The Boxcar Children Collection Volume 2: Mystery Ranch, Mike's Mystery, Blue Bay Mystery

The Boxcar Children Collection Volume 2: Mystery Ranch, Mike's Mystery, Blue Bay Mystery by Gertrude Chandler Warner

Mystery Ranch - their grandpa has not got along with his sister. The children go to visit her. She takes a liking to the children and decides to leave the ranch to them. There was a friendly guy they saw on the train. He was a uranium prospector who discovered there was Uranium on the land. They set up a mine, while keeping land for the aunt. They also defeat the attempts of others to swindle the ranch from the aunt for cheep.

Mike's Mystery - The kids return a year later to find the ranch is now a big uranium mining operation. One of the swindlers returns to try to damage the ranch and take revenge on Mike who "talks to much". They are able to catch him and get Mike's mom set up in a pie making business.

Blue Bay Mystery - Grandpa takes the kids on a trip on a ship to the south seas. They do their schoolwork on the ship there. they are then dropped off on the island with Grandpa and an experienced man to spend time living and learning there. They discover another boy is on the island. He had been shipwrecked many months ago. He had lived for some time with a sailor who recently disappeared while swimming. (He may have fallen to sharks.) They take the boy back when the are picked up and are able to reunite him with his family.

Throughout the stories, the children are often able to quickly job whether a character is good or evil by looking at them. Is this a skill that has been lost as people attempt not to be prejudiced? It is an interesting line to be drawn. The kids also have a huge amount of optimism and everything seems to turn out well in the end.

Mike's Mystery: The Boxcar Children Mysteries, Book 5

Mike's Mystery: The Boxcar Children Mysteries, Book 5 by Gertrude Chandler Warner

The children travel out to spend time near their grandfather's uranium mine. They meet up with their old friend Mike and his dog. One day, Mike's house is burned down. He barely rescues his dog. Later, they hear some guy spread a rumor that Mike burned the house down. The kids defend their friend and then set out to find the man and the mystery of the burn. They eventually solve the case - a man had tried to burn the house to distract people while they dynamited the mine. (They man was part of a group that tried to swindle others out of the mine.) They also help set up Mike with a place where his mom can bake pies and they can have a new place to live. It is a nice mystery with just enough twists to keep it interesting and feasible. This appears to be a "classic" book written by the actual author.

The Mystery in the Snow: The Boxcar Children Mysteries, Book 32

The Mystery in the Snow: The Boxcar Children Mysteries, Book 32 series created by Gertrude Chandler Warner

This Boxcar children book was a bit confusing. The kids were at a winter snow area where they compete in some games with other kids. However, all sorts of things go wrong and go missing. Through some sleuthing, they find the culprit. A kid that gets dropped off each year wants to spend time with his family instead. He had some elaborate plan to call off the games so he could spend time with family instead. It seems quite elaborate for a kid. It also feels like a very "rich kid" type of activity, yet the kids do not act like rich kids. It all makes it "weird".

The Mystery on the Train (The Boxcar Children Mysteries)

The Mystery on the Train (The Boxcar Children Mysteries) series created by Gertrude Chandler Warner

The children's aunt is taking them on a train ride from the east coast to San Francisco. They will spend some time there, then fly back. Before getting on the train, the see a teenager and a woman fight over an are portfolio. They later meet the girl. She seems to change details of her story each time. They learn that the portfolio is actually movie posters. Her relative that she is going to meet in California has promised the posters to somebody and is an scheme to steal them. They help rescue the posters and the girl decides she wants to go back to the east coast rather than spend time with relative in San Francisco. It is a decent kid sleuth story.

Myth of the Rain Forest Monster: The Boxcar Children Creatures of Legend, Book 4

Myth of the Rain Forest Monster: The Boxcar Children Creatures of Legend, Book 4, series created by Gertrude Chandler Warner

The boxcar children go to the Amazon rainforest and look for a mysterious monster. While there, they see a number of other creatures that they have not seen before. They learn that a rainforest is an interesting place. What does this have to do with the Boxcar children? Not much. They have the same names, but have been moved forward in time a century.

Mermaids of the Deep Blue Sea: The Boxcar Children Creatures of Legend, Book 3

Mermaids of the Deep Blue Sea: The Boxcar Children Creatures of Legend, Book 3, series created by Gertrude Chandler Warner

The original creator of the Boxcar children series died many years ago. However, she is still credited as the series creator with the actual author nowhere to be found. This series uses the characters from the original series in modern tales. In this one, they go to an island to find a missing guy. He had spread rumours of monsters to keep tourists away. Alas, this has attracted more tourists. One student has trying to raise funds by selling fake mermaid-like artifacts. It is bit of a reach.

Mystery of the Hidden Elves: The Boxcar Children Creatures of Legend, Book 2

Mystery of the Hidden Elves: The Boxcar Children Creatures of Legend, Book 2 by Gertrude Chandler Warner

The Boxcar children are in Iceland with some others to make a documentary. They learn about the history of Iceland and the belief in elves and "Elf Rocks".  They learn that sometimes disturbing Elf rocks can bring bad luck. There was a road that ended up being rerouted so as not to disturb a rock. Alas, some of the kids don't believe this. One boy takes a rock. After that, they start having bad luck, including a broken down car. There is also a photo caught of an elf that is accidentally deleted as they go over bumpy terrain. They return the rock, and then are able to peacefully complete their trip and go home. It is a very modern Boxcar book that uses the kids' names, but has totally different experiences.

The Boxcar Children

The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner

The first Boxcar Children book has a innocence to it. Four kids are orphaned. They decide to fend for themselves rather than go to live with their grandfather. They find a boxcar that they turn into a nice house. The older boy goes to work odd jobs for a doctor he met. The other kids scour the junkyard for useful things. One day, the oldest boy enters a race on the spur of the moment and wins a prize. He doesn't say his last name so he won't be found. The doctor that they help out realizes that the kids are those that have a $5000 reward offered. He also has discovered where they live. However, he respects their industry and doesn't let on. Then one day, one of the girls is sick. The man helps her. He also contacts the grandpa, but has him hide his identity. The kids like him. Then he reveals his true identity and the kids are happy to go to live with him. Later, the man brings the box car back to the yard for them to enjoy. The kids have a joy and resourcefulness for themselves regardless of the circumstances

The Boxcar Children: The Boxcar Children Mysteries, Book 1

The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner

Four children are orphaned, but don't want to go into a children's home. They try to hide from a family that said they might have to send the youngest one to a home. After a few not so pleasant nights, they find a nice railroad box car to live in and scrounge for some other furnishing. The oldest of the kids goes into town to do some odd jobs for money. A dog joins them and the baby of the group learns to read. Eventually, one of the kids gets sick and the doctor that the boy works for helps take care of her. He admits that he had followed them to see where they live. He also introduces them to their grandfather who was not as bad as they expect.

The kids have a very positive outlook on life, despite the poor circumstances. They are able to make do with a combination of items discarded by others and some ingenuity. The heavily regulated society of today would never allow kids to officially fend for themselves like this. (Though it might just turn a blind eye to those living in squalor in an encampment.)