The Garden Thief

A Spring Holiday Special

Illustrated by Tim Jessell
Paperback
$7.99 US
| $10.99 CAN
On sale Feb 24, 2026 | 128 Pages | 9798217030095
Age 7-10 years | Grades 2-5
Reading Level: Lexile 640L

Grandfather's friend, Mr. Yee, has broken his arm and can't tend to his beloved vegetable plot in the community garden. The Alden children gladly offer their services to help him with his prize-winning veggies. But they soon learn something mysterious is afoot at the community garden. Vegetables go missing, and it appears someone is intentionally vandalizing the garden plots. Luckily for the local community gardeners, the Boxcar Children are on the case!
Gertrude Chandler Warner grew up in Putnam, Connecticut. She wrote The Boxcar Children because she had always dreamed about what it would be like to live in a caboose or a freight car—just as the Aldens do. When readers asked for more adventures, Warner wrote more books—a total of nineteen in all. After her death, other authors have continued to write stories about Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny Alden, and today The Boxcar Children® series has more than one hundred books. View titles by Gertrude Chandler Warner
TIM JESSELL'S work has been recognized by the Society of Illustrators Annual Exhibitions, receiving the Society's Gold Medal Award. He is also the winner of AdWeek Magazine's Illustrator of the Year. His work can be seen in the bestselling series Secrets of Droon, Superhero Christmas (written by Stan Lee of Marvel Comics), and covers for the reissue of Zilpha Keatley Snyder's Newbery Honor Books. Tim has been a guest speaker to professional graphic communication groups and enjoys speaking to student groups as well. View titles by Tim Jessell

About

Grandfather's friend, Mr. Yee, has broken his arm and can't tend to his beloved vegetable plot in the community garden. The Alden children gladly offer their services to help him with his prize-winning veggies. But they soon learn something mysterious is afoot at the community garden. Vegetables go missing, and it appears someone is intentionally vandalizing the garden plots. Luckily for the local community gardeners, the Boxcar Children are on the case!

Author

Gertrude Chandler Warner grew up in Putnam, Connecticut. She wrote The Boxcar Children because she had always dreamed about what it would be like to live in a caboose or a freight car—just as the Aldens do. When readers asked for more adventures, Warner wrote more books—a total of nineteen in all. After her death, other authors have continued to write stories about Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny Alden, and today The Boxcar Children® series has more than one hundred books. View titles by Gertrude Chandler Warner
TIM JESSELL'S work has been recognized by the Society of Illustrators Annual Exhibitions, receiving the Society's Gold Medal Award. He is also the winner of AdWeek Magazine's Illustrator of the Year. His work can be seen in the bestselling series Secrets of Droon, Superhero Christmas (written by Stan Lee of Marvel Comics), and covers for the reissue of Zilpha Keatley Snyder's Newbery Honor Books. Tim has been a guest speaker to professional graphic communication groups and enjoys speaking to student groups as well. View titles by Tim Jessell
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