The Mystery at the Alamo

The Boxcar Children #58

by Gertrude Chandler Warner (Creator)

The Aldens are on a trip to San Antonio when they get asked to be in a documentary about the history of the Alamo. Then things start to go wrong on set, and a priceless ring goes missing. With the help of some new friends, the Boxcar Children have to solve a mystery they'll never forget!

Genres: Mystery, Childrens, Fiction, Young Adult, Audiobook, Middle Grade, Juvenile

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

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

[Kaele’s Krazy Book Obsession · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny story. I checked this out from my library when I must’ve been around ten years old and lost it. The only library book I have ever lost and I was devastated, thought I could never go to the library again. Anyways we paid for it and moved on. I randomly found it recently and decided to reread it for old times sake. It was super short and I finished it in a couple hours. I do miss reading this series when I was the same age as the characters, but I still enjoyed it.

The Boxcar Children mysteries were literally my childhood. It’s what got me into reading, especially mysteries. It was fun reliving old memories as I read this one and then as I looked up the others to see what I remembered.

[Simon · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Mystery at the Alamo" takes the Boxcar Children to San Antonio, where they're unexpectedly involved in a documentary about the Alamo. What starts as an exciting opportunity quickly turns mysterious when things start going wrong on set, and a valuable ring disappears. Warner masterfully blends historical elements with classic mystery, creating a compelling read for young and old fans alike.

The Alden children each bring unique skills to the table. Henry, the eldest, is reliable and responsible, often taking the lead. His level-headedness is crucial in keeping the group focused. Jessie, the second oldest, is nurturing and intelligent, with a keen eye for detail that proves invaluable in solving the mystery. Violet, the shy and artistic one, uses her observational skills to notice things others miss, while Benny, the youngest, provides comic relief and a sense of childlike wonder, reminding everyone of the joy of discovery. Their dynamic as siblings is a strength, as they trust and support each other implicitly, making them a formidable team. They also develop relationships with the documentary crew, especially Maria and Carlos, who offer insights into the local culture and history, enriching the story.

One of the central themes in the book is the importance of preserving history. The Alamo itself serves as a powerful symbol of the past, and the mystery surrounding the missing ring highlights the need to protect historical artifacts. Warner emphasizes the value of understanding and respecting different cultures. The Aldens learn about Mexican-American traditions and the significance of the Alamo to the local community, promoting cross-cultural understanding and appreciation. The book also underscores the theme of teamwork and cooperation. The Boxcar Children work together seamlessly, combining their individual strengths to overcome challenges and solve the mystery, demonstrating the power of unity and collaboration.

The tone of the novel is generally light and optimistic, making it an enjoyable read for younger audiences. However, Warner also incorporates moments of suspense and tension, particularly when the children are hot on the trail of the thief, adding excitement to the narrative. The plot twists are well-placed, keeping readers guessing until the very end. Just when you think you've figured out who the culprit is, Warner throws in a curveball, making the resolution all the more satisfying.

In closing, "The Mystery at the Alamo" is a delightful addition to the Boxcar Children series, combining history, mystery, and heartwarming family dynamics. If you enjoyed this book, I'd recommend checking out other historical mysteries for middle-grade readers, such as "Chasing Vermeer" by Blue Balliett or "The Westing Game" by Ellen Raskin.

[Octavia Cade · Rating 3 out of 5]

The kids are off to the Alamo, where - quite by chance - they get roles as extras in a movie about the historical events that happened there. They appear to be the only extras and, not gonna lie, I was pretty certain that Grandpa Alden had cooked up the whole experience for them, but apparently not. It's a quick, easy read, as all the Boxcar books are, but this one does have a little more misdirection in it than some of the others, which was interesting. There were multiple options for who the culprit might be, although largely due to the fact that many of the adults involved in making the film were consistently more childish than the actual kids!

[Joseph D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 58 of the Boxcar Children. Lights, camera, action. The Alden children are starting in a movie on things keep going wrong. When a valuable antique turns up missing, the children jump in to solve the mystery. The thing I loved about this one was that not everything was one person’s fault. The best red herring so far. Don’t miss this one. ​

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.

[Don · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a short children's mystery book set at the Alamo and on a movie set. It's a fun little read that will bring out the kid in anyone.

[Susan]

The children are acting as extras in a movie being filmed at the Alamo in Texas. Will they be able to figure out why things keep going wrong?

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

These books really are just so cute.

[Charles Reed · Rating 3 out of 5]

68%
Bastard agent

[Kim Hampton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've always loved the Alamo so this is one of my favorites of the series so far. It's very educational also.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Mystery at the Alamo is a short and simple book. Some things are correct, such as the fact that there’s a wax museum right across from the Alamo, but there is a glaring error about the ring. According to the book, little Angelina Dickinson was given the ring by her father. This is not correct. The ring actually belonged to William Barret Travis and he gave it to Angelina. This is such a well-known story that it seems odd that the book would get it completely wrong. The descriptions of the film seemed weird since it somehow mixed grown-up Angelina Dickinson and Davy Crockett, something that is not at all possible. Also, when the ring went missing every single person involved suddenly seemed to get amnesia about what had happened minutes earlier. It was obvious who took it (though why was a slight surprise), but because everyone “forgot” he had taken the ring and walked away from everyone else, the wrap-up was delayed and the normally sharp characters looked a little dumb for a while. Young children may like the book, but even my son (8 when he read it) thought the ending was weird and not believable.

[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 :)

This particular book is a little dated with the "winding the film camera" reference.

[Partridge Public]

Warner, Gertrude C. PB

[Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

The kids become actors in this book and strange things start to happen.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

great when ur little

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Useful to teach a little bit about Texas culture. The mystery was pretty much the same as in all the books in this series.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Standard Boxcar Children story. No frills, no huge mysteries. Kids enjoyed it.