THE BOXCAR CHILDREN MYSTERIES
THE BOXCAR CHILDREN
SURPRISE ISLAND
THE YELLOW HOUSE MYSTERY
MYSTERY RANCH
MIKE’S MYSTERY
BLUE BAY MYSTERY
THE WOODSHED MYSTERY
THE LIGHTHOUSE MYSTERY
MOUNTAIN TOP MYSTERY
SCHOOLHOUSE MYSTERY
CABOOSE MYSTERY
HOUSEBOAT MYSTERY
SNOWBOUND MYSTERY
TREE HOUSE MYSTERY
BICYCLE MYSTERY
MYSTERY IN THE SAND
MYSTERY BEHIND THE WALL
BUS STATION MYSTERY
BENNY UNCOVERS A MYSTERY
THE HAUNTED CABIN MYSTERY
THE DESERTED LIBRARY MYSTERY
THE ANIMAL SHELTER MYSTERY
THE OLD MOTEL MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE HIDDEN PAINTING
THE AMUSEMENT PARK MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE MIXED-UP ZOO
THE CAMP-OUT MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY GIRL
THE MYSTERY CRUISE
THE DISAPPEARING FRIEND MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE SINGING GHOST
THE MYSTERY IN THE SNOW
THE PIZZA MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY HORSE
THE MYSTERY AT THE DOG SHOW
THE CASTLE MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE LOST VILLAGE
THE MYSTERY ON THE ICE
THE MYSTERY OF THE PURPLE POOL
THE GHOST SHIP MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY IN WASHINGTON, DC
THE CANOE TRIP MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE HIDDEN BEACH
THE MYSTERY OF THE MISSING CAT
THE MYSTERY AT SNOWFLAKE INN
THE MYSTERY ON STAGE
THE DINOSAUR MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE STOLEN MUSIC
THE MYSTERY AT THE BALL PARK
THE CHOCOLATE SUNDAE MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE HOT AIR BALLOON
THE MYSTERY BOOKSTORE
THE PILGRIM VILLAGE MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE STOLEN BOXCAR
THE MYSTERY IN THE CAVE
THE MYSTERY ON THE TRAIN
THE MYSTERY AT THE FAIR
THE MYSTERY OF THE LOST MINE
THE GUIDE DOG MYSTERY
THE HURRICANE MYSTERY
THE PET SHOP MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE SECRET MESSAGE
THE FIREHOUSE MYSTERY
THE NIAGARA FALLS MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY AT THE ALAMO
THE OUTER SPACE MYSTERY
THE SOCCER MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY IN THE OLD ATTIC
THE GROWLING BEAR MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE LAKE MONSTER
THE MYSTERY AT PEACOCK HALL
THE WINDY CITY MYSTERY
THE BLACK PEARL MYSTERY
THE CEREAL BOX MYSTERY
THE PANTHER MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE QUEEN’S JEWELS
THE STOLEN SWORD MYSTERY
THE BASKETBALL MYSTERY
THE MOVIE STAR MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE PIRATE’S MAP
THE GHOST TOWN MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE BLACK RAVEN
THE MYSTERY IN THE MALL
THE MYSTERY IN NEW YORK
THE GYMNASTICS MYSTERY
THE POISON FROG MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE EMPTY SAFE
THE HOME RUN MYSTERY
THE GREAT BICYCLE RACE MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE WILD PONIES
THE MYSTERY IN THE COMPUTER GAME
THE HONEYBEE MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY AT THE CROOKED HOUSE
THE HOCKEY MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE MIDNIGHT DOG
THE MYSTERY OF THE SCREECH OWL
THE SUMMER CAMP MYSTERY
THE COPYCAT MYSTERY
THE HAUNTED CLOCK TOWER MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE TIGER’S EYE
THE DISAPPEARING STAIRCASE MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY ON BLIZZARD MOUNTAIN
THE MYSTERY OF THE SPIDER’S CLUE
THE CANDY FACTORY MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE MUMMY’S CURSE
THE MYSTERY OF THE STAR RUBY
THE STUFFED BEAR MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF ALLIGATOR SWAMP
THE MYSTERY AT SKELETON POINT
THE TATTLETALE MYSTERY
THE COMIC BOOK MYSTERY
THE GREAT SHARK MYSTERY
THE ICE CREAM MYSTERY
THE MIDNIGHT MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY IN THE FORTUNE COOKIE
THE BLACK WIDOW SPIDER MYSTERY
THE RADIO MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE RUNAWAY GHOST
THE FINDERS KEEPERS MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE HAUNTED BOXCAR
THE CLUE IN THE CORN MAZE
THE GHOST OF THE CHATTERING BONES
THE SWORD OF THE SILVER KNIGHT
THE GAME STORE MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE ORPHAN TRAIN
THE VANISHING PASSENGER
THE GIANT YO-YO MYSTERY
THE CREATURE IN OGOPOGO LAKE
THE ROCK ’N’ ROLL MYSTERY
THE SECRET OF THE MASK
THE SEATTLE PUZZLE
THE GHOST IN THE FIRST ROW
THE BOX THAT WATCH FOUND
A HORSE NAMED DRAGON
THE GREAT DETECTIVE RACE
THE GHOST AT THE DRIVE-IN MOVIE
THE MYSTERY OF THE TRAVELING TOMATOES
THE SPY GAME
THE DOG-GONE MYSTERY
THE VAMPIRE MYSTERY
SUPERSTAR WATCH
THE SPY IN THE BLEACHERS
THE AMAZING MYSTERY SHOW
THE PUMPKIN HEAD MYSTERY
THE CUPCAKE CAPER
THE CLUE IN THE RECYCLING BIN
MONKEY TROUBLE
THE ZOMBIE PROJECT
THE GREAT TURKEY HEIST
THE GARDEN THIEF
THE BOARDWALK MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE FALLEN TREASURE
THE RETURN OF THE GRAVEYARD GHOST
THE MYSTERY OF THE STOLEN SNOWBOARD
THE MYSTERY OF THE WILD WEST BANDIT
THE MYSTERY OF THE SOCCER SNITCH
THE MYSTERY OF THE GRINNING GARGOYLE
THE MYSTERY OF THE MISSING POP IDOL
THE MYSTERY OF THE STOLEN DINOSAUR BONES
THE MYSTERY AT THE CALGARY STAMPEDE
THE SLEEPY HOLLOW MYSTERY
THE LEGEND OF THE IRISH CASTLE
THE CELEBRITY CAT CAPER
HIDDEN IN THE HAUNTED SCHOOL
THE ELECTION DAY DILEMMA
JOURNEY ON A RUNAWAY TRAIN
THE CLUE IN THE PAPYRUS SCROLL
THE DETOUR OF THE ELEPHANTS
THE SHACKLETON SABOTAGE
THE KHIPU AND THE FINAL KEY
THE DOUGHNUT WHODUNIT
THE ROBOT RANSOM
NEW! THE LEGEND OF THE HOWLING WEREWOLF
NEW! THE DAY OF THE DEAD MYSTERY
Copyright © 2018 by Albert Whitman & Company
First published in the United States of America in 2018 by Albert Whitman & Company
ISBN 978-0-8075-0737-7 (hardcover)
ISBN 978-0-8075-0738-4 (paperback)
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
THE BOXCAR CHILDREN® is a registered trademark of Albert Whitman & Company.
Printed in the United States of America
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p; 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 LB 22 21 20 19 18
Illustrations by Anthony VanArsdale
Visit the Boxcar Children online at www.boxcarchildren.com.
For more information about Albert Whitman & Company, visit our website at www.albertwhitman.com.
Contents
1. Two Celebrations
2. Too Much Candy
3. One Thing Missing
4. A Surprising Assessment
5. Little to Go On
6. Breakfast Breakthrough
7. Another Theft?
8. A Sweet Surprise
9. Family First
10. Celebrate!
Two Celebrations
“Come on, you two!” Jessie Alden called to Violet and Benny. It was the evening of October 31: Halloween. The streetlights were just starting to come on, and trick-or-treating was about to begin.
Jessie didn’t want her younger sister and brother to miss out on the fun. Henry, the oldest of the Alden children, stood with Jessie and Grandfather on the front porch. Their dog, Watch, waited patiently at their feet, his chin resting on his paws. Now that Henry was fourteen and Jessie was twelve, they had decided they were too old to dress up for Halloween, but they were excited to see the costumes Violet and Benny had been working on.
“Almost ready,” Violet called from the front hall. “Making a last-minute change to a sesame seed!”
Henry and Jessie looked at each other in confusion, and Grandfather laughed.
“This surprise is going to be well worth the wait,” Grandfather said. A moment later, Violet burst onto the porch.
“Voilà!” she cried. Ten-year-old Violet wore a black wig adorned with flowers and a colorful dress with a band of white lace running along the hem. She had long, dark eyebrows and held a paintbrush in her hand.
“Wow, Violet—you’re an artist!” Henry said. Watch sat up and barked his approval.
“Not just any artist. Right, Violet?” Grandfather said with a knowing smile.
“That’s right,” Violet said. “I am dressed as Frida Kahlo, one of Mexico’s great painters.”
“I remember learning about her in art class,” Jessie said. “She was famous for painting self-portraits. You look just like her, Violet! But…what does this have to do with a sesame seed?”
Violet laughed. “That wasn’t for me—it was for Benny. Speaking of which…” Violet cleared her throat. “Ahem. We’re ready for the, uh, the main course!”
Benny stepped outside. He was moving a little more slowly than Violet had. For one thing, he was only six years old. For another, he was wearing a giant, round costume stuffed with newspaper.
“Benny, you’re a cheeseburger!” Jessie said.
“A deluxe one too,” Henry added, as he noticed all the ingredients Benny’s costume included. There was a brown bun strapped to his front and back, then a layer of meat made from brown felt, a slice of yellow paper cheese, a red satin tomato, and a layer of ketchup made from ribbon. Benny, who wore a green hat, appeared to be the pickle. White circles of paper were taped to the front of the bun to look like sesame seeds.
“You know what they say,” Benny said. “You are what you eat!”
Grandfather laughed. “Well done, you two!” He asked the children to stand together on the front steps with Watch and snapped a picture of them. “This is going to make a great memory someday. Now, you had better get going before it gets any later!”
The Aldens started down the street to the house of Violet and Benny’s new friends, Gloria and Mateo Hidalgo. The children planned to trick-or-treat together. When they arrived at the Hidalgo house, a cozy stone cottage with a heavy oak front door, Benny tried to ring the doorbell. He couldn’t quite reach because of his costume, so Jessie gave him a boost.
Mateo, who was seven, answered the door. Normally, Mateo was a quiet boy with straight, dark hair and glasses, but tonight he wore a spiky red wig and glitter around his eyes. A guitar hung over his shoulder.
“You’re a rock star!” Benny said.
Mateo smiled shyly and nodded. “And wait until you see Gloria.”
The kids stepped into the Hidalgos’ living room just as Gloria was coming out of the kitchen. Violet knew from school that Gloria had an energetic personality and a joyful laugh. So it was a surprise to see her wearing a very serious face and a judge’s black robe, with her long, straight hair pulled into a tight bun.
“Order in the court!” she said when she saw the Aldens. She held up her gavel. The children all laughed. It was fun that on Halloween you could pretend to be someone so different from yourself.
Mrs. Hidalgo followed her daughter out of the kitchen. She had the same dark eyes as Gloria, but she was taller and had a little gray hair. She wore bright red earrings and an apron with a dusting of flour on the front.
“Kids, you look fantastic!” Mrs. Hidalgo said.
“Are the trick-or-treaters here?” asked a voice coming from the den. Mr. Hidalgo soon emerged and joined them in the living room. The house was full of striking and colorful artwork, and he was making his way around to each painting and whisking it with a feather duster. As soon as he saw Benny, he clapped his hands. “Now that’s a great costume,” Mr. Hidalgo said to his wife.
Mrs. Hidalgo nodded. “And I love Violet’s too,” she said. “Frida Kahlo has always been an inspiration to me. I studied her work in art school.” She leaned down and kissed each of her children on the head. “Now, I expect you two to bring me lots of chocolate bars.”
Mateo smiled. “We will, Mamá.”
“Won’t you be able to join us for trick-or-treating?” Henry asked.
“We wish we could, Henry,” said Mrs. Hidalgo. “But we have a lot to do at home.”
“It’s only two days until Day of the Dead,” Mr. Hidalgo explained.
Benny’s eyes got big. “What’s that?” he asked.
“Day of the Dead, or Día de Muertos in Spanish, isn’t anything to be afraid of, Benny,” said Gloria. “It’s a day of celebration in Mexico—a time to honor our ancestors.”
“Wow, that sounds important,” Violet said. She loved learning about history and hearing stories of the past. She turned to Mrs. Hidalgo. “Are you baking something for the celebration?”
Mrs. Hidalgo nodded. “Yes, the pan de muerto—the bread of the dead. I’m mixing up the dough today and will bake it tomorrow so that it’s ready in time.”
“And I am cleaning the house,” Mr. Hidalgo said. He pointed to the vacuum cleaner in the corner. “We want everything to be perfect as we welcome the spirits for their visit.”
Jessie noticed that Benny was looking a little nervous with all the talk of spirits. She cleared her throat and asked as politely as she could, “Mrs. Hidalgo, why is it called the bread of the dead?”
Mrs. Hidalgo smiled. “It is part of the way we honor the people who have died. It is a sweet bread, and we only make it at this time of year.”
“We take some for ourselves,” Mateo added, “and we leave some of the offering for the spirits to eat.”
“Offering?” Benny asked.
Gloria nodded. “The offering is the most important part of Day of the Dead, and this is the first year that I got to help set it up,” she said proudly. “In Spanish, we call it ofrenda. It’s a special altar where we place things that help us remember loved ones who have died. Pictures, their favorite foods and drinks, and other things they loved when they were alive.”
Henry and Jessie exchanged a glance, each of them remembering how much their lives had changed when their parents died in a car accident. After it happened, the Alden children were supposed to go live with their grandfather, but they thought he was mean and that they wouldn’t like living with him. So Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny ran away to the woods where they found an abandoned boxcar. They made it their home and even found their dog, Watch.
Eventually, Grandfather discovered where they were, and they realized he was not mean at all. He took the children home to live with him and
his housekeeper, Mrs. McGregor. Even better, Grandfather brought the boxcar home too. He put it in his backyard for the children to use as a clubhouse.
Gloria must have noticed that her friends looked a little sad. “Don’t worry,” she said. “Offerings are happy things, I promise.” She waved her gavel in the direction of the back porch. “Come on—I’ll show you.”
Mr. and Mrs. Hidalgo went back to their work, and the children tromped through the kitchen and out the sliding door to a screened-in porch. There was a table with two tiers covered in a beautiful cloth. It held framed pictures of family members, some of them from many generations ago. Four brass candlesticks sat in the form of a cross, and orange marigold petals were sprinkled around them.
“Wow,” Violet said. “I love how colorful this is. You’re right, Gloria—the altar doesn’t feel sad at all.”
“It’s really a celebration of the people we love,” Gloria said. “And we have the important job of honoring them. We want to welcome the spirits to visit. Besides the bread my mom is baking, we will also put out a pitcher of water to quench the spirits’ thirst after their long journey. And we put out the things they loved in life. That’s why we have my great-uncle’s baseball cards—he loved baseball. And it’s why we have this.”
Gloria picked up a delicate ivory jewelry box. She opened the lid and showed it to the Aldens. “This bracelet belonged to my great-grandmother Luisa.”
“It’s beautiful,” Jessie said. The bracelet was a chain of delicate silver flowers with charms hanging off each one. There was a tiny water jug, a marigold, and a sunbonnet. Jessie realized these charms must have marked some of their great-grandmother Luisa’s favorite memories.
Gloria shook the box, and the charms on the bracelet made a jingling sound. She smiled. “That sound always makes me think of the few times I was with her. She lived so far away that we didn’t get to see her much.”
Mateo carefully took the jewelry box from his sister to get a closer look. “I am glad we have this,” he said. “Because I was so little when she died, I don’t really have a memory of her.”
Henry smiled at Mateo and Gloria. “Thank you so much for sharing this with us. Family traditions are very important.”
After a moment Jessie said, “You know, we had better get going if we want to celebrate Halloween before it gets too dark.”
“Yes,” Benny said, “and before the candy runs out!”
“Rock on,” Mateo said, back in character.
Gloria laughed and adjusted her bun. “Everybody got their bags? Let’s go!”