Parents' Guide to

The Boxcar Children Series

Book Gertrude Chandler Warner Mystery 1942
The Boxcar Children Series Poster Image

Common Sense Media Review

Barbara Lawrence By Barbara Lawrence , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 7+

Engaging classic mystery series great for beginning readers.

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Why Age 7+?

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age 5+

Based on 3 parent reviews

Nancy.Jowers
Nancy.Jowers Adult
October 21, 2019
age 6+

THE BOX-CAR CHILDREN, A BOOK TO REMEMBER

I read this book when I was in the 4th grade. It was the first book I had ever had to do a 'project' on. I used a box from the large kitchen matches as my box-car. For the 4 children i used the flat wooden spoons that came with our ice cream snacks. I drew faces on the spoons and pasted cut out clothes on them. I had little sprigs of tree branches as trees. I am 68 now (2019), I have always loved trains and I think of that book every time one passes. I enjoyed the series that followed and the 4 Alden children solving mysteries in each book. The original story really got me hooked on reading! It left a lasting impression.
alexthewhale
alexthewhale Parent of 2, 4 and 6-year-old
April 22, 2021
age 5+

See all 3 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In the first book of the series, THE BOXCAR CHILDREN, Henry (age 14), Jessie (12), Violet (10), and Benny (6) are orphaned and running away from a grandfather they have never met but think is cruel. In order to escape being found, they decide to live on their own in a boxcar abandoned in the woods. Through ingenuity and hard work they make it their home -- building a swimming hole and a fireplace for cooking. When Violet gets seriously ill, Henry seeks help from a friendly doctor who had hired Henry to do household chores. Dr. Moore knows the grandfather is looking for the kids and reunites them with their grandfather, who is kind as well as rich. The first novel ends happily and sets the stage for a series of novels that all revolve around a mystery the four Alden children solve. The kids travel around during vacations and solve mysteries as well as make new friends. Elements from the first book continue throughout.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (3 ):
Kids say (6 ):

This is a great series for beginning readers. Though not deep, these plot-driven mysteries hold the reader's interest. Gertrude Chandler Warner, an elementary school teacher, wrote the first 19 of the books, using the 500 most common words and kept plots simple. (Later books have the byline "created by Gertrude Chandler Warner.") Although not complex, the characters are appealing and realistic.


The first book is the star of the series, but all the books provide hours of good reading.  There are more than 130 books in the series, including a prequel by Patricia MacLachlan, published in 2012.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the differences in life for the kids in The Boxcar Children series compared with today. How did kids entertain themselves before video games and TV?

  • How does the first book, The Boxcar Children, which was written in 1924, compare with books in the series that were written more recently? Were kids different back then?

  • How is the gender of the characters portrayed in these books? Are boys and girls locked into roles or free to do as they like?

Book Details

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