The Boardwalk Mystery

The Boxcar Children #131

by Gertrude Chandler Warner (Creator), Tim Jessell (Illustrator)

It’s summer at the shore, but someone wants to put a stop to all the fun! Who’s ruining the rides at the amusement pier? The Aldens are on the case . . .

Genres: Mystery, Childrens, Chapter Books, Family, Realistic Fiction, Audiobook, Adventure

144 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Gertrude Chandler Warner was born in Putnam, Connecticut, on April 16, 1890, to Edgar and Jane Warner. Her family included a sister, Frances, and a brother, John. From the age of five, she dreamed of becoming an author. She wrote stories for her Grandfather Carpenter, and each Christmas she gave him one of these stories as a gift. Today, Ms. Warner is best remembered as the author of THE BOXCAR CHILDREN MYSTERIES.

As a child, Gertrude enjoyed many of the things that girls enjoy today. She loved furnishing a dollhouse with handmade furniture and she liked to read. Her favorite book was ALICE IN WONDERLAND. Often on Sundays after church, Gertrude enjoyed trips to visit her grandparents' farm. Along the way, she and Frances would stop to pick the wildflowers they both loved. Gertrude's favorite flower was the violet.

Her family was a very musical one. They were able to have a family orchestra, and Gertrude enjoyed playing the cello. Her father had brought her one from New York ---a cello, a bow, a case and an instruction book. All together, he paid $14. Later, as an adult, she began playing the pipe organ and sometimes substituted for the church organist.

Due to ill health, Ms. Warner never finished high school. She left in the middle of her second year and studied with a tutor. Then, in 1918, when teachers were called to serve in World War I, the school board asked her to teach first grade. She had forty children in the morning and forty more in the afternoon. Ms. Warner wrote, "I was asked or begged to take this job because I taught Sunday School. But believe me, day school is nothing like Sunday School, and I sure learned by doing --- I taught in that same room for 32 years, retiring at 60 to have more time to write." Eventually, Ms. Warner attended Yale, where she took several teacher training courses.

Once when she was sick and had to stay home from teaching, she thought up the story about the Boxcar Children. It was inspired by her childhood dreams. As a child, she had spent hours watching the trains go by near her family's home. Sometimes she could look through the window of a caboose and see a small stove, a little table, cracked cups with no saucers, and a tin coffee pot boiling away on the stove. The sight had fascinated her and made her dream about how much fun it would be to live and keep house in a boxcar or caboose. She read the story to her classes and rewrote it many times so the words were easy to understand. Some of her pupils spoke other languages at home and were just learning English. THE BOXCAR CHILDREN gave them a fun story that was easy to read.

Ms. Warner once wrote for her fans, "Perhaps you know that the original BOXCAR CHILDREN. . . raised a storm of protest from librarians who thought the children were having too good a time without any parental control! That is exactly why children like it! Most of my own childhood exploits, such as living in a freight car, received very little cooperation from my parents."

Though the story of THE BOXCAR CHILDREN went through some changes after it was first written, the version that we are familiar with today was originally published in 1942 by Scott Foresman. Today, Albert Whitman & Company publishes this first classic story as well as the next eighteen Alden children adventures that were written by Ms. Warner.

Gertrude Chandler Warner died in 1979 at the age of 89 after a full life as a teacher, author, and volunteer for the American Red Cross and other charitable organizations. After her death, Albert Whitman & Company continued to receive mail from children across the country asking for more adventures about Henry, Jessie, Violet and Benny Alden. In 1991, Albert Whitman added to THE BOXCAR CHILDREN MYSTERIES so that today's children can enjoy many more adventures about this independent and caring group of children.

Books about Gertrude: https://www.goodreads.com/characters/...

Reviews

[Jerry (Rebel With a Massive Media Library) · Rating 2 out of 5]

So far, I'm not too impressed with this series.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it because I love mystery books so this was totally up my ally

[Joseph D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 131 of the Boxcar Children series. This one takes us to the New Jersey shore and the boardwalk. We get a picturesque view of this part of the world in the midst of strange happenings. The Alden children are ready to work hard as they figure out what is going on. A great book for out of the box thinking and persevering to see your dreams come true. ​

Joseph McKnight
http://www.josephmcknight.com

[Cherish Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

(4☆ Would recommend)
I loved these books as a kid & I'm really enjoying reading through the series again. I liked the mystery & the suspense. I like how there is more than one possible suspect, who each have reasonable motive. Would recommend.

[Leah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Summer in New Jersey. The children and grandfather spend some time by the shore. The children help the owner of an amusement pier fix his rides and find out who is breaking them.

[Charles Reed · Rating 4 out of 5]

83%
So they made their way back to the carnival!

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked that Violet had a more active role in finding clues and providing help.

[Eliana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would rate 6 stars if I could.

[Calondra M B · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great children’s book that flooded my memory with reading in the school library.
Two competing town fairs spells trouble for a small town.
Sabotage creates the mystery afoot and it’s perfect for the kids to solve. It’s truly a wonderful series for kids.

[Elizabeth "Eli" Olmedo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny are back for another mystery. This time they are headed to the New Jersey shore to visit Mr. Hanson, their grandfather’s friend, who owns an amusement park. When they get there, the Alden siblings find that someone is vandalizing the place and sabotaging the rides. To complicate matters, someone has spread the rumor that Hanson’s amusement park isn’t safe and now families are afraid to go. Determined to help their friend, the Aldens start investigating those with ties to the park. In the process, the children meet an eclectic group of people; several of them have reasons to want Mr. Hanson to fail.

The Boardwalk Mystery is another good read for Boxcar Children Mystery fans. True to the series, young readers are presented with valuable life lessons such as respect, kindness, and hard work. Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny give up their vacation time to help a friend in need. Readers also discover that vandalism affects others and it’s important to take care of public property. Parents don’t have to worry about handing this book to their children.

Review copy provided by publisher. Thank you!

[Kristen Muldoon · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Boxcar Children: The Boardwalk Mystery is an intermediate book intended for students in 2nd-5th grade according to Books In Print. This book is accessible enough to be read independently, but would serve well as a read aloud book too. Due to Paige’s interest in mysteries, I thought she would enjoy this book’s fast-paced rhythm and well-placed clues that allow the reader to be a detective right along with the Alden children.
Hook: Have you ever read a Boxcar Children book? There are four siblings visiting an amusement park when they discover that someone is trying to ruin it! Will you be able to figure out the mystery before they do?

[L · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Box Car Children are alive and well and their book covers have been updated and refreshed. These will always have a place in libraries for beginning readers and those that struggle - this particular installment is a Jersey Shore tale close to the hearts of our audiences.

[Sandybear76 · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Aldens are at the ocean visiting a friend of Grandfather's. The friend recently bought a amusement pier on the boardwalk but things kept breaking down on the amusement rides and items going missing.

[Allyssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked the part where the boxcar children found out who had been trying ruin the amusement pier.

[Cori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read May 23, 2019

[Tenáj · Rating 5 out of 5]

My son (7) loved this story. He was so excited to find out whodunnit. He was partially correct. He gives it 5 *s.

I must say, I enjoy reading with him. His mind is quite curious.

[Stacie · Rating 4 out of 5]

People are sabotaging the pier carnival. I mean seriously, why don't the adults get other adults involved. Why is it always the kids solving this stuff?