The Mystery of the Mummy's Curse

The Boxcar Children #88

by Gertrude Chandler Warner (creator)

The Aldens help the Greenfield Museum set up a new exhibit about ancient Egypt! The main attraction is a 4,000-year-old mummy. But when it arrives, one thing after another goes wrong for the museum. Has it been struck by a curse from the ancient mummy?

Genres: Mystery, Childrens, Fiction, Audiobook, Middle Grade, Chapter Books, Realistic Fiction

144 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

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

[Tarissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Boxcar Children books are always FUN -- at any age.

In this volume, the Aldens get a job at a local museum to help with a mummy exhibit -- but things start to go awry. The Aldens have to hunt down the perpetrator who is stealing items from the special exhibit -- and break the mummy's curse.

An enjoyable October read too.

[Phoebe · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would forgive the minor inaccuracies about ancient Egyptians ("Egyptians used papyrus because they didn't have paper) and the total absence of Egyptian characters if not for the stupid ending.



SPOILER ALERT:
Egyptology has been a field historically dominated by men. To have the culprit in the story be the female Egyptologist (especially after the museum director is astonished that it's a woman) is irresponsible writing, especially when most people involved in antiques theft are men.

[The Book Girl · Rating 3 out of 5]

completely silly and implausible storyline. but still cute. review to come

[Lizbeth ??? · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it!

[Simon · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Mystery of the Mummy's Curse" is a quintessential entry in the "Boxcar Children" series, blending historical intrigue with the classic puzzle-solving dynamic that defines Gertrude Chandler Warner’s work. The plot kicks off when the Alden siblings—Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny—volunteer to assist the Greenfield Museum in curating an Egyptian exhibit. The arrival of a 4,000-year-old mummy serves as the catalyst for a series of unsettling "accidents," ranging from damaged artifacts to eerie warnings. As the children investigate, they navigate a narrative filled with suspenseful red herrings, ultimately peeling back layers of human greed rather than supernatural interference. The tone is perfectly calibrated for younger readers: spooky enough to keep the pages turning, yet grounded in the comforting, safe world the Aldens inhabit.

The strength of the story lies in the distinct roles the siblings play. Henry acts as the steady, pragmatic leader; Jessie is the organized strategist; Violet provides the keen, observant eye for detail; and Benny, with his insatiable curiosity and youthful innocence, often stumbles upon the vital clues that the adults overlook. Their relationship is built on unwavering trust and a division of labor that makes them an unstoppable team. Each character possesses assets—Henry’s physical capability, Jessie’s analytical mind, Violet’s empathy, and Benny’s lack of prejudice—that counteract their minor flaws, such as occasional impulsivity or, in Violet’s case, a tendency toward shyness. Secondary characters, like the museum curators and suspicious vendors, are woven in to test the children's resolve, with each interaction serving to either narrow the suspect list or complicate the timeline of the "curse."

Themes of skepticism versus superstition are central to the book. Warner challenges the reader to look past the surface-level fear of a "curse" and instead prioritize empirical evidence. This theme is bolstered by the children's commitment to scientific inquiry, showing that even in the face of the unknown, logic remains the most effective tool. Another major theme is the preservation of history; the museum setting highlights the importance of protecting the past while acknowledging the ethical complexities of displaying ancient remains. By focusing on these themes, the book encourages critical thinking and respect for cultural heritage. It is a rewarding read that proves mysteries are best solved through cooperation and a calm head. If you enjoyed this, I’d recommend checking out "The Westing Game" by Ellen Raskin or the "Nancy Drew" series by Carolyn Keene for similar puzzle-driven adventures.

[Joseph D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 88 of the Boxcar Children. This was a fun museum adventure. The only thing that was disturbing is how flippant the thief is after they are caught. Just like I figured I could make a few bucks. Outside of that it is a fun adventure and as always emphasizes the value of hard work. Would recommend. ​

Joseph McKnight
http://www.josephmcknight.com

[Cherish Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

(5☆ Would recommend & would read again)
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 book was well written and was definitely one of the better mysteries in the series. Would recommend.

[Aimee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book as part of a Halloween special set of three Boxcar Children books. It was a pretty good book. I would give it 3.6 stars

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect road trip audiobook.

[aem · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another typical adventure with the 4 boxcar children doing good deeds, helping others and solving a mystery!

[V. Arrow · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun read! I like that Violet really took the lead.

[Mindy G. · Rating 4 out of 5]

PB- to Levi

[Kim Hampton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fun addition to the series.

[Anna Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tried for SAYL reading for 2025.

A new exhibit at the museum seems to be cursed. Things are getting moved around and going missing. Is it the curse or something else?

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

The culprit was pretty obvious from the get-go, but I really enjoyed this one.

[Stacie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The kids now get to work in a museum, man I want some connections like that. But wait, pieces from the mummy exhibit go missing, who can be behind? Has no one heard of the BC's reputation, because they will find you!

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's hard to rate something like then when you're not the target audience and it was a book on CD, but I liked it.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Those Alden kids are at it again! This time we learne a bit about egyptology. Death mask, hyrogliphics, the basic stuff.

[Y · Rating 2 out of 5]

Huh. How about that. There's an actual criminal in this one.

[Deana Brooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story. Would be a great way to get student's into a series. May need to read the first in the series to get the background, but it's not mandatory.