The Boxcar children beginning

First, let me say that my 3-star rating is me as an adult reader. For its actual intended audience it's probably higher.

Second, let me say that recently I have had multiple conversations with adults about how every Boxcar Children book after the 1st one was BS because they no longer lived in a boxcar. The first Boxcar Children book was awesome because it was about homeless children who lived in an abandoned boxcar among woodland creatures. Any Boxcar Children book where they live in a HOUSE is BS, and that includes this one, Patricia MacLachlan!!!

Ahem.

Anyway, it was weird reading this because the kids are as wholesome and happy as ever, but you just KNOW that a shoe is going to drop soon. (No spoiler: the entire series is based on the premise that they are orphans, okay?) Kids who like the original Boxcar Children books will probably like this. Adults seeking some Boxcar Children nostalgia would be better off reading the one single non-BS Boxcar Children book, which is Boxcar Children #1.