The Boxcar Children Books In Order
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The Boxcar Children | (1942) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Movie Star Mystery | (1948) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Surprise Island | (1949) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Yellow House Mystery | (1952) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Mystery Ranch | (1957) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Mike's Mystery | (1960) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Blue Bay Mystery | (1961) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Woodshed Mystery | (1962) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Lighthouse Mystery | (1962) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Mountain Top Mystery | (1964) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Schoolhouse Mystery | (1965) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Caboose Mystery | (1966) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Houseboat Mystery | (1967) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Snowbound Mystery | (1968) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Tree House Mystery | (1969) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Bicycle Mystery | (1970) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Mystery in the Sand | (1971) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Mystery Behind the Wall | (1973) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Bus Station Mystery | (1974) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Benny Uncovers a Mystery | (1976) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Animal Shelter Mystery | (1991) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Haunted Cabin Mystery | (1991) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Deserted Library Mystery | (1991) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Old Motel Mystery | (1991) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Disappearing Friend Mystery | (1991) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Mystery Girl | (1992) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Mystery of the Singing Ghost | (1992) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Mystery of the Hidden Painting | (1992) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Amusement Park Mystery | (1992) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Mystery of the Mixed-Up Zoo | (1992) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Camp-Out Mystery | (1992) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Mystery Cruise | (1992) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Mystery in the Snow | (1992) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Castle Mystery | (1993) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Pizza Mystery | (1993) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Mystery Horse | (1993) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Mystery at the Dog Show | (1993) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Mystery of the Lost Village | (1993) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Canoe Trip Mystery | (1994) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Mystery of the Purple Pool | (1994) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Ghost Ship Mystery | (1994) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Mystery of the Hidden Beach | (1994) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Mystery of the Missing Cat | (1994) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Mystery on Stage | (1994) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Dinosaur Mystery | (1995) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Mystery of the Stolen Music | (1995) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Chocolate Sundae Mystery | (1995) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Mystery of the Hot Air Balloon | (1995) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Mystery Bookstore | (1995) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Mystery of the Stolen Boxcar | (1995) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Mystery in the Cave | (1995) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Mystery of the Lost Mine | (1996) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Mystery of the Secret Message | (1996) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Mystery on the Train | (1996) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Mystery of the Lost Mine | (1996) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Guide Dog Mystery | (1996) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Hurricane Mystery | (1996) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Mystery of the Secret Message | (1996) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Boxcar Children Bookshelf | (1996) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Mystery in San Francisco | (1997) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Outer Space Mystery | (1997) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Mystery at the Alamo | (1997) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Firehouse Mystery | (1997) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Soccer Mystery | (1997) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Growling Bear Mystery | (1997) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Cereal Box Mystery | (1998) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Mystery at Peacock Hall | (1998) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Panther Mystery | (1998) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Black Pearl Mystery | (1998) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Mystery of the Lake Monster | (1998) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Mystery of the Stolen Sword | (1998) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Mystery in the Mall | (1999) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Basketball Mystery | (1999) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Gymnastics Mystery | (1999) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Mystery of the Pirate's Map | (1999) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Ghost Town Mystery | (1999) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Mystery of the Wild Ponies | (2000) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Mystery of the Empty Safe | (2000) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Mystery at the Crooked House | (2000) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Poison Frog Mystery | (2000) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Great Bicycle Race Mystery | (2000) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Mystery in the Computer Game | (2000) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Hockey Mystery | (2000) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Copycat Mystery | (2001) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Mystery of the Midnight Dog | (2001) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Summer Camp Mystery | (2001) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Haunted Clock Tower Mystery | (2001) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Disappearing Staircase Mystery | (2001) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Mystery of the Mummy's Curse | (2002) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Stuffed Bear Mystery | (2002) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Mystery of the Spider's Clue | (2002) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Mystery on Blizzard Mountain | (2002) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Mystery of the Star Ruby | (2002) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Mystery at Skeleton Point | (2002) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Mystery of the Fortune Cookie | (2003) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Mystery in the Fortune Cookie | (2003) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Midnight Mystery | (2003) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Ice Cream Mystery | (2003) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Tattletale Mystery | (2003) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Comic Book Mystery | (2003) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Radio Mystery | (2003) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Clue In The Corn Maze | (2004) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Mystery Of The Haunted Boxcar | (2004) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Mystery of the Runaway Ghost | (2004) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Finders Keepers Mystery | (2004) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Ghost Of The Chattering Bones | (2005) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Sword of the Silver Knight | (2005) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Game Store Mystery | (2005) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Mystery of the Orphan Train | (2005) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Giant Yo-yo Mystery | (2006) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Creature in Ogopogo Lake | (2006) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Vanishing Passenger | (2006) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Rock 'n' Roll Mystery | (2006) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Secret of the Mask | (2007) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Ghost in the First Row | (2007) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Seattle Puzzle | (2007) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Box That Watch Found | (2007) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Great Detective Race | (2008) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
A Horse Named Dragon | (2008) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Ghost At The Drive-In Movie | (2008) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Mystery Of The Traveling Tomatoes | (2008) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Boxcar Children Mysteries Dog Lovers' Special | (2009) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Superstar Watch | (2009) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Spy Game | (2009) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Dog-gone Mystery | (2009) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Vampire Mystery | (2009) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Spy in the Bleachers | (2010) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Amazing Mystery Show | (2010) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Pumpkin Head Mystery | (2010) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Cupcake Caper | (2010) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Clue in the Recycling Bin | (2011) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Zombie Project | (2011) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Mystery of the Soccer Snitch | (2014) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Legend of the Irish Castle | (2016) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Election Day Dilemma | (2016) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Mystery at Camp Survival | (2020) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Skeleton Key Mystery | (2020) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Trouble on the Wild West Express | (2020) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Raptor Rescue | (2023) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Publication Order of Boxcar Children Special Books
The Mystery on the Ice | (1993) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Mystery in Washington D.C. | (1994) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Mystery at Snowflake Inn | (1994) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Mystery at the Ballpark | (1995) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Pilgrim Village Mystery | (1995) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Mystery at the Fair | (1996) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Pet Shop Mystery | (1996) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Mystery in the Old Attic | (1997) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Niagara Falls Mystery | (1997) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Windy City Mystery | (1998) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Mystery of the Queen's Jewels | (1998) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Mystery in New York | (1999) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Mystery of the Black Raven | (1999) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Home Run Mystery | (2000) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Honeybee Mystery | (2000) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Mystery of the Tiger's Eye | (2001) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Mystery of the Screech Owl | (2001) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Mystery of Alligator Swamp | (2002) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Candy Factory Mystery | (2002) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Great Shark Mystery | (2003) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Black Widow Spider Mystery | (2003) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Publication Order of Boxcar Children Graphic Novels
The Yellow House Mystery | (2009) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Tree House Mystery | (2009) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Surprise Island | (2009) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Boxcar Children | (2009) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Mystery Ranch | (2009) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Blue Bay Mystery | (2009) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Mike's Mystery | (2009) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Haunted Cabin Mystery | (2010) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Amusement Park Mystery | (2010) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Pizza Mystery | (2010) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Castle Mystery | (2010) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Woodshed Mystery | (2011) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Lighthouse Mystery | (2011) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Mountain Top Mystery | (2011) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Publication Order of The Boxcar Children Great Adventure Books
Journey on a Runaway Train | (2017) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Clue in the Papyrus Scroll | (2017) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Detour of the Elephants | (2017) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Shackleton Sabotage | (2017) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Khipu and the Final Key | (2017) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Publication Order of The Jessie Files Books
The Friendship Feature | (2022) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Talk of the Town | (2022) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
A Dramatic Disappearance | (2023) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Boxcar Children is an adventure-mystery literary franchise that was originally written by Gertrude chandler Warner, an American first grade school teacher. Warner only wrote the first nineteen stories. The rest were written by other authors, though they always feature the by-line “Created by G. Chandler Warner”. Its original publisher was Rand McNally in 1924 though Albert Whitman & Company reissued it later in 1942 in a short revised form. Today, this series includes over 100 titles. Whereas recent novels in this series are set within the present day, most of its original novels were actually set in the 20s and 30s. The Box Car Children is suitable for 2nd and 3rd grade readers.
The Boxcar Children is the story of 4 orphaned children, Jessie, Henry, Benny and Violet. The four make a home for themselves inside an abandoned box car in the forest. Eventually, they meet their grandfather, a wealthy and kind person (although they initially believed he was cruel). The four children decide to start living with their grandfather, who even moves their beloved boxcar into his backyard so that they could use it as their playhouse.
In subsequent novels, the four children encounter many mysteries and adventures within their neighborhood and at locations they visit accompanied by their grandfather. Most of these novels are set within locations these children visit over holidays such as Christmas break or summer vacation.
Based on an online poll carried out in 2007, NEA (National Education Association) named the original novel of the series among Teachers’ Top 100 Children Books’. And in 2012, a survey carried out by the School Library Journal ranked it among the all time Top 100 Chapter Books’
The first novel.
The first novel of this series was published under the title The Box Car’. This novel begins with the four children, taking shelter in a bakery after they buy bread with some little cash they still have. Just to be allowed to spend their night in the bakery, the four agree to give assistance around the bakery. When they later overhear what the baker has in plan for them, they decide to flee. (In the 1924 edition, the four flee because they overhear the baker saying that he would send to their grandfather, who they think will treat them cruelly. But in the second1942 edition, the reason for fleeing is because they overhear that the baker plans on keeping the older 3 siblings but send the younger sibling Benny to live in children’s home. The most recent prints of this book are based upon the 1942 edition.)
After fleeing, they find an abandoned boxcar, in which they begin a new independent life. Henry begins performing various odd jobs for a young doctor (Doctor McAllister in the original 1924 edition and Doctor Moore in other editions) in Silver City, in order to earn the much needed money to buy food and other necessities. He also starts gardening for this doctor’s mother. Later on, she allows him to take home some carrots and parsnips he had picked as they were very small. The four children’s lives are very pleasant and full of hard work till Violet becomes sick and they have to seek assistance from the doctor.
Earlier in this novel, the doctor had read in a newspaper that a certain man, James Alden (James Cordyce in the original 1924 edition) was giving out a $5,000 reward to anyone who knew the whereabouts of his 4 lost grandchildren. They run away because they believed he was cruel. When the doctor takes sick Violet as well as the other three children to his home, he finally decides to contact their grandfather, who comes to the doctor’s house. Trying not to frighten the four children into escaping again, he decides not to reveal his full names. Not knowing he was actually their “cruel” grandfather, they warm to his kindness. Eventually, they are surprised but delighted after they discover that he was their grandfather. Later on, after moving in with them, James allows them to move their boxcar into his backyard to be used for their enjoyment.
The second novel.
In the second novel titled, Surprise Island, the four children spend summer break in their granddad’s island where they also set up a small home and museum. This is because the girls want to set up the little home while the boys want to explore. The boys then find a small cave which turns out to hold lots of historical significance and belongs to a real museum. They gather together illustrations of all the things they observe in the cave, several shells and plants and take them to their museum. The boys also find arrowheads among other interesting things. They’re kept company by a very intelligent man, Joe who seems to have so much knowledge of history than any normal person can. They then find out this knowledgeable man is their cousin, who for a while, had lost his identity. The boys reunite Joe with Alden, their grandfather and the entire family is very happy being together. After summer, the Box car children leave this island with Grandpa to go back to their home.
The Box Car Children’ animated film.
In April 2014, an animated based on The Boxcar Children’ was released bearing this same title. Grandfather Alden voice is played by Sheen Martin, Doctor Moore by JK. Simmons. Joey King, Zachary Gordon, Jadon Sand and Mackenzie Foy voice Jessie, Henry, Benny and Violet, respectively.
The animated film debuted during the Toronto International Film Kids Festival (TiFF/Kids) in April of 2014. It went ahead to play at fifteen more festivals including the Woods Hole Film Festival, St. Louis Film Festival and Spain’s The Gijon Film Festival. The animated film won Best Animated Film in the 2015 St. Tropez Film Festival.
The animated film was released by e-One Entertainment. It then got a limited theatrical run within North America, before coming out on VOD and DVD on the19th of August 2014. TV and streaming rights were exclusively sold to Netflix in October April, 2014. The animated film was produced and directed by Mark A. Dippe and Daniel Chuba. Maureen Sargent Gorman was its executive producer.
The Box Car Children is an intriguing and fun novel series that can be a great starter read for early or tentative readers.
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