The Return of the Graveyard Ghost

The Boxcar Children #133

by Gertrude Chandler Warner, Tim Jessell (Illustrations)

One stormy afternoon, the Aldens take a shortcut through the Greenfield Cemetery and discover a strange local superstition! According to legend, it's good luck to leave presents in a certain spot in the cemetery--and bad luck to anyone who doesn't. But since there's no such thing as ghosts, there must be a reason for this weird tradition. The Boxcar Children are determined to find out what it is.

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

128 pages, Paperback

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

[Cameron Chaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whenever I am stressed, anxious, or having a bad day, I go for cozy books from my childhood to cheer me up. It's been one of those days, so I pulled up the Hoopla app and typed in "The Boxcar Children". I looked for any Boxcar Children audiobook with "ghost" in the title, and this is what I picked.

The Return of the Graveyard Ghost was just what I needed. As soon as I pressed play, I felt the nerves drift away as I was transported to a simpler time. I'm so glad this series exists.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up
Nice story

[Leah · Rating 2 out of 5]

This takes place in October. The story involves a cemetery and a ghost story. The mystery was interesting. I wasn't sure what was really happening until the end. I didn't like the characters this time. They weren't like they usually are, a bit too silly this time.

[Elina · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was an amazing book. So it was said that there was this family they were super kind. But suddenly one of them died the kindest one. But then there was this legend on her death anniversary you have to leave a gift for her. And if you ever see a lotus then you defiantly have too. But why lotus. It was her favorite flower. And if you don't for the whole year you will have bad luck. Was it true the boxcar children had to find out.

[Joseph D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 133 of the Boxcar Children. This is a spooky mystery with a happy ending. The concept of the twist makes this a fun lighthearted mystery with an underlying warning that even when you are doing what you see as right, you can be besmirching someone’s reputation and causing many unseen problems. When you do something wrong even for the right reasons there are consequences. ​

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. This is one of the better mysteries. Would recommend.

[Adam Carman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do wonder what has come over the Boxcar series lately. It seems as if the new hired writers are actually daring to step out from the clone series and write books that vary. It's an enjoyable development, as in this one where they investigate a haunting in their own town. Very Scooby Doo!

[Eden Poon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE YOUR BOOKS!!!

[Bookish Benz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still love the boxcar children 🖤 this series is what started my book life when I was 7 😍 and rereading them is quite the delight

[Kate N. Ewing · Rating 1 out of 5]

I know the kids love these, but IMHO, the quality is on par with Tang vs fresh orange juice. Note: I loved Tang when I was a kid! 🙂

[Merry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved reading , it served as the story's solid foundation.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was cute, but Henry having a cellphone is kind of creeping me out. These kids will forever be stuck in the 1950's in my mind.

[Charles Reed · Rating 4 out of 5]

83%

Really good prank! And it went to charity very cool

[Paula · Rating 2 out of 5]

This Boxcar Children title has the family investigating a ghostly local superstition at the Greenfield Cemetery. They notice a strange character lurking near the mausoleum one afternoon. When a sudden storm sends them scurrying to the local diner, they learn of a bad luck curse associated with the mausoleum from a local historian. Legend has it that the townspeople must leave presents at the mausoleum one day each year to ensure good luck for their families; if they don’t, who knows what bad luck could befall them. With a little research and some clever sleuthing, the Aldens discover the truth behind the mystery, and reveal the “ghost” and mysterious stranger. As a result, the town starts a new annual tradition. Now instead of bringing a present to the mausoleum, people can donate their presents to the local hospital to help sick children. If you have fans of scary stories or the Boxcar children, this title might be considered for an elementary or classroom library.

[Katt Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every year for 75 years, the townspeople of Greenfield have been putting presents at a certain grave in the cemetery. Those who fail to do so are doomed to a year of bad luck. The Aldens take on the mystery of the graveyard ghost - to determine if the story is an elaborate hoax...or if the ghost is real.

The Boxcar children are still on the case and solving mysteries. I enjoyed this, though it feels odd to see the kids on cell phones and using computers after having read these books for so many years. Fun to read though, and still highly recommended.

[Trent Welbaum · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really did enjoy this book! Even as an adult reading this, it kept me "on the edge of my seat." There was a lot of suspense in this book which made it a "must-read" book!

[Stacie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ghost will bring you bad luck if you don't leave gifts... now that sounds like a smart ghost. Leave it to the kids to ruin a perfectly good plan.

[Grace DuBois · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't find it to be really scary.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟✅✅✅✅✅


It was good and spooky. But also has some funny stuff. I love it I think you should read it too.