The Movie Star Mystery

The Boxcar Children #69

by Gertrude Chandler Warner

A famous movie star wants to keep a low profile as he films his next movie in Greenfield. But when mishaps follow him to the new set, the Boxcar Children have to find out who is trying to ruin his career!

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

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1948

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

[Janete on hiatus due health issues · Rating 4 out of 5]

Project Learning English by myself through children's books. This book was a good distraction for me. With this series, I'm increasingly learning new words and improving my English vocabulary.

The blurb: "While Tate Radison was filming his last movie, a lot of odd things happened. No one knows who was responsible for the canister of film disappearing or for the other problems. Now Tate wants to keep his presence in Greenfield a secret to avoid any more mishaps. But soon a note arrives in his mailbox, and the troubles start again. Why would someone want to ruin Tate's career? It's another mystery for the Boxcar Children!"

[Rachel Remeny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Apart of me kinda wants to read the books in this series I haven't read...
but then another part of me is like nahhhh
But when I have kids someday they better want to read this series because I have tons of the books from it! Some of them I haven't even read lol

[Simon · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Movie Star Mystery" brings the Alden children into the glamorous yet troubled world of filmmaking. The famous movie star, Mr. Tony Star, seeks refuge in Greenfield to escape a series of unfortunate events plaguing his career. However, the mishaps follow him, and it's up to the Boxcar Children to uncover the culprit behind these incidents.

The main characters each play a crucial role in driving the plot forward. Henry, the eldest, uses his leadership skills and practical thinking to guide the investigation. Jessie, with her nurturing nature and sharp observation skills, notices subtle clues that others miss. Violet's artistic talents and sensitivity allow her to connect with people, gaining valuable information. Benny, the youngest, provides comic relief and an innocent perspective, often stumbling upon important details. Their strong sibling bond and individual strengths make them a formidable team.

Mr. Tony Star, the movie star, is portrayed as a charismatic yet vulnerable figure. His fame has made him a target, and he struggles to maintain his privacy and protect his career. His relationship with the Alden children is one of gratitude and trust, as they work tirelessly to help him.

The novel explores themes of trust, fame, and the importance of family. The Alden children's unwavering trust in each other and their commitment to helping others highlight the value of loyalty and compassion. The theme of fame is examined through Mr. Star's experiences, revealing the dark side of celebrity and the challenges of maintaining a normal life in the public eye. The importance of family is emphasized through the Alden's close-knit relationship, which provides them with strength and support in the face of adversity.

The subplots and secondary characters add depth to the story. The movie set provides a colorful backdrop, with various crew members and actors adding to the intrigue. The potential saboteurs each have their own motives, creating suspense and red herrings that keep the reader guessing.

Plot twists abound as the Alden children uncover hidden connections and unexpected alliances. The tone of the novel is lighthearted and adventurous, with moments of suspense and humor. Warner's writing style is accessible and engaging, making it a delightful read for young readers.

In conclusion, "The Movie Star Mystery" is an entertaining and engaging mystery that showcases the Alden children's resourcefulness and compassion. It explores themes of trust, fame, and family, while providing a thrilling adventure for readers of all ages.

If you enjoyed this book, you might also like other Boxcar Children mysteries, as well as "The Hardy Boys" or "Nancy Drew" series, which offer similar themes of adventure, mystery, and friendship.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Movie Star Mystery (1999), the series was created by Gertrude Chandler Warner (but was ghostwritten) and illustrated by Charles Tang. I was actually surprised by this entry into the long-running Boxcar Children series. This one left many cliffhanger chapters and more twists and turns than most books I've read. In this one, the Alden children run across some suspicious men in an abandoned carbon while walking through the woods one day. This leads to child actors in cognito, a secret film being made, and a reporter out to get a story, and it just all seemed to gel better than most of the books I've read in the series. Yes, they're simple, and yes they're predictable, but they're a great entry for children to read realistic mysteries where parents aren't always around. Well done, for the Boxcar Children series. My rating - 4/5

[Joseph D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 69 of the Boxcar Children. This was a good one. Kept you guessing to the end and it really has a bad guy behind it. What I loved was that it shows how villains are the heroes of their own stories. Definitely, makes you wish for older values. Unfortunately, I would see many now that would side with the villain on this one. Try it out for yourself. ​

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.

[Galion Public Library Teens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review by A.H. : "I really liked this one out of the series. My father gave me one of these books before he died & it reminds me of him. :) "

[Kara Kuehl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I actually really enjoyed this book!

[Charles Reed · Rating 4 out of 5]

84%
These are starting to get more intricate, very fun

[Kim Hampton · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun mystery.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened to on Youtube. Cute and fun stories.

[Angel Mouser · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very simple mystery and reminded me a lot of the early days of the boxcar children series.

[Maggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hope someday I'll be a famous movie star like Tate (a.k.a Jonathan). The author always writes the best Boxcar Children books ever. I'm glad I got back into this series that I started when I was 6 and stopped after just a few...

[Stacie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The kids now get to met a celebrity and of course he has a mystery that needs to be solved. Why haven't these kids open their own detective agency yet, who needs school when mysteries just keep falling in your lap.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

great when ur little

[Mas5thgrade2014 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not that Great........I only read it for Mystery :(
-MysteriousRainbowNinja48


It was very quick and not that much to it.
KittyKatLove1313

[Rebecca]

One of my favorite childhood series. I read over a hundred of them. The first 50 or so were in order; after that I read whatever book I could get my hands on :)