The Boxcar Children Graphic Novels by Shannon Eric Denton are based on Gertrude Chandler Warner's Boxcar Children series. She used to spend a lot of time watching trains go by her home and wondered what it would be like to live in a caboose or freight car. This is where the idea came from for the book The Boxcar Children that was published in 1942. The Alden children, Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny are a family. They are orphans who want to stay together. They try to make it on their own so they can stay together. On a stormy night, the Alden children find an old red boxcar where they can be safe and warm. The children make the boxcar their home. Elementary school children from grade three and up would enjoy this book that is easy and fun to read. The Alden children are very independent and go on their adventures with little adult supervision. Elementary school children like the idea of being independent.

This story of four orphans who don't want to live with their grandpa so they run away and live in a train boxcar. This is based upon the classic series by Gertrude Chandler Warner. This is a great adaptation for students who don't enjoy normal chapter books. I would utilize this with my E.L.L. students because I believe it would help them build their literacy skills with the aid of the pictures. I also love that this series is revamped for a new generation of readers!

The boxcar Children is a book about orphans that are sibling and their adventure to stay together and be separated. This story is an emotional story that could trigger some student. I enjoyed reading this book because I was bale to make personal connection to the story and the character. I good read for student that can identify with broken families. ( )

So excited that they made this awesome series into graphic novels!! This opens a door for many of my readers in my class who have difficulty reading chapter books. The Boxcar Children is perfect for fourth graders and any student trying to strengthen their inferential thinking. Mysteries allow us to look beneath the surface of the author’s words and try to figure out who did it by using clues. These books are on my wish list and I hope to add them all next to my complete Boxcar Children chapter book series. ( )

This is a wonderful graphic novel (first in the series) based on the original series written by Gertrude Chandler Warner. The story is about 4 young orphan kids who run away from home so that they don't have to live with their (thought to be) mean grandfather. On their adventure, these kids are forced to stick together and when they find an old boxcar they decide to move in to keep safe and warm. This lovely story is typically for grade 3 and up, however in a graphic novel format, children may be intrigued with the story and may even be more appealing to non-readers. This would be a great novel to have in the classroom and can even be made into a fun art project where the children create their own boxcar. If not used as a mentor text, this would still be a great addition to the classroom library. ( )