bookstore
  49. The Mystery of the Stolen Boxcar
  50. Mystery in the Cave
  51. The Mystery on the Train
  52. The Mystery of the Lost Mine
  53. The Guide Dog Mystery
  54. The Hurricane Mystery
  55. The Mystery of the Secret Message
  56. The Firehouse Mystery
  57. The Mystery in San Francisco
  58. The Mystery at the Alamo
  59. The Outer Space Mystery
  60. The Soccer Mystery
  61. The Growling Bear Mystery
  62. The Mystery of the Lake Monster
  63. The Mystery at Peacock Hall
  64. The Black Pearl Mystery
  65. The Cereal Box Mystery
  66. The Panther Mystery
  67. The Mystery of the Stolen Sword
  68. The Basketball Mystery
  69. The Movie Star Mystery
  70. The Mystery of the Pirate's Map
  71. The Ghost Town Mystery
  72. The Mystery in the Mall
  73. The Gymnastics Mystery
  74. The Poison Frog Mystery
  75. The Mystery of the Empty Safe
  76. The Great Bicycle Race Mystery
  77. The Mystery of the Wild Ponies
  78. The Mystery in the Computer Game
  79. The Mystery at the Crooked House
  80. The Hockey Mystery
  81. The Mystery of the Midnight Dog
  82. The Summer Camp Mystery
  83. The Copycat Mystery
  84. The Haunted Clock Tower Mystery
  85. The Disappearing Staircase Mystery
  86. The Mystery on Blizzard Mountain
  87. The Mystery of the Spider's Clue
  88. The Mystery of the Mummy's Curse
  89. The Mystery of the Star Ruby
  90. The Stuffed Bear Mystery
  91. The Mystery at Skeleton Point
  92. The Tattletale Mystery
  93. The Comic Book Mystery
  94. The Ice Cream Mystery
  95. The Midnight Mystery
  96. The Mystery in the Fortune Cookie
  97. The Radio Mystery
  98. The Mystery of the Runaway Ghost
  99. The Finders Keepers Mystery
  100. The Mystery of the Haunted Boxcar
  101. The Clue in the Corn Maze
  102. The Ghost of the Chattering Bones
  103. The Sword of the Silver Knight
  104. The Game Store Mystery
  105. The Mystery of the Orphan Train
  106. The Vanishing Passenger
  107. The Giant Yo-Yo Mystery
  108. The Creature in Ogopogo Lake
  109. The Rock 'n' Roll Mystery
  110. The Secret of the Mask
  111. The Seattle Puzzle
  112. The Ghost in the Front Row
  113. The Box That Watch Found
  114. A Horse named Dragon
  115. The Great Detective Race

[edit] References

  1. ^ About Gertrude Chandler Warner. Retrieved on 2008-03-06.
  2. ^ Gertrude Chandler Warner and the Boxcar Children at Albert Whitman & Company. Retrieved on 2008-03-06.
  3. ^ Children's Notes, Boxcar Children Redux. Retrieved on 2008-03-06.
  4. ^ Gertrude Warner Museum. Retrieved on 2008-03-06.

[edit] See also