Spaghetti Book Club - Book Reviews by Kids for Kids

In The Boxcar Children and the Disappearing Friend Mystery by Gertrude Warner, someone is playing mean tricks on the Alden’s but they don't know who. It all started when the Alden’s were shopping and they met a new friend, Beth. Then they see a sign to help save the hospital. The Alden’s and Beth start a business to help save the hospital. The Alden’s and Beth start the business, it's fine but someone is playing mean tricks on them! The Alden’s start to think Beth is the one playing tricks on them because everything goes wrong right after she leaves. Read the story to find out who's causing the trouble and how the Alden’s fix it.

This book is an amazing book! I think it has a good lesson that shows you shouldn't try to be someone you're not. In the story Heather pretends to be her sister and it causes a lot of trouble for her. Also, I think Benny is usually the one to encourage the group when they give up. In the story when everybody says the posters are destroyed, Benny says "at least the good ones are inside". Lastly, I think the author did a good job because she made Benny seem suspicious. In the story, Benny is the first one to think the good is the bad, you never expected but Benny's right!

I would recommend this book to third and fourth graders who give up easily. Third and fourth graders who give up easily would like this book because in the story the boxcar children don't give up even though some people don't want them to help save the hospital. Also, the boxcar children don't give up even at hard times when they had to do things over and over again. Lastly, the book shows if you never give up you can achieve your goal. I love this book because it teaches two great lessons: be yourself and never give up!