# The Boxcar Children

**Author:** Gertrude Chandler Warner
**Lexile:** 490L
**Grade range:** Grades 2–4
**Age range:** 7–10
**First published:** 1924
**Page count:** 160
**Genre:** Middle Grade Mystery
**ISBN-13:** `9780807508527`
**ISBN-10:** `0807508527`
**Canonical URL:** https://readinglist.school/book/the-boxcar-children
**License:** [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) — please credit ReadingList.school when citing.

## About this book

Four orphaned siblings — Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny — set up house in an abandoned boxcar in the woods and solve their first mystery. Warner's century-old series remains in print and on 2nd-4th grade reading lists across the US.

## Themes

- family
- independence
- resourcefulness
- mystery

## Content notes

- orphaned children

Common Sense Media age recommendation: 7+

## Where this book is assigned

### Alabama Camellia Children's Choice Book Award

- **recommended** · 4th grade · Alabama — [source: Winner, Alabama Camellia Children's Choice Book Award 1984, grades 4-6. Given by the Alabama State Department of Education, Library Media. Winner (not nominee); verified against the award archive 2026-09-04.](https://sites.google.com/view/camelliaawards/home)
- **recommended** · 5th grade · Alabama — [source: Winner, Alabama Camellia Children's Choice Book Award 1984, grades 4-6. Given by the Alabama State Department of Education, Library Media. Winner (not nominee); verified against the award archive 2026-09-04.](https://sites.google.com/view/camelliaawards/home)
- **recommended** · 6th grade · Alabama — [source: Winner, Alabama Camellia Children's Choice Book Award 1984, grades 4-6. Given by the Alabama State Department of Education, Library Media. Winner (not nominee); verified against the award archive 2026-09-04.](https://sites.google.com/view/camelliaawards/home)

### Common Core State Standards (ELA)

- **recommended** · 3rd grade — [source: CCSS ELA Appendix B, grades 2-3 exemplar](https://www.nysed.gov/sites/default/files/programs/standards-instruction/appendix-b-text-exemplars-and-sample-performance-tasks.pdf)

### Summer reading lists

- **recommended** · 2nd grade — [source: Portsmouth Christian Academy — Summer Reading Lists for All Grade Levels](https://pcaschool.org/summer-reading-lists-for-all-grade-levels/)

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