Boxcar Children

by Gertrude Chandler Warner

The Boxcar Children series has easy chapter books for young elementary children. With the approval of the parent, these adventures may be enjoyed by all ages.

Pros:

- The children model a strong work ethic. Adults around them encourage them to continue and improve their work ethic. Only a couple books of the series do not make work a heavy theme. #18 would be a negative exception.

- The children enjoy their work and often find ways to make even dull or difficult tasks fun for one another, especially for Benny while he is young. See especially #1, #2.

- In solving the mysteries, they often are able to serve and show love for others. Compassion for the hurting is featured in many books, as well as a strong loyalty to family. See especially #3, #4, $7, #16.

- In spite of being children, the family finds ways to be useful and productive. They are not hindered by their youth. See especially, #1, #4, #10, #19.

Cons:

- While the work ethic and independence of the Boxcar Children in many ways is positive, the series has received criticism because the children often seem independent of adult assistance and input. With only a few exceptions, this criticism accurately represents the series (#1, #3, #17 are positive exceptions). A child who struggles with being too independent may feel condoned in this failing. Conversely, a child who is too dependent might be given greater confidence by reading these adventures. The parent or teacher should use discretion.

- While the Boxcar children are presenting a good example of numerous character traits to the reader, few flaws can be found in any of the children or other main characters. These faults often do not play a major role in the plot, although they are always portrayed as legitimate failings. Again, the parent or teacher should use discretion; the reader should understand that all humans err and are in need of correction. Positive exceptions: #2, #3, #4.

- Book #9 contains a reference to evolution. The theory is treated as fact by the characters.

Note: Only the first 19 books in the series are written by Gertrude Chandler Warner, though later ones also bear her name. Multiple authors wrote the rest of the series, and many of those books only partially or poorly present the values of the original author. This post should be considered a review of the original 19 works.

Ender's Game

by Orson Scott Card

After an intermediate or advanced child has been taught to discern biblical worldviews and to celebrate them, he learns to discern unbiblical worldviews and to denigrate them. Then there will come a point when the student must learn that, while the author writes from an unbiblical worldview, he has touched on some deep or poignant truth that should be celebrated. Ender's Game falls into just such a category.

The worldview is decidedly humanist. Although the action of the story follows the conflict between man and bugger--a storyline that seems almost silly in the telling--the true conflict is between Ender and himself. The question haunting Ender through the book asks, "Is Ender like Peter?" Peter, who hurts animals for pleasure and was rejected for the position Ender later receives, represents an evil heart. But even Peter's evil is eventually diminished; Ender writes his brother's memoirs, showing how Peter can be understood. Perhaps fate made him cruel, so he cannot be culpable, the author suggests. Or perhaps he wanted something good, but wanted it too much. No. This part of the worldview must be rejected. Man is evil. He needs redemption from sin, not explanation and understanding.

Compared to such a grievous error, the truth I argue to be worth celebrating may seem trivial. Orson Scott Card is a talented author. In Ender's Game, he skillfully relates human emotions, in particular, loneliness. (Card's loneliness is existential, c.f. Kierkegaard or Nietzsche). Not only does he expertly describe loneliness, but he explicates the thoughts and situations surrounding loneliness with poignancy. This ability to portray human emotion is laudable because loneliness is so universal a feeling. The Fall separated man not only from God, but also from other men. Unregenerate man definitely experiences this isolation, and while Christians' community in the Church is partially restored, a full sense of companionship will not be experienced until our Glorification. Card does not depict the biblical reason behind loneliness, though. His genius is merely in expressing it. Because of that, this book should be kept for advanced readers.