Superstar Watch

The Boxcar Children #121

by Gertrude Chandler Warner (Creator), Robert L. Papp (Illustrator)

A big Hollywood agent wants Watch to appear in a commercial for a new kind of dog food! Even though Watch seems to love the food on-camera, he won't touch it at home. Someone at the studio has been switching the brand and the Aldens must find out the truth behind the cover-up. Should Watch still do the commercial even though he doesn't like the product?

Genres: Mystery, Audiobook, Fiction, Childrens, Animals, Realistic Fiction, Middle Grade

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

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 3 out of 5]

This is a light mystery but with enough clues to piece it together. Fun for young dog lovers. No animal peril. However, the writing is fairly bland and there are SO many typos, Albert Whitman Co. should be embarrassed that this made it to press in its present state. It's copyright 2009 so I really hope someone fixes the issues if it's reprinted any time soon. I know no one is perfect, but especially in a book for children who are beginning readers, someone should really make sure that the book makes sense. Even I stumbled over a few sentences that were missing or repeating words.

[Ariel · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Superstar Watch" is such a cool book! It's all about Watch, who's this super awesome dog, and he's going to be in a commercial! But here's the thing: the dog food he eats in the commercial is different from what he eats at home. And guess what? Watch doesn't like the food in the commercial! Uh-oh!

The Aldens, who are Watch's friends, have to figure out what's going on. Is someone switching the dog food? And should Watch still do the commercial if he doesn't like the food?

I loved this book because it's like a mystery, and I love solving mysteries! The Aldens are really smart, and they work together to solve the case. Plus, Watch is such a cool dog, and I liked learning about his big Hollywood adventure.

If you like dogs, mysteries, and adventures, you'll love "Superstar Watch"! It's a fun and exciting story that'll keep you guessing until the very end!

[Joseph D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 121 of the Boxcar Children series. The start of this one is little Watch. While he competes for a commercial the Aldens try to find out who is sabotaging the competition. Red herrings and more than one person causing problems make this one a tad more complex and a fun short story. True to the series, the Aldens are doing it all to help someone out. ​

Joseph McKnight
http://www.josephmcknight.com

[Eliana · Rating 5 out of 5]

When the Alden's friend's bike crashes, they audition Watch for a $100 prize in a dog show. But someone is ruining out the auditions! I liked this book because it was exciting and the dogs do some really good tricks!

[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.

[Stacie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Watch is going to be a star... only if the Boxcar kids solve the mystery. I'm glad Watch got to be the star of one of the books!

[Brynja · Rating 4 out of 5]

I KNEW IT WAS MR. BENJAMIN, I KNEW IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Charles Reed · Rating 4 out of 5]

83%

Don't let the fame get to you buddy!

[Crystal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Such a sweet mystery! My early elementary kids loved it!

[Stephanie Weiss · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really like this book

I have always wanted to famous and the boxcar children are! I really want a pet and the boxcar children have one. Boxcar children are one of my favorite books.

[Johannes Kristian · Rating 4 out of 5]

ha-ha!

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

The editing for this book was very poor. Many words were skipped over, or doubly written like having "it's is...". Children who are reading this book will be confused by these mishaps.

[Alex :)]

I love the book! I am also adding to a persons comment: words skipped. They were repeated in my book too. It's annoying!!!!!!

[Y · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars.

[Roosha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Watch is a superstar

[Katy Lovejoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two in one mystery, pretty common for this series but still not bad