Gertrude Chandler Warner, a teacher, wrote books that were both easy and fun to read. The 19 stories in the original Boxcar Children series have sold over three million copies in paperback. She was a lifelong resident of Putnam, Connecticut, until her death in 1979 at the age of 89.
Phyllis Newman began her career as a child entertainer in vaudeville. She has appeared in many Broadway productions--earning a Tony Award for her role in Subways Are for Sleeping--as well as on television series such as One Life to Live and Thirtysomething. In June 2009 she received her second Tony Award, the Isabelle Stevenson Award, for her role in founding the Phyllis Newman Women's Health Initiative of the Actor's Fund.
Gr 3-5-While adult fans of the original series, which began in 1942, might be interested in seeing their favorite characters in a new format, these books fall short of expectations. In all three titles, the art feels stiff and awkward-the characters' faces are undeveloped and indistinct, making them difficult to connect with. The text, rather than the images, moves the action along, flattening the excitement of the Alden kids' discoveries and making even the dramatic moments when the mysteries are revealed seem clunky and anticlimactic.-Lauren Anduri, Brooklyn Public Library, NY Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information.
Children's NOTES Boxcar Children Redux Two titles mark a landmark anniversary of a classic series. The first, The Boxcar Children 60th Anniversary Edition by Gertrude Chandler Warner, illus. by L. Kate Deal, contains the original text, with an introduction by Barbara Elleman, as well as a brief biography of the author, b&w photos and "An Open Letter to Children Who Ask How I Happened to Write The Boxcar Children," all contained in a handsomely designed volume. (Sept) Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.
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