The Dog-gone Mystery

The Boxcar Children #119

by Gertrude Chandler Warner, Robert Papp

When a new dog obedience business opens in Greenfield, the Aldens decide to enroll Watch for a refresher course. At the first class a Dalmatian goes missing, and everyone wonders if the dog ran away or was stolen. But when a malamute disappears at the second class, Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny know they have a mystery on their hands. Could the thief be the class's instructor, the Dalmatian's owner, the dog groomer, or the owner with the very obedient dog?

Genres: Mystery, Childrens, Fiction, Audiobook, Animals, Middle Grade, Ebooks

128 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2009

About the author

Gertrude Chandler Warner was born in Putnam, Connecticut, on April 16, 1890, to Edgar and Jane Warner. Her family included a sister, Frances, and a brother, John. From the age of five, she dreamed of becoming an author. She wrote stories for her Grandfather Carpenter, and each Christmas she gave him one of these stories as a gift. Today, Ms. Warner is best remembered as the author of THE BOXCAR CHILDREN MYSTERIES.

As a child, Gertrude enjoyed many of the things that girls enjoy today. She loved furnishing a dollhouse with handmade furniture and she liked to read. Her favorite book was ALICE IN WONDERLAND. Often on Sundays after church, Gertrude enjoyed trips to visit her grandparents' farm. Along the way, she and Frances would stop to pick the wildflowers they both loved. Gertrude's favorite flower was the violet.

Her family was a very musical one. They were able to have a family orchestra, and Gertrude enjoyed playing the cello. Her father had brought her one from New York ---a cello, a bow, a case and an instruction book. All together, he paid $14. Later, as an adult, she began playing the pipe organ and sometimes substituted for the church organist.

Due to ill health, Ms. Warner never finished high school. She left in the middle of her second year and studied with a tutor. Then, in 1918, when teachers were called to serve in World War I, the school board asked her to teach first grade. She had forty children in the morning and forty more in the afternoon. Ms. Warner wrote, "I was asked or begged to take this job because I taught Sunday School. But believe me, day school is nothing like Sunday School, and I sure learned by doing --- I taught in that same room for 32 years, retiring at 60 to have more time to write." Eventually, Ms. Warner attended Yale, where she took several teacher training courses.

Once when she was sick and had to stay home from teaching, she thought up the story about the Boxcar Children. It was inspired by her childhood dreams. As a child, she had spent hours watching the trains go by near her family's home. Sometimes she could look through the window of a caboose and see a small stove, a little table, cracked cups with no saucers, and a tin coffee pot boiling away on the stove. The sight had fascinated her and made her dream about how much fun it would be to live and keep house in a boxcar or caboose. She read the story to her classes and rewrote it many times so the words were easy to understand. Some of her pupils spoke other languages at home and were just learning English. THE BOXCAR CHILDREN gave them a fun story that was easy to read.

Ms. Warner once wrote for her fans, "Perhaps you know that the original BOXCAR CHILDREN. . . raised a storm of protest from librarians who thought the children were having too good a time without any parental control! That is exactly why children like it! Most of my own childhood exploits, such as living in a freight car, received very little cooperation from my parents."

Though the story of THE BOXCAR CHILDREN went through some changes after it was first written, the version that we are familiar with today was originally published in 1942 by Scott Foresman. Today, Albert Whitman & Company publishes this first classic story as well as the next eighteen Alden children adventures that were written by Ms. Warner.

Gertrude Chandler Warner died in 1979 at the age of 89 after a full life as a teacher, author, and volunteer for the American Red Cross and other charitable organizations. After her death, Albert Whitman & Company continued to receive mail from children across the country asking for more adventures about Henry, Jessie, Violet and Benny Alden. In 1991, Albert Whitman added to THE BOXCAR CHILDREN MYSTERIES so that today's children can enjoy many more adventures about this independent and caring group of children.

Books about Gertrude: https://www.goodreads.com/characters/...

Reviews

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun read.

[Jessica Woodring · Rating 4 out of 5]

We felt like the Boxcar children having adventures (and eating) today as we listened to this one as an audiobook. Austen even requested to listen to it while we ate pizza at Schlotzsky’s because it reminded her of the Boxcar children in our favorite one so far “The Pizza Mystery.”

This one has dogs (obviously) and very little food (not so obvious). But there is a rude groomer who may or may not have nefarious intentions with Watch (the Boxcar kids’ dog) and the other pretty, well-behaved, but not registered-with-papers-or-in-any-type-of-dog-shows dogs that all go to the same dog school run by a very clueless woman who has no idea why dogs keep disappearing from her classes…and yet she continues to get clients for her poorly-run business. In the end, the Boxcar children save the day, and *spoiler alert* it has to do with noticing roots that have not been dyed.

[Sam Kuntz · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Dog-Gone Mystery is about when a dog training school opens in town. The Boxcar Children take Watch ''their dog'' to the class and a dog goes missing. On the second day, another dog goes missing. They think that someone is stealing the dogs and selling them for a lot of money. This story takes place in Greenfield. You have to read to this book to find out how they solve this mystery. This is a good book to read in the car.

[Cherish Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

(4☆ Would recommend)
I loved these books as a kid & I'm really enjoying reading through the series again. I liked the mystery & the suspense. I like how there is more than one possible suspect, who each have reasonable motive. Would recommend.

[Brianna Allman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is about dogs who are going missing at a new dog training place in town. I think students would love this mystery, especially if they are dog or animal lovers!

[Charles Reed · Rating 4 out of 5]

83%

An interesting dog scheme!

[Libby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who stole dogs? I LOVED this book!!!!! I recommend this book. If you love dogs or love mysteries this book is for you!😍

[Sue Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the mysteries
Love all the different people that they meet
From childhood
Perfect books to remember the best times

[Bailey Marissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The kids actually put in some work so this is one of the better ones.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a different kind of mystery. It was really good and centered around their dog 🐕.

[David Schmitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

sort of ok!!!!!!

[Abigail Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like dogs I think think this would be the best book for you

[Allyssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

i did not see the dogs being stolen from the dog training school named dog gone good

[Stacie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The kids take Watch for dog training.... where dogs go missing! Oh no, looks like the kids have to solve this mystery before someone gets Watch!