How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
She took the string out of the laundry bag and tied one end of it to a tree. The other end of the string she tied to the boxcar. This made a good clothesline. (4.61)
Jessie basically outfits an entire household out of a laundry bag, two clean towels, and a load of junk from their neighborhood dump. You go, girl.
Quote #2
All Jessie saw were two pieces of wood nailed to the closed door of the car. But she knew at once what was in Violet's mind. She ran to get the board they had carried from the dump and laid it carefully across the two pieces of wood. It made a fine shelf for the dishes. (5.48)
The Boxcar Children could probably build a bomb out of clothespins and used chewing gum. Here, Jessie sees some random nails and is like, "Obviously, that's a shelf." Obviously.
Quote #3
"Where did you get the dishes?" he cried, when he saw the shelf.
"We went exploring," said Violet, "and found a big dump." (5.58-5.59)
Henry is super impressed (and not at all alarmed) by the garbage dishes. He recognizes true resourcefulness when he sees it, and he appreciates it, too.
Quote #4
Henry was hot and sticky as he looked at the waterfall.
"Maybe we could make a swimming pool," he said. "We could build a dam out of logs." (6.42-6.43)
Engineering a dam is no joke, but when Henry wants a swimming pool, Henry gets a swimming pool. Again, we find ourselves hoping the Boxcar Children will stop by our house.…
Quote #5
"You can have my wheels," said Benny.
"Good!" replied Henry. "I'll make you a little cart with the wheels, Benny, and you can carry stones in it." (6.48-6.49)
If we saw four wheels in the garbage, we would probably just think of them as garbage. But Benny and Henry have a vision: They'll turn those junk wheels into a cart. Bravo, boys.
Quote #6
The fireplace was a very good one. The children and Watch had made a hole at the foot of a big rock between two trees. Flat stones were laid on the floor of this hole and around the sides. More big stones were put up to keep out the wind. (7.34)
Did everyone know how to build fireplaces in the old days or is this just another of the Boxcar Children's superpowers? Unclear. Either way, though, nice work, kids.
Quote #7
"A ladle, of all things!" cried Henry. "Where did you get it?"
"I found a tin cup in the dump," said Jessie. "We used a long stick for a handle and tied it to the cup with a piece of wire. It makes a fine ladle." (7.68-7.69)
Mama always said that a ladle made out of trash makes soup taste better. Just kidding. Please don't put trash in your soup. Or, not without cleaning it really well first.
Quote #8
"We'll have to put lots of logs on, with brush between them," said Henry. "We'll put on so many that the water can't get through." (8.21)
When Henry's first attempt at a dam doesn't work, he's not discouraged. He keeps at it until he's built the swimming pool of his dreams.
Quote #9
When everything was ready, Jessie rang the dinner bell. This bell was only a tin can from the dump. Jessie had hung it on a tree with a string, and she rang it with a spoon. (8.29)
Tin cans are clearly an all-purpose item in the Alden household. The best part is that when Jessie rings it, Benny automatically knows it's supposed to be a dinner bell. It's like a shared hallucination.
Quote #10
"We could make a book," said Violet. "We have all the papers left from bundles."
"So we could," replied Jessie.
"But what could we use to make the words?"
"We could use a burned stick out of the fire," said Violet. (10.67-10.70)
Jessie and Henry aren't the only inventive ones. Here, Violet creates a writing utensil out of a charred stick.