The Celebrity Cat Caper (Volume 143)

The Boxcar Children #143

by Gertrude Chandler Warner, Tim Gregory (Narrator)

Walter the Cat is a star, but is he too famous for his own good? The Boxcar Children must find out who’s trying to ruin this cat’s career!

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

Audio CD

First published May 1, 2016

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

[Kathryn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not my favorite. A lot of angst and arguing among the adults, I felt sorry for the cat being the target, kind of a downer.

[Vanessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Every Sunday night the Aldens watch online videos of Walter the Cog (a cat who acts like a dog), but it's been two weeks since the last video was posted! Investigations uncover the truth: Walter's owner has passed away and Walter is in grave danger! It's up to the Aldens to once again investigate to save the day.
I was a little dissatisfied with the way the book handled the internet. The siblings surf the internet and read comments, which every adult knows can be very dangerous for children. I wish that had been addressed.

[Lillian Slater · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute, short, funny and to the point! Well done!

[Cate Pearce · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't often review the books my kids are reading, but this one made me so upset I had to rush over to Goodreads.
The "cat on the Internet" totally ruins the entire carefree, simple life 1920s vibe that the boxcar children books embody.
There are so many bad examples in this book that made me cringe. Greedy, angry adults constantly fighting and arguing and even threatening to "strangle" someone.
Plus the entire storyline made zero sense how the children were wrapped up in any of this.
I know the series is trying to modernize but this felt like the author missed the point of what's wholesome and enjoyable about the boxcar children.

[Debra · Rating 3 out of 5]

This mystery is about a celebrity cat (internet famous) and the people who are also connected to his owner. The Boxcar Children are asked to help the cat and when they go meet the owner, they find out she has died. She was a very wealthy woman and there is quite a ruckus when she leaves her money to her cat. The kids stick with the case to figure out which person is responsible for trying to defame the cat and steal it's owners jewelry.

Cute mystery that is perfect for 2nd - 4th grade readers.

[Joseph D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 143 of the Boxcar Children. What happens when an Internet celebrity cat, suddenly is getting trolled and stolen from? Well, if the Boxcar Children are around there is nothing to worry about, especially when Watch is with them. Another mystery and a character that only speaks in idioms. Well, it was fun for a short read like this and a great teaching moment for young readers. Overall, a fun little read. ​

Joseph McKnight
http://www.josephmcknight.com

[Elina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice. I'm so glad they found out the mystery in the end. Like who would want to even ruin the talented cat career. The mystery took a while to solve. There is one more thing that is suspicious why didn't it go on social media because usually if someone famous dies it goes news newspapers its on Facebook and Twitter.

[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.

[Lucy]

Very good!!!

[Charles Reed · Rating 4 out of 5]

72%

These are getting lame.

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about a famous cat and his name is Walter the cat. The Adens have a mystery to solve who is trying to sabotage Walter and why? Well thats a mystery you are going to have to find out on your own! I hope you like the book and then you can write a review too! Enjoy the book! See you next time! God bless you!

[Grace DuBois · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think it was my favorite so far!