Lately in the first grade literature group, the students have been enjoying The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner. Warner was born in Connecticut and lived across from a railway station, and she was an imaginative though sickly child who loved writing from an early age. She began teaching first grade in 1918 when a shortage of teachers arose due to World War I, and she continued teaching in the same classroom for the next thirty-two years. She wrote The Boxcar Children to be an accessible chapter book for young readers, and the series has grown to include over a hundred titles written by Warner and various other authors imitating Warner’s style. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the original publication of The Boxcar Children in 1924, and this book has become a well-loved classic in children’s literature.
The four siblings in The Boxcar Children form an endearing band of virtuous, young role models. Though the children spend the majority of the book living apart from adults and other family, the story does not depict the children as despising authority or rebelliously relishing their independence, but rather shows them treating each other kindly, working hard, and showing love and gratitude to the adults who do care for them, especially their kind grandfather who persistently seeks and finds them by the end of the story. All of the children show excellent qualities that allow them to survive and even enjoy their time as orphans on the run.
The oldest child, Henry, despite his youth, shows maturity and virtue in providing and sacrificing for his younger siblings. He is ready to protect them when they hear scary noises in the night, he cheerfully and diligently works at Dr. Moore’s house to earn money for buying food, and he builds up his other siblings with his encouraging words and attitude. Henry’s character provides a wonderful example of how a boy can lead well. The next child, Jessie, naturally assumes a motherly role in caring for her younger siblings and making the boxcar into a pleasant home. She finds it rewarding to cook and clean, shows her resourcefulness with items they find at the dump, and makes sure the littlest child learns how to read. Violet, the next child, also works to make the boxcar cozy and has a special way of helping with little Benny. Both Jessie and Violet make good role models for happily putting their feminine talents to use. The youngest child, Benny, does not resent the guidance of his older siblings or squabble with them (though he sometimes pines for more food), and he is content with only a cracked pink cup. With an interesting plot, simple style, and winning characters, The Boxcar Children also provides young readers with a picture of the delight that the four children had in showing love to each other, making it in many ways a great book to read.
In Christ,
Miss Engwall
