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ayla_steigerwald's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
ayla_steigerwald's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
nikilikes's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
heidisreads's review
5.0
Well-written and thoughtful prequel to the Boxcar Children series by Gertrude Chandler Warner. It answered all the questions I had as I read the stories growing up. How did the Aldens' parents die? Why didn't they want to live with their grandfather? Where were they going when they discovered the boxcar?
octavia_cade's review
fast-paced
3.0
It's funny. I started reading this and it struck me almost instantly that it was historical fiction. The original books never felt that way to me, even though they were set in the past. I suppose that's the definition of genre, with historical fiction being different from fiction written by historical authors. Which doesn't have much to do with this little prequel, really. Just a random observation.
The kids have loving parents, who do their best to help others and so the kids have clearly learned the same. I note, though, that it's not entirely generational. My reaction to the kids' grandfather, in the Boxcar books, has tended to be not very positive. From the children's point of view, he comes to be seen as this loving wish-fulfillment sort of figure as the books go on, but reading these books for the first time as an adult, without the memory of childhood enjoyment, he often comes across as someone who doesn't always treat other people well. Such is the case here. His grown son doesn't want to live where grandfather says he should live, and so the entirely family's cut off (and not for the first time; I remember how Grandfather Alden abandoned his sister for decades because she wouldn't choose to live where her younger brother insisted she should). He's not a nice man.
It's no surprise the kids don't love him here, or trust him. The bigger surprise is that their father learned how to treat people well from someone, enough to teach them, because he sure as hell didn't learn it from his own parent.
The kids have loving parents, who do their best to help others and so the kids have clearly learned the same. I note, though, that it's not entirely generational. My reaction to the kids' grandfather, in the Boxcar books, has tended to be not very positive. From the children's point of view, he comes to be seen as this loving wish-fulfillment sort of figure as the books go on, but reading these books for the first time as an adult, without the memory of childhood enjoyment, he often comes across as someone who doesn't always treat other people well. Such is the case here. His grown son doesn't want to live where grandfather says he should live, and so the entirely family's cut off (and not for the first time; I remember how Grandfather Alden abandoned his sister for decades because she wouldn't choose to live where her younger brother insisted she should). He's not a nice man.
It's no surprise the kids don't love him here, or trust him. The bigger surprise is that their father learned how to treat people well from someone, enough to teach them, because he sure as hell didn't learn it from his own parent.
situationnormal's review
3.0
I listened to this one on audio while I was working because it was so short. Even though it's a tiny book, I could barely keep myself interested in it. I'm curious to see if I would still enjoy the books by the original author, as an adult. I actually thought this was the first book in the series, and realized about halfway through that it's a prequel (which explains the lack of boxcars, I guess. oops.)
sarah_reading_party's review
4.0
3.5 stars, rounded up. This was a sweet prequel, written by another author years after the original author's death, that seeks to explain the backstory of the Boxcar children. How did they wind up as orphans? Why were they scared of their grandfather? How did they become so closeknit? What was their life like before the boxcar? This book does answer some of these questions, in a roundabout way. My seven year old son was satisfied... but as an adult, I was not. I felt that their parents' death was too abrupt, and I found it hard to believe - that even in the early 1940s (1942 I think) that the police and adult neighbors would just let the kids be on their own after such a sudden loss.
I've heard that the original first Boxcar Children book was harsher than the current first book, so I'd love to find an original copy of that too.
All in all, this is good but not great...depends on your perspective I suppose (and probably your age).
I've heard that the original first Boxcar Children book was harsher than the current first book, so I'd love to find an original copy of that too.
All in all, this is good but not great...depends on your perspective I suppose (and probably your age).
zusy's review
3.0
Really hard to rate, actually. I didn't dislike it and I cried during it. Little things didn't make sense. Not one of Patricia MacLachlan's better works.