I really liked this story. They meet some people who, to everyone's surprise, don't want to be friends. Benny, unsurprisingly, is going to try to make friends with them anyway. The Alden children aren't perfect anymore. Benny was rude (he called the neighbor children dumb), but he did admit he was wrong about them. This story focused mostly on Benny and a little on Violet. Henry and Jessie were away doing stuff for about half the book. The Beaches learn the importance of family and spending time with each other in this story.
*** WARNING: This review contains spoilers!!! ***I really enjoyed this one! There was so much that I liked about this book. I liked the introduction of Jeffrey and Sammy Beach, and I liked that they - like Mike - were different from the Alden children, yet they still all got along. As a parent who likes to see positive role models in books, I liked how the Alden children kept reminding the Beach boys that they should ask for their parents' permission before doing new things. :P I also liked that
What do You think about Tree House Mystery (1990)?
Might be my favorite Boxcar Children book. The idea of the abandoned, papered-off secret room was so delicious to me.
—Heather