Henry, Jessie, Violet and Benny are known as "The Boxcar Children" to generations of readers. Patricia MacLachlan (Sarah, Plain and Tall) channels the voice of series creator Gertrude Chandler Warner with ease and charm, filling in the origins of this fiercely loyal band and what transpired before they were orphaned.
We meet the Alden children with their parents on their bucolic farm, Fair Meadow. Yet their father worries: "I'm afraid you'll see hard times soon, Henry." This prescient remark foreshadows not only their eventual orphaning but also the arrival of the Clark family, stranded at the farm due to car trouble in a snowstorm. As the children band together to help run the farm, MacLachlan propels the narrative through dialogue between the siblings and the Clark children. Ideal for series fans and a terrific entry point for those new to the series. --Jessica Bushore, former public librarian and freelance writer