Welcome to Litsy!

“Just because we don‘t have parents doesn‘t mean we can‘t be a family.”

Four siblings run away to live in a boxcar in the woods after becoming orphans. Together, they create a home and go on adventures, learning to rely on each other. This heartwarming tale shows the power of family and the strength of love, no matter where you are.

This is a classic story about four siblings, Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny, who become orphans and decide to live in an abandoned boxcar in the woods. They work together to create a home and solve problems while looking out for one another. The story is filled with adventure, resourcefulness, and the importance of family. It‘s an engaging read that inspires kids to be brave and creative.

Boxcar Children was originally published in 1924 and republished in 1942 with differences in the books.

From The New Yorker: The 1924 narrator allows the children some interiority, and a few memories, along with that upsetting backstory; the 1942 version does away with all of this.

@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks
@Eggs
#aboutabook

I‘m just recently grasping that 100 years ago is in the 1900s and not 1800s. #pub100yearsago #aboutabook

I had never heard of this book or series until a few weeks ago. This was innocent fun that I would have enjoyed a lot more when I was young and reading stuff like Bunnicula and the Indian in the Cupboard. I really enjoyed how humble and gracious the four children are for what meager belongings they had and more for having each other. Overall it was nice to read something different than the typical stuff.

#bookspinbingo

I have loved this book since childhood when my teacher read it to our class, one chapter a day, just after lunch. Years later, I read it to my children, one chapter a day, before school in the mornings. For some reason, I picked it up yesterday and read it straight thru again in Serial Reader.

Delightful, as always. A forever favorite. Digital reading is fantastic, but I missed having the illustrations from the print copy, which are so perfect.

It was an absolute delight to revisit this childhood favorite! My siblings and I LOVED this book growing up, and it definitely inspired us to play “Runaway Kids“ a LOT 😂 While I really enjoyed rereading this one, as an adult reader, it left me with SO many questions!! Where are the parents? Why are they scared of the grandpa? Why have they never met him?? I just don't know! So while I did like this one and still think it's a fantastic book for ⬇

The children make a swimming hole. They all go to work picking cherries for the Dr. And Henry wins a race. The dr seems to be trying to get them together with their grandfather without being conspicuous. What do you think?
Sorry I‘m not hosting so well. Have had a lot going on.

3✨ I‘ve always wanted to read these, and never realized that they were more for beginning readers. As a struggling reader as a kid the page numbers intimidated me. Little did I know how big the font was, and pictures throughout. This is one of those times I could have just trusted my librarian who was encouraging my love of reading.⬇️

Ch 5&6. The children dig for treasure lake for their home in the dump and fix it up while Henry is away. Henry found a job. But there is another noise in the woods and we don‘t know what it is this time.

I am reading a 1950 hardcover edition of this delightful book, and thought you all would enjoy this fabulous map on the end pages!! Although I do feel that there should be a lot more trees around the boxcar lol

@megnews @BethM @Vansa @mrp27 @Deblovestoread @dabbe @sblbooks @Roary47 @julieclair @AnnR

From yesterday: Mystery solved! The noise in the woods was a dog that the children quickly befriend.

Chapter three ends on a cliffhanger after Jessie finds a boxcar for their home and Henry goes to town for milk. Who is in the woods?

I‘m sure glad the kids got away from that awful baker‘s wife.

I've never read these classic books, but my husband was feeling nostalgic the other day and convinced me to read the first one. It's very whimsical and concerning 😆 I enjoyed it though. Some very dated notions of gender roles, but otherwise a lot of fun. These books will be 100 years old next year. I realized the author was around my age when she wrote the first book 😮 #Throwback #EarlyChapterBook

Little late posting our first day. I was on the road earlier. In the first chapter, we meet siblings Henry, Jessie, Benny, and Violet as they stare hungrily at bread in a bakery. They tell the baker‘s wife their parents are dead and they don‘t want to go to their grandfather. The baker‘s wife wants to keep the 3 oldest to work for them but plan to take Benny to the Children‘s Home. The kids overhear and leave in the middle of the night. 👇🏻

Repost for @Megnews

My next childhood reminiscence read is The Boxcar Children. Anyone who would like to readalong is welcome.

Original post - https://www.litsy.com/web/post/2617709

My next childhood reminiscence read is The Boxcar Children. Anyone who would like to readalong is welcome.

March 13 #SavvySettings Outer Space This series was my girls favorite book for me to read to them. Especially Renée. She absolutely loved Benny 😍 This is such a cool series for children. @Eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

I don't mean to harsh on anyone's nostalgic childhood fave, but this is the most boring children's book I've ever read. In the library where I work, we have all 157 of these books, and they're constantly circulating. The kiddos of today cannot get enough of book #1, which is 97 years old. I do not understand. Every single character is written exactly the same. There are no motivations and no emotions. Even the dog is boring.

1. The earliest event I can actually remember was the Exxon Valdez oil spill. 9/11 was at the start of my first year in college so just when I was beginning life as an adult.
2. Mostly library. Being in an apartment limits my book collection
3. The tagged along with Nancy Drew, The Babysitters Club, Sweet Valley. I devoured many of these books over and over.
#wondrouswednesday @Eggs

Another kiddo-assigned read done, 19/20 for #bookspinbonanza and 9/15 for #15Books15Weeks

I never read this as a kid. It‘s not bad, though the dialogue is a bit stilted. It‘s a nice little story, with just enough adventure to whet the appetite. I like that it was intended as an easy reader but interesting, and features a boy learning to read.

Finally made more progress on the #BBRC and read what I consider to be a real middle grade classic: the Boxcar Children. I loved this book/series as a kid so when I saw it in the Serial Reader app I knew it would be perfect! #MGME #MiddleGradeMadeEasy

I've started picking up books I loved as a kid to share with Minisaurus as she gets older. This is one #AboutSiblings that I still find pretty sweet and comforting.
#BiblioMAYnia

In the first book of the series, Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny are #InHiding from a grandfather they believe to be cruel. #kidlit #NewYearNewYou
@Eggs

1. Boxcar Children or Harry Potter. I was 8 when it was published in the US and I distinctly remember reading the first 3 chapters in a Borders and then begging my aunt to buy it for me 😂
2. Columbine happened when I was almost 10.
3. Mentholatum, rest, Price is Right, Grandpa‘s SOS
4. Hello! 👋
#friyayintro @4thhouseontheleft @howjessreads

Verdict: Holds up well. I don't think I'd ever read the original before -- the 80's editions I read as a kid I think were reprints of the 40's editions, which per Wiki were heavily revised.

But, the basic premise of the children living on their own with the explicit knowlege of adults who are keeping their secret because the children are, quote, having so much fun raises my modern-view eyebrows like heck whoa.

1924 edition. This was a favorite from my childhood, but gosh I'm finding it hard to read this passage without side-eyeing it. It's perfectly innocent here -- but in a modern book it would prelude a horror story.

#7days7covers Day Six -

If you aren't playing, please do!

Unforgettable

Two of my favorite sets of literary #siblings.
#SpringIntoReading

Day Five: Which book started your love for reading?

Little house on the prairie and boxcar children

#ravenclaw_princess913 #ravenclawprincess913

I was thrilled to read this book again. I have such fond memories of this being one of the first books I actually sat down and read for fun when I was a young boy. Like visiting an old long lost friend. I especially loved seeing all the small illustrations again.

Hard to believe the author has been gone for almost 40 years. Her legacy continues with each generation and the new books are still focused on her original characters. My own daughter brought home the first book from her elementary media center for us to read together. We finished it last night. Tonight, we are enjoying the cartoon adaptation together.

Remember Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny? You probably know them better as (pause for effect) The Boxcar Children! In Episode 37 of my podcast, writer and educator Abby Wolfe and I get reacquainted with these self-reliant orphans. Tune in to listen to us talk about lessons learned, heteronormativity, capitalism, and so many pine needles. click the link in my bio to listen! 🎧

"The children ate everything on the table..."

I love that this is a series because if you get into the first one, there are 3 more books to read!

The sounding of this book impresses me. I find it fascinating that four orphans are able to turn a boxcar into a home. The theme of family and self-motivation is beautiful to read. I think this would be a good book to curl up and read with your family.

MODERN FANTASY
Rating 3/5

“The Aldens didn‘t know that soon they would meet a wonderful friend and find some people who were not friendly at all”

This book shows good behaviors modeled by most of the characters in the story. All of the children and their friends are selfless, putting the welfare and happiness of others before their own personal gain. Kids can read this book and look up to the characters, and learn from their behaviors. I think kids could even understand that kids like in this book- can have close to nothing, and still choose to be a good person.

The Boxcar children tells the story of four orphan children, Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny. They create a home for themselves in an abandoned boxcar in the forest. They eventually meet their grandfather, who is a wealthy and kind man. This is a plot twist because the children originally believed that he was cruel.

Hello all! Long time no read! Graduate school has definitely taken it‘s toll on my life (also I forgot my Litsy password 🤦🏼‍♀️) but hopefully I‘ll have more time moving forward! This weekend I had the opportunity to read lots of books; mostly children‘s, but some other stuff too. The most nostalgic for me was definitely The Boxcar Children. Have you read it? What did you think?

1. The Boxcar Children and Charlotte‘s Web
2. New baby siblings and visiting grandma
3. Cleaning my room
4. Roller skates, hula hoop, Baby Tender Love
5. ✔️

#HelloThursday

Nostalgia at its finest. I loved these in first grade so I got them for my nephew. I hope he loves them too!

I love moments like this ❤ Addi is such a good big sister and Lucas loves having her read to him. I loved Boxcar Children growing up, Addi loved them when she was younger, and now Luke is enjoying them. Sharing childhood favorites is one of my favorite parts of motherhood. #raisingreaders

Reading what is probably the most wholesome children's series of all time to my six year old son. We get to this part and he says, "oooooooooh Jessie was about to say a cuss"

He has heard Mommy in traffic, (and in general conversation),one too many times.