Customer Reviews
Ethan of Salem, OR, 8/29/2016
This book is about four orphaned children. Peter, the oldest kid, works at a man's house to earn money. One of the parts I enjoyed was when the youngest orphan picks cherries. I like this book because they find their grandfather at the end.
Lauren of Salem, OR, 8/28/2016
This delightful book tells the story of four orphaned brothers and sisters and their survival in an abandoned boxcar. They are hiding from their grandfather, who they think is mean, and manage to keep their home in the boxcar a secret. Henry, the oldest, finds regular work with a friendly doctor and the oldest girl, Jessie, takes good care of the boxcar and prepares delicious meals. One of my favorite parts is when the children have a scrumptious stew made of meat and tiny vegetables Henry pulled from the doctor's garden.
Book Lover Age 8 of Australia, 6/22/2016
A really good book about four orphan children. I think everyone will enjoy this book. I especially like the part where they find the boxcar. Then they make a dam out of the river that flows by so they can have a swimming pool. I think everyone will read this book again and again.
Before the Mysteries, There Was
Sincerelyornot, 8/4/2011
The boxcar children is a long series, best known for its homey mysteries. The original series, for the record, has 300 plus pages per book and is so, so, so boring. I mean, paint drying dull. This miniturized modern paperback version is, for once, a drastic improvement. Except for the first book (this one), the series follows a cute if repeattive formula that hasn't changed from the green covers, to the multi-colored hardbacks, to the blue covers, to these pastel paperbacks (my personal favorite). Four siblings, who basically get along, solve a mystery and have some down home fun at the same time.
The usual predictable pattern doesn't apply to this, the first book, and for that reason its my favorite. No missing dogs or "mysterious" love notes, just a bunch of kids trying to run away from change.
Its such a perfect read-aloud book, with subtly implied morals (adults do actually know better, family will have your back, and hard work can be fun), no objectionable content by the end, and plenty of fun mini adventures of the everyday variety (berry picking, reusing old items, making bread). No mystery here, but if you're out for that, there are over 150 books in the pastel series alone.