The Sea Turtle Mystery

The Boxcar Children #151

by Gertrude Chandler Warner

The Aldens are spending spring break on a beach, but they aren't just soaking up the sun. They’re protecting an endangered species! Their job is to mark sea turtle nests so the eggs can be moved to a safe place to hatch, but someone is digging up the eggs without permission. Can the Boxcar Children figure out what’s going on and help save the sea turtles?

Genres: Mystery, Childrens, Audiobook, Chapter Books

128 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 4, 2019

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 4 out of 5]

Not amazing literature but decent mystery and educational content. I'm pressed for time so will refer to Anjanette Barr's review which highlights what I found to the strong points of the book: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Anjanette Barr · Rating 4 out of 5]

We're studying reptiles for Nature Study this term, and chose this book as a fun morning time addition that could engage all four of my children - ages 5-12.

It was definitely better for the younger two, as expected, but the older two didn't mind speculating about the egg-stealing culprit. They were not pleased with the ending, but as an adult and a writer, I was fine with it. No loose ends, at least.

As an educational supplement, it accomplished what I hoped. We learned about sea turtle nesting habits, the dangers they face, and learned terms like "arribada" and "imprinting." We also learned about several occupations that might inspire the children - ranger, restaurant owner, artist, and excursion guide, among others.

This was a short, worthwhile read. The Aldens are a fun sibling set, and I liked that they have plenty of freedom to adventure AND a responsible and loving caregiver. As a homeschool mother of four, it's always nice to see children capable and willing to watch out for each other and interact with the wider world around them beyond their immediate peer group.

A side note for those unfamiliar with the series: the first book is essential, and is not a formulaic mystery. The subsequent books are lighter and do not need to be read in order. We own the first eight, and have occasionally grabbed others from the library. This is #151, and we certainly haven't read many between it and the others we own.

[Kayleighbooks5 · Rating 3 out of 5]

The illustrations were very good great job on ur illustrations Gertrude! The ending was very surprising. I rate this a three I wasn’t interested in this book very much as soon as I was like 40 pages in so yeah I do not think that this book was for me😑

[Briley Cantrell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about four kids Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny they are trying to solve another mystery. All four kids went to Padre Island to be apart of a Junior Ranger Program. Benny finds a sea turtle right away and finds out that it is very sick. They became Junior Rangers and took care of the sea turtle eggs. Days went by and the eggs were going away but animals were not eating them. They needed to solve who was taking the eggs away from them. They saw a white van by and wanted to figure out who it was. They thought Martina was stealing their eggs, even though she was not. They now thought it was Mr. Chapman who might have stolen the eggs. He stole the eggs because he thought he was trying to help them. Mr. Chapman actually is hurting them and not helping them. Sea Turtles need to walk on the beach in order for them to survive.

[K.L. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite fun, the Boxcar Children are junior rangers at the beach and are helping rescue rare baby seaturtles when they realise that someone is stealing the eggs. Of course the baddie isn't REALLY a villain, just misguided, and with a little help from the Aldens, all the grownups problems are solved. Sweet

[Joseph D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 151 of the Boxcar Children series. Everything about sea turtles. The children are off on an adventure to find the person who is poaching sea turtles eggs. This book is an in-depth look at sea turtle conservation. It is also a lesson in being careful on what you think you know as you may be doing more harm than good. ​

Joseph McKnight
http://www.josephmcknight.com

[Gracie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think it's so importantly cool 😎🦄🐞🐚💐🌷🌸💮🌲🏵🌹🌺🌻🌼🍨🍧Y🍦U🍩M🍥M🎂yeah,I am talking about the book The Sea Turtle 🐢 Mystery Before I leave here I just want to say 👋

[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.

[Rainbow Bay Stanley · Rating 5 out of 5]

7min review

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDb58...

@jenishastanley

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mystery, sea turtle, ecology, earth, camping

Grampa is definitely having a free range parenting phase

[Adam Carman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just a one off for fun. Pretty standard Alden vacation but lacking some of the vibrant characters of other installments.

[Charles Reed · Rating 4 out of 5]

86%

Combining love of the sea creatures with business and rescue efforts made this a really fun adventure.

[Jaime Haselhuhn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Listened to this in the car with some kiddos I work with! It was so cute listening to their predictions! They can’t wait to pick out a new book!

[Noelani · Rating 5 out of 5]

10-year listened to the audiobook version while she was feeling under the weather and it lifted her spirits. She gives it 5 stars.