Book Review: The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner
This series was my favorite as a kid. I read all the books I could find in our library's four-county interloan network. The plot and premise are simple, and the reading level is lower than I remember, but the book was still a charming glance into a bygone era.
Summary
Four young siblings - Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny - are recently orphaned and run away from home lest they be sent to live with a grandfather. They have never met their father's father but only know he disapproved of their mother and that made him a "mean man". After spending the night in a bakery in exchange for help with chores, Henry hears the baker and his wife talking; they plan to send Benny to an orphanage and keep the older three to do housework for them. Henry and Jessie are determined to stay together as a family, so they escape at night and try to find another place to stay. When trying to outrun a thunderstorm, the children find an abandoned boxcar in the forest and seek shelter. They decide it would make the perfect house. The next morning, Henry goes into town to work odd jobs so he can buy them food, while Jessie makes a game of housekeeping for Violet and Benny,
Nostalgia
As a kid I picked up on the lack of technology and I thought it was the best thing in the world. I wished I had the freedom to explore the world around me and find my own secret, private place. I loved trains as a child, and still do to a certain extent, and the idea of having a train car as a home was magical. I would spend hours imagining what I would do if I was one of the Alden siblings, and where the train might take my boxcar if it still ran on the tracks. Being the second eldest in a large family of mostly girls, I desperately wanted an older brother just like Henry.
Grown-up Observations
The story emphasizes the character of the children and their innovation, loyalty, and free spirit. Initially, it never occurred to them to live on their own. All they wanted to do was escape a grandfather they assumed was bad because of their parents’ attitude toward him.
The children instinctively follow their strengths. Henry knew he could go into town and work odd jobs without being questioned, while Jesse was relieved to stay back at the boxcar and get their new home organized. She loved to tidy up and keep an eye on her younger siblings.
Violet and Benny want to help wherever they can and are excited for this new adventure, even if it involves hard work. The smallest Alden children are very willing to haul rocks because they know it’s for a pool to go swimming, and it’s worth the long hours. The older two keep every task fun and playful.
The adults in the story are admirable as well. They can see the competent independence of the children and allow them some supervised life experience. Dr. Moore watches from a distance to make sure nothing bad happens, and “coincidentally” pays Henry for his work in things the children need - like fresh butter, and fresh fruits and vegetables. He sees how Henry wants to look after his younger siblings and gives him the opportunity to do just that.
When the Alden siblings realize they're in a situation out of their depth, they immediately go to an adult they trust. Dr. Moore sees how the children are scared and meets them at their level. He doesn’t betray their trust - even when it’s in his best financial interest - because he’s more concerned about the children’s future and relationship with their grandfather. When Mr. Alden does show up demanding his grandchildren be turned over to him at once, Dr. Moore calmly presents the situation from the children’s perspective - they’re afraid of him. He tells Mr. Alden that the best way to reach the children is to love them quietly and gently, and not force them to like him. To Mr. Alden’s credit, he does just that. Initially, he doesn’t tell the children who he is, except that he’s a friend of the doctor. He talks to them and asks about their life and their parents, and when he sees the pain he’s caused in his son’s family, he’s moved to be a better man for his grandchildren.
After Mr. Alden does make his identity known, the children are happy to live with him and apologize for their distrust of him - they had no idea he was looking for them because he loved them. Mr. Alden expresses genuine interest in them. The children show him their little boxcar house and he doesn't make fun of it, despite being the wealthiest man in the region. He praises their resourcefulness and hard work. When they get homesick for their boxcar, instead of telling them they should be grateful for what they have now, Mr. Alden landscapes a portion of his backyard and has the boxcar brought to them, even making sure it’s set up exactly the way the children had it. He doesn’t discredit their experience of living on their own. He commends them for their character and the decision to step up and take care of each other, and invites them to be children again.
