Book Series · 169 Books

The Boxcar Children Books

In order from The Boxcar Children to Mystery at the Lighthouse.

The Boxcar Children series is a set of 169 chapter books by Gertrude Chandler Warner, published between 1948 and 2026. Written for ages 4–12, most books run about 130 pages. Subjects across the series include trains, orphans, and family life.

Where the story begins

First Book in the Series

Sale price

$759

Book #1 · Chapter Book · Ages 7–10 · 1948

The Boxcar Children

By Gertrude Chandler Warner

Four orphaned children run away from their grandfather and live in a boxcar, where they learn to fend for themselves and have many adventures.

154 pages· 17,402 words· Est. 2.5 hour read

$7.99Save 5%

Paperback

Summary: Four siblings, determined to stay together, make a home in an abandoned boxcar. As they navigate their new life, they uncover a surprising family connection that could change everything. Will they find the stability they crave, or will their discovery lead to unexpected challenges?

In reading order

The Boxcar Children Series

169 books · Published 1948–2026

Year	#	Title	Author	Illustrator	Pages
1948	1	The Boxcar Children	Gertrude Chandler Warner		154
1949	2	Surprise Island	Gertrude Chandler Warner	Mary Gehr	192
1952	3	The Yellow House Mystery	Gertrude Chandler Warner	Mary Gehr	191
1957	4	Mystery Ranch	Gertrude Chandler Warner	Dirk Gringhuis	127
1960	5	Mike's Mystery	Gertrude Chandler Warner	Dirk Gringhuis	128
1961	6	Blue Bay Mystery	Gertrude Chandler Warner	Dirk Gringhuis	157
1962	7	The Woodshed Mystery	Gertrude Chandler Warner	David Cunningham	160
1962	8	The Lighthouse Mystery	Gertrude Chandler Warner	David Cunningham	128
1964	9	Mountain Top Mystery	Gertrude Chandler Warner	David Cunningham	128
1965	10	Schoolhouse Mystery	Gertrude Chandler Warner	David Cunningham	128
1966	11	Caboose Mystery	Gertrude Chandler Warner	David Cunningham	128
1967	12	Houseboat Mystery	Gertrude Chandler Warner	David Cunningham	128
1968	13	Snowbound Mystery	Gertrude Chandler Warner	David Cunningham	128
1969	14	Tree House Mystery	Gertrude Chandler Warner		128
1970	15	Bicycle Mystery	Gertrude Chandler Warner	David Cunningham	128
1971	16	Mystery in the Sand	Gertrude Chandler Warner	David Cunningham	128
1973	17	Mystery Behind the Wall	Gertrude Chandler Warner	David Cunningham	128
1974	18	Bus Station Mystery	Gertrude Chandler Warner	David Cunningham	128
1976	19	Benny Uncovers a Mystery	Gertrude Chandler Warner	David Cunningham	128
1991	22	The Animal Shelter Mystery			128
1991	20	The Haunted Cabin Mystery			128
1991	21	The Deserted Library Mystery			128
1991	23	The Old Motel Mystery			128
1991	30	The Disappearing Friend Mystery			128
1992	27	The Camp-Out Mystery			128
1992	24	The Mystery of the Hidden Painting			117
1992	25	The Amusement Park Mystery			128
1992	26	The Mystery of the Mixed-Up Zoo			128
1992	28	The Mystery Girl			128
1992	29	The Mystery Cruise			128
1992	31	The Mystery of the Singing Ghost			128
1992	32	The Mystery in the Snow			128
1993	34	The Mystery Horse			121
1993	37	The Mystery of the Lost Village			128
1993	36	The Castle Mystery			128
1993	33	The Pizza Mystery			128
1993	35	The Mystery at the Dog Show			128
1994		The Mystery of the Purple Pool			121
1994	39	The Ghost Ship Mystery			131
1994	40	The Canoe Trip Mystery			120
1994	41	The Mystery of the Hidden Beach			128
1994	42	The Mystery of the Missing Cat	Charles Tang, Gertrude Chandler Warner		128
1994	43	The Mystery on Stage			128
1995	44	The Dinosaur Mystery			128
1995	49	The Mystery of the Stolen Boxcar			128
1995	45	The Mystery of the Stolen Music			128
1995	46	The Chocolate Sundae Mystery			128
1995	48	The Mystery Bookstore			128
1995	47	The Mystery of the Hot Air Balloon			128
1995	50	The Mystery in the Cave			128
1996	55	The Mystery of the Secret Message			128
1996	54	The Hurricane Mystery			128
1996	51	The Mystery on the Train			122
1996	52	The Mystery of the Lost Mine			128
1996	53	The Guide Dog Mystery			128
1997	60	The Soccer Mystery			128
1997	56	The Firehouse Mystery			128
1997	57	The Mystery in San Francisco			128
1997	58	The Mystery at the Alamo			128
1997	59	The Outer Space Mystery			121
1997	61	The Growling Bear Mystery			128
1998	64	The Black Pearl Mystery			128
1998	62	The Mystery of the Lake Monster			128
1998	63	The Mystery at Peacock Hall			128
1998	65	The Cereal Box Mystery			128
1998	66	The Panther Mystery			128
1998	67	The Mystery of the Stolen Sword	Gertrude Chandler Warner, Charles Tang		128
1999	69	The Movie Star Mystery			128
1999	73	The Gymnastics Mystery			144
1999	68	The Basketball Mystery	Gertrude Chandler Warner	Charles Tang	144
1999	70	The Mystery of the Pirate's Map	Gertrude Chandler Warner, Charles Tang		128
1999	71	The Ghost Town Mystery			128
1999	72	The Mystery in the Mall			128
2000	74	The Poison Frog Mystery			144
2000	75	The Mystery of the Empty Safe			128
2000	76	The Great Bicycle Race Mystery	Gertrude Chandler Warner, Charles Tang		128
2000	77	The Mystery of the Wild Ponies			144
2000	78	The Mystery in the Computer Game			128
2000	79	The Mystery at the Crooked House			128
2000	80	The Hockey Mystery			144
2001	83	The Copycat Mystery			128
2001	81	The Mystery of the Midnight Dog			128
2001	82	The Summer Camp Mystery	Gertrude Chandler Warner, Hodges Soileau		128
2001	84	The Haunted Clock Tower Mystery			144
2001	85	The Disappearing Staircase Mystery			128
2002	86	The Mystery on Blizzard Mountain			128
2002	87	The Mystery of the Spider's Clue			128
2002	88	The Mystery of the Mummy's Curse			144
2002	89	The Mystery of the Star Ruby			128
2002	90	The Stuffed Bear Mystery			128
2002	91	The Mystery at Skeleton Point			128
2003	94	The Ice Cream Mystery			128
2003	93	The Comic Book Mystery			112
2003	92	The Tattletale Mystery			128
2003	95	The Midnight Mystery			128
2003	96	The Mystery in the Fortune Cookie			144
2003	97	The Radio Mystery			128
2004	100	The Mystery of the Haunted Boxcar			128
2004	98	The Mystery of the Runaway Ghost			144
2004	99	The Finders Keepers Mystery			128
2004	101	The Clue in the Corn Maze			144
2005	102	The Ghost of the Chattering Bones			128
2005	103	The Sword of the Silver Knight			128
2005	104	The Game Store Mystery			144
2005	105	The Mystery of the Orphan Train			128
2006	106	The Vanishing Passenger			112
2006	107	The Giant Yo-Yo Mystery			144
2006	108	The Creature in Ogopogo Lake			128
2006	109	The Rock 'n' Roll Mystery			128
2007	112	The Ghost in the First Row			128
2007	110	The Secret of the Mask			128
2007	111	The Seattle Puzzle			112
2007	113	The Box That Watch Found			128
2008	114	A Horse Named Dragon			128
2008	115	The Great Detective Race			128
2008	116	The Ghost at the Drive-In Movie			128
2008	117	The Mystery of the Traveling Tomatoes			128
2009	121	Superstar Watch		Robert Papp	128
2009	118	The Spy Game		Robert Papp	128
2009	119	The Dog-Gone Mystery		Robert Papp	128
2009	120	The Vampire Mystery		Robert Papp	128
2010	122	The Spy in the Bleachers		Robert Papp	128
2010	123	The Amazing Mystery Show		Robert Papp	128
2010	124	The Pumpkin Head Mystery		Robert Papp	128
2010	125	The Cupcake Caper		Robert Papp	112
2011	126	The Clue in the Recycling Bin		Robert Papp	128
2011	127	Monkey Trouble		Robert Papp	128
2011	128	The Zombie Project		Robert Papp	128
2011	129	The Great Turkey Heist		Robert Papp	144
2012	130	The Garden Thief		Tim Jessell	128
2012	0.5	The Boxcar Children Beginning		Tim Jessell	144
2013	131	The Boardwalk Mystery		Tim Jessell	144
2013	133	The Return of the Graveyard Ghost		Tim Jessell	128
2013	132	The Mystery of the Fallen Treasure		Tim Jessell	128
2014	135	The Mystery of the Wild West Bandit		Tim Jessell	128
2014	134	The Mystery of the Stolen Snowboard		Tim Jessell	128
2014	136	The Mystery of the Soccer Snitch			128
2014	137	The Mystery of the Grinning Gargoyle			128
2015	138	The Mystery of the Missing Pop Idol			128
2015	139	The Mystery of the Stolen Dinosaur Bones			128
2015	140	The Mystery at the Calgary Stampede			128
2015	141	The Sleepy Hollow Mystery			128
2016	142	The Legend of the Irish Castle			94
2016	143	The Celebrity Cat Caper			128
2016	144	Hidden in the Haunted School			128
2016	145	The Election Day Dilemma			128
2018	146	The Doughnut Whodunit			128
2018	147	The Robot Ransom			128
2018	148	The Legend of the Howling Werewolf			128
2018	149	The Day of the Dead Mystery			128
2019	150	The Hundred-Year Mystery			128
2019	151	The Sea Turtle Mystery		Anthony VanArsdale	128
2019	152	Secret on the Thirteenth Floor		Anthony VanArsdale	128
2019	153	The Power Down Mystery		Anthony VanArsdale	128
2020	154	Mystery at Camp Survival		Anthony VanArsdale	128
2020	155	The Mystery of the Forgotten Family		Anthony VanArsdale	128
2020	156	The Skeleton Key Mystery		Anthony VanArsdale	128
2020		The Woodshed Mystery		Shane Clester	48
2020		Blue Bay Mystery		Shane Clester	48
2020	157	Science Fair Sabotage		Anthony VanArsdale	128
2021	158	The Great Greenfield Bake-Off		Anthony VanArsdale	128
2021	159	The Beekeeper Mystery		Anthony VanArsdale	128
2022	160	The Mystery in the Magic Shop		Anthony VanArsdale	128
2023	161	The Raptor Rescue		Anthony VanArsdale	128
2026		Mystery at the Lighthouse			32
2026		Mystery at the Lighthouse			32
	164	Secret of Superstition Mountain		Karen De la Vega	144
		Legend of the Vampire			32
		Secret of the Shipwreck			32

Companion series

The Boxcar Children Great Adventure Series

5 books · Published 2017

The Boxcar Children Books

First Book in the Series

The Boxcar Children Series

The Boxcar Children Great Adventure Series

The Boxcar Children Specials Series

The Boxcar Children Graphic Novel Series

The Boxcar Children Interactive Mystery Series

The Boxcar Children: Time to Read Series

The Boxcar Children Creatures of Legend Series

The Boxcar Children Early Readers Series

Common Questions

How many books are in the Boxcar Children series?

What order should you read the Boxcar Children books in?

What ages are the Boxcar Children books best for?

The Creatives Behind the Books

Charles Tang

Gertrude Chandler Warner

Hodges Soileau

Mary Gehr

Dirk Gringhuis

David Cunningham

Robert Papp

Tim Jessell

Anthony VanArsdale

Shane Clester

Karen De la Vega

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