The Boxcar Children

By Gertrude Chandler Warner

Book Overview

In The Boxcar Children, Gertrude Chandler Warner introduces us to four orphaned siblings-Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny Alden-determined to stay together at all costs. Fleeing from the fear of being separated or mistreated, they find shelter in an abandoned boxcar hidden in the woods.

With only their courage and resourcefulness to guide them, the children transform the boxcar into a warm and welcoming home. From scavenging dishes at the dump to building a dam and picking wild blueberries, each day brings new challenges-and small triumphs. Henry works to earn money for food, while the others create comfort and order through creativity, cooperation, and love.

As the siblings learn to care for one another and adapt to their surroundings, they also discover that not all adults are to be feared-and that family can sometimes be found where you least expect it.

A beloved classic that highlights resilience, imagination, and the beauty of simple living, The Boxcar Children continues to inspire generations with its gentle spirit and celebration of homegrown courage and family devotion.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1761532189
• ISBN13: 9781761532184
• Release Date: January 2026
• Publisher: Living Book Press
• Length: 122 Pages
• Weight: 0.64 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.5" x 8.5"
• Age Range: 12 years and under
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 7

Customer Reviews

Exactly as described, brand new book, perfect condition!

This story was read aloud by my First Grade teacher, nearly 50 years ago! I still love to read it! The sequels are just as much fun!

It was okay

It was okay

Great Condition

No bent pages, and no bent spine.

Introduce this book to your hate-to-readers

I loved this book as a child and read it over and over, more than any other book. I lived in the boxcar with the children (I had a very vivid imagination as a child), loving the sanctuary of this home in the woods, free from adults and making use of resources available.When I found a copy about a year ago, I was thrilled. I still love reading it.My 8-year-old granddaughter hated to read. She skimed through books she was forced to read. I introduced this book to her (along with the Nancy Drew series), and now she loves to read, and she can't wait to get on to the next book. I've been reading each mystery too, and we love to talk about them.I plan to get every book of the series. I enjoy Ayn Rand, Anne McCaffrey, Alice Walker, and other authors, but it's also enjoyable to sit down and read some of the simple books your kids read and your grandkids read, especially this series.If you know anyone in this age group who hates to read, give them the Boxcar Children as a gift. You'll see them turning into an avid reader.

I found a passion for reading as a child - it began here..

Before I read the Boxcar Children, in Elementary School, our class would make frequent visits to the library where I would check out books regularly. With the same regularity, however, I would usually turn them in unfinished, or unread altogether. I picked up this book, recommended to me by a teacher in the 3rd grade, and became earnestly engrossed in literature for the first time; I read the book 4 times. The central characters in this book are 4 children of various age, who find what they need to survive without parents to guide their decisions. The young central characters and the vivid descriptions make it easy for young readers to empathize with the children and visualize each event vicariously. The wilderness, the boxcar, the confrontations, the simple yet clever comforts they create for themselves, and the uncertainty of their future are among those things that make this book an enthralling and memorable read. I remember getting a chill at the "finish". A great book and a joy to read.I recommend The Boxcar Children to all young readers.

A wonderful classic for early readers.

Younger readers don't have too many exciting classics to choose from. This book fills the bill. Early readers should find the words relatively easy. How enticing it must be... kids living on their own? A reading child's dream comes true in this wonderful book.

This is the book that started my love of reading

I can still remember the day in the 4th grade I checked out this book from the Crescent School library. Up until that time I had never read any book of substance, just those 5 minute "See Jane run" titles that are so forgettable. This book had me rivited. I was so proud that I had read such an "adult" book. There was such a sense of accomplishment, and the story was so interesting that I blew through it in just a few days. A year earlier I was held back in the 3rd grade and was not a very successful student. This book changed all of that for me. For the first time reading was something fun, and not just homework. After I read it I wanted to read more of these kinds of books but the school year was ending. That summer I enrolled in the Public Library Reading Club and read 75 more books. Today I look back on THE BOXCAR CHILDREN with fond memories. I went looking for it as a Christmas Present for my brother's son who is now in the 3rd grade. I was suprised to find that it was published during the heart of World War II in 1942. Great things endure and obviously I was not the only one to have discovered this book. I want to thank Mrs. Evelyn Wilkerson, that wonderful librarian who suggested the book for me. She gave me such a wonderful Christmas gift, the gift of reading for the enjoyment and pleasure of it. I totally recommend this title for any young person!!!! I always seem to be in need of Presents, I think I will go back and buy a few extra copies just in case :-) Ed Henderson Associate Editor of Scouter's Journal Magazine Past Chairman of the Spalding County Library Board