First published in 1942, The Boxcar Children is a series of chapter books for kids ages six and up. The story centers on four orphaned siblings and their adventures. Original author Gertrude Chandler Warner wrote nineteen books in the series, but since then, many authors have contributed over a hundred more titles.
Plot Summary
The four Alden children have lost their parents and are terrified to go live with a grandfather they know nothing about. They run away and end up living in a boxcar they find in the forest. When the kids meet this mysterious grandfather, he is better than they could have imagined and even moves the boxcar to his house so the kids can still use it. In each subsequent novel, the children work together to solve brief mysteries. Common Sense Media gives the series five out of five stars thanks to the positive messages, characters and educational value.
Warner wrote the original series and most of the titles fall into the collection known as The Boxcar Children Mysteries. Warner's first eighteen books are:
The Boxcar Children
Surprise Island
The Yellow House Mystery
Mystery Ranch
Mike's Mystery
Blue Bay Mystery
The Woodshed Mystery
The Lighthouse Mystery
Mountaintop Mystery
Schoolhouse Mystery
Caboose Mystery
Snowbound Mystery
Tree House Mystery
Bicycle Mystery
Mystery in the Sand
Mystery Behind the Wall
Bus Station Mystery
Benny Uncovers a Mystery
Main Characters
Throughout the series, many characters are introduced either as important for only one book or in recurring roles. However, the series centers on the Alden family, who appear in every book.
Henry Alden - At age 14, Henry is the oldest of the children and feels it's his job to take care of his siblings. He doesn't shy away from making responsible decisions.
Jessie Alden - Jessie is the next oldest Alden child and the oldest girl in the family. While she embodies the perfect housewife in her domestic abilities, Jessie also has great survival instincts and skills.
Violet Alden - Although all the Alden children are great kids, Violet has a superior ability to infuse every situation with optimism. She also knows all the secrets to getting younger brother Benny to cooperate.
Benny Alden - The youngest of the Alden children, Benny is only six years old. Benny has an adventurous spirit and thirst for knowledge, so he's always asking questions.
James Henry Alden - Mr. Alden is the grandfather of Henry, Jessie, Violet and Benny. He is a wealthy, kind man. He displays understanding and compassion toward the children once they give him a chance.
Special Titles
Since 1991, there have been over 120 new titles written by various authors as an extension of the original mysteries. These books delve into more modern scenarios and settings to stay relevant in the lives of children across generations.
Prequel
Written by acclaimed author Patricia MacLachlan, The Boxcar Children Beginning: The Aldens of Fair Meadow chronicles the life of the Alden kids before their parents' deaths. Published in 2012, readers get the chance to meet Ben and Kate Alden, the boxcar children's parents, and see how they all live together on a farm. Publisher's Weekly calls the book "partially satisfying" because readers do learn what happened to the Alden parents, but the children's reaction to their parents' death seems unemotional.
The Adventures of Benny & Watch
Young readers get to know more about Benny Alden, the youngest of the siblings, in this early reader series aimed at kids ages six to eight. Watch is Benny's trusted dog and sidekick who helps him solve simple mysteries at home and around town. The rest of the Alden clan also appear in The Adventures of Benny & Watch which features twelve books illustrated by Daniel Mark Duffy and Kay Life.
Meet the Boxcar Children
A Present for Grandfather
Benny's New Friend
The Magic Show Mystery
Benny Goes Into Business
Watch Runs Away
The Secret Under the Tree
Benny's Saturday Surprise
Sam Makes Trouble
Watch, the Superdog!
Keys and Clues for Benny
Benny's Boxcar Sleepover
Graphic novels
Featuring eighteen titles, the Boxcar Childrengraphic novel series takes the original books and adapts them for a modern audience. A variety of authors and illustrators collaborate to bring all the old classics to life with engaging images and updated text. Authors include Shannon Eric Denton, Rob M. Worley, Joeming Dunn and Christopher E. Long. Aimed at kids in second through fourth grade, each novel runs about 32 pages long. For the most part, the titles mirror the original series titles with a few exceptions.
These titles are new:
The Haunted Cabin Mystery, Book #9
The Amusement Park Mystery, Book #10
The Pizza Mystery, Book #11
The Castle Mystery, Book #12
Great Adventures
Created to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the original series, The Boxcar Children Great Adventure miniseries features five books. This exciting collection takes the Alden kids around the world on a special mission to ensure lost artifacts make it back to where they belong. The mysterious Reddimous Society enlists the Aldens' help in these daring adventures each spanning around 150 pages. While the original series author still gets credit on the covers, each book in this edition is authored by Dee Garretson and J.M. Lee and published in 2017.
Journey on a Runaway Train
The Clue in the Papyrus Scroll
The Detour of the Elephants
The Shackleton Sabotage
The Khipu and the Final Key
Specials
First published in 1993 The Boxcar ChildrenSpecial Series features 21 titles illustrated by Charles Tang.
The Mystery on the Ice
The Mystery in Washington D.C.
The Mystery at Snowflake Inn
The Mystery at the Ballpark
The Pilgrim Village Mystery
The Mystery at the Fair
The Pet Shop Mystery
The Niagara Falls Mystery
The Mystery in the Old Attic
The Windy City Mystery
The Mystery of the Queen's Jewels
The Mystery of the Black Raven
The Mystery in New York
The Home Run Mystery
The Honeybee Mystery
The Mystery of the Screech Owl
The Mystery of the Tiger's Eye
The Mystery of Alligator Swamp
The Great Shark Mystery
The Black Widow Spider Mystery
Praise and Adaptations
While the series has maintained popularity for over 75 years, the individual books and series as a whole have not won many prestigious awards. However, readers across generations have found other ways to give praise for these beloved books.
2013 - The first book from the entire series, The Box-Car Children, is available as an e-book to read free on Gutenberg.
2014 - The Boxcar Childrenanimated movie premiers starring Martin Sheen as Grandfather.
2016 - The first five books written by Warner are translated into Spanish.
A Wholesome Dose of Mystery
Parents, educators and children agree The Boxcar Children series and its characters are fun to read about and make great role models. Whether your child is a reluctant or avid reader, these titles offer something for every kid.
