Magic Tree House facts for kids
| Author | Mary Pope Osborne |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Salvatore Murdocca (US) Ayana Amako (Japan) |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's historical fantasy |
| Publisher | Random House (US) Media Factory (Japan) |
The Magic Tree House is a super popular series of children's books written by American author Mary Pope Osborne. The first books in the US were illustrated by Salvatore Murdocca. Later, AG Ford took over. Different artists have illustrated the books in other languages.
The series is split into two main parts. The first part (books 1–28) follows two siblings, Jack and Annie Smith, from a small town called Frog Creek, Pennsylvania. They go on amazing adventures and missions thanks to a magical tree house, sent by a magical person named Morgan le Fay.
The second part, called Magic Tree House: Merlin Missions, starts with book 29, Christmas in Camelot. In these books, Jack and Annie get their quests from the ancient wizard Merlin. These stories are a bit longer than the first ones. Some even take place in fantasy worlds like Camelot. Jack and Annie also become friends with two young magic apprentices, Kathleen and Teddy. They sometimes join the adventures or help from afar.
Mary Pope Osborne keeps writing new books in the series. For example, "#36 Sunlight on the Snow Leopard" came out in 2022. Also, the first four books have been turned into cool graphic novels!
Contents
The Magic Tree House Books
What are the Magic Tree House Books?
The Magic Tree House series takes readers on exciting journeys through time and to different places. It combines history, adventure, and fantasy, making learning fun. The books are known for their quick pace and how they teach about different cultures and historical events.
Meet Jack and Annie
Jack and Annie are the main characters in the series. They are a brother and sister who discover a magical tree house filled with books. When they point to a picture in a book and wish to go there, the tree house spins and takes them to that time and place!
The Amazing Adventures
The First Adventures
In the first 28 books, Morgan le Fay, a magical librarian from King Arthur's time, sends Jack and Annie on missions. They travel to many different times and places, from the age of dinosaurs to ancient Egypt and even the moon! They often have to solve riddles or find special objects to help Morgan.
Merlin's Missions
Starting with book 29, the adventures become known as Merlin Missions. Now, the powerful wizard Merlin sends Jack and Annie on more challenging quests. These missions often involve helping magical creatures or saving important places like Camelot. They also learn more about magic and meet new friends like Teddy and Kathleen.
Super Editions
There are also special "Super Editions" which are longer and have bigger adventures. The first one, Danger in the Darkest Hour, sends Jack and Annie to World War II to rescue Kathleen. These books often challenge Jack and Annie to use their own skills, not just magic.
Fact Trackers
Alongside the adventure books, there are "Fact Trackers." These non-fiction books give you more detailed information about the places, animals, and historical events that Jack and Annie visit. They are a great way to learn even more about the topics in the stories!
Main Characters You'll Meet
Jack: The Smart Planner
Jack is Annie's older brother. He has short brown hair and wears round glasses. Jack is usually more careful and likes to plan things. He always carries a notebook to write down facts and observations about their adventures. He loves to read and learn as much as he can. Jack is very smart and brave, even if he's a bit shy at first. He often surprises himself with what he can do when he needs to help others.
Annie: The Brave Explorer
Annie is Jack's younger sister. She has blonde hair in pigtails and blue eyes. Annie is very outgoing and loves magic. She is often the first to jump into a new adventure, sometimes without thinking things through! Annie is very kind, especially to animals, and can often talk to them. Her belief in magic is very strong, which helps them on their journeys.
Morgan le Fay: The Magical Librarian
Morgan le Fay is a powerful witch and the Time Librarian. She is also King Arthur's sister. At first, she appears in different forms, but later she becomes Jack and Annie's mentor. She gives them riddles and quests, guiding them on their path to becoming Master Librarians of Time.
Teddy: The Friendly Magician
Teddy is a young sorcerer and an apprentice to Morgan. Jack and Annie first meet him when he's under a spell, turned into a dog! They help free him, and he becomes a loyal friend. Teddy is kind-hearted but sometimes a bit overconfident with his magic, which can lead to funny situations. He often needs Kathleen's help to get his spells just right.
Kathleen: The Selkie Friend
Kathleen is one of Morgan's apprentices and a special being called a selkie. This means she can turn into a seal! She has long black hair and blue eyes. Kathleen is very friendly and playful. She is also very good at magic spells. Kathleen is caring and brave, always ready to help Jack and Annie on their missions.
Fiction books
| # | Title | Published | Type | Short Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dinosaurs Before Dark | July 28, 1992 | In the mystery of the Tree house #1 | Jack and Annie find the tree house and travel to the time of dinosaurs, meeting a Pteranodon and a T-rex. |
| 2 | The Knight at Dawn | February 16, 1993 | In the mystery of the Tree house #2 | They visit a castle in England during the Middle Ages and meet a brave knight. |
| 3 | Mummies in the Morning | August 24, 1993 | In the mystery of the Tree house #3 | In Ancient Egypt, Jack and Annie help Queen Hutepi find her missing Book of the Dead. |
| 4 | Pirates Past Noon | March 8, 1994 | In the mystery of the Tree house #4 | Jack and Annie meet pirates in the Caribbean Sea and discover that Morgan le Fay is the mysterious "M". |
| 5 | Night of the Ninjas | March 21, 1995 | In the mystery of the Magic spell #1 | To help Morgan le Fay who is under a spell, Jack and Annie travel to ancient Japan and meet ninjas. |
| 6 | Afternoon on the Amazon | August 29, 1995 | In the mystery of the Magic spell #2 | They search the Amazon rainforest for a magical object to help Morgan. |
| 7 | Sunset of the Sabertooth | April 14, 1996 | In the mystery of the Magic spell #3 | In the Ice Age, Jack and Annie look for a mammoth bone flute to help Morgan. |
| 8 | Midnight on the Moon | October 29, 1996 | In the mystery of the Magic spell #4 | Jack and Annie travel to the moon in the future to find the last object for Morgan le Fay. |
| 9 | Dolphins at Daybreak | April 29, 1997 | In the mystery of the Ancient riddles #1 | They explore the Pacific Ocean and meet bottlenose dolphins. |
| 10 | Ghost Town at Sundown | September 16, 1997 | In the mystery of the Ancient riddles #2 | Set in the American Wild West, where Jack and Annie meet a cowboy. |
| 11 | Lions at Lunchtime | February 12, 1998 | In the mystery of the Ancient riddles #3 | Jack and Annie go on a mission on the African Savannah. |
| 12 | Polar Bears Past Bedtime | April 24, 1998 | In the mystery of the Ancient riddles #4 | Set in the North Pole, Jack and Annie meet an Inuit person. |
| 13 | Vacation Under The Volcano | June 20, 1998 | In the mystery of the Lost stories #1 | Jack and Annie travel to Pompeii just before the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. |
| 14 | Day of the Dragon King | August 11, 1998 | In the mystery of the Lost stories #2 | Jack and Annie travel to ancient China and meet the Dragon King, also known as Emperor Qin. |
| 15 | Viking Ships at Sunrise | October 20, 1998 | In the mystery of the Lost stories #3 | In medieval Ireland, Jack and Annie encounter Vikings. |
| 16 | Hour of the Olympics | December 17, 1998 | In the mystery of the Lost stories #4 | Jack and Annie travel to Ancient Greece and see the first Olympic Games. |
| 17 | Tonight on the Titanic | March 23, 1999 | In the mystery of the Enchanted dog arc #1 | Jack and Annie are on the RMS Titanic during its famous voyage. They meet a dog named Teddy. |
| 18 | Buffalo Before Breakfast | May 18, 1999 | In the mystery of the Enchanted dog arc #2 | In the American Old West, Jack and Annie meet a Lakota boy on the Great Plains. |
| 19 | Tigers at Twilight | August 17, 1999 | In the mystery of the Enchanted dog arc #3 | Jack and Annie explore the Indian jungles of the past. |
| 20 | Dingoes at Dinnertime | March 14, 2000 | In the mystery of the Enchanted dog arc #4 | Set in ancient Australia. They get the final gift to free the dog, Teddy, who turns out to be a young magician. |
| 21 | Civil War on Sunday | May 23, 2000 | In the Morgan's library arc #1 | In the American Civil War, Jack and Annie encounter Clara Barton. |
| 22 | Revolutionary War on Wednesday | September 26, 2000 | In the Morgan's library arc #2 | Jack and Annie cross the Delaware River with George Washington. |
| 23 | Twister on Tuesday | March 27, 2001 | In the Morgan's library arc #3 | In the 1870s, Jack and Annie save people from a tornado on the Midwestern prairie. |
| 24 | Earthquake in the Early Morning | August 24, 2001 | In the Morgan's library arc #4 | In 1906, Jack and Annie experience the San Francisco earthquake. |
| 25 | Stage Fright on a Summer Night | March 12, 2002 | In the Type of magic arc #1 | In Elizabethan England, Jack and Annie meet William Shakespeare. |
| 26 | Good Morning Gorillas | August 23, 2002 | In the Type of magic arc #2 | In the Congo rain forest, Jack and Annie encounter gorillas. |
| 27 | Thanksgiving on Thursday | October 24, 2002 | In the Type of magic arc #3 | In Plymouth in 1621, Jack and Annie share the first Thanksgiving with the Pilgrims. |
| 28 | High Tide in Hawaii | March 25, 2003 | In the Type of magic arc #4 | Jack and Annie travel to the Hawaii of the past and almost get caught in a tsunami. |
| 29 | Christmas in Camelot | October 10, 2001 | In the Quest to save Camelot arc #1 | Jack and Annie go on a quest for Merlin to save Camelot and meet the Knights of the Round Table. |
| 30 | Haunted Castle on Hallow's Eve | June 18, 2003 | In the Quest to save Camelot arc #2 | Jack, Annie, and Teddy must restore order to a castle for Merlin. They also start to use their own magic. |
| 31 | Summer of the Sea Serpent | March 9, 2004 | In the Quest to save Camelot arc #3 | Jack and Annie must find the Sword of Light for Merlin. They meet Kathleen, who becomes a new friend. |
| 32 | Winter of the Ice Wizard | September 28, 2004 | In the Quest to save Camelot arc #4 | Jack and Annie go on a mission for the Ice Wizard to free Merlin and Morgan. |
| 33 | Carnival at Candlelight | March 8, 2005 | In the Using magic wisely arc #1 | Jack and Annie must save Venice, Italy, from a flood. This is part of a series where they prove they can use magic wisely. |
| 34 | Season of the Sandstorms | June 26, 2005 | In the Using magic wisely arc #2 | Jack and Annie help the caliph of ancient Baghdad spread wisdom. |
| 35 | Night of the New Magicians | March 14, 2006 | In the Using magic wisely arc #3 | Jack and Annie travel to the Paris Exposition of 1889 to meet famous inventors like Thomas Edison. |
| 36 | Blizzard of the Blue Moon | September 26, 2006 | In the Using magic wisely arc #4 | Jack and Annie travel to New York City during the Great Depression to help a unicorn. They gain the power to use a magic wand. |
| 37 | Dragon of the Red Dawn | February 27, 2007 | In the Happiness arc #1 | Jack and Annie travel to feudal Japan to find the first secret of happiness for Merlin. They meet poet Matsuo Basho. |
| 38 | Monday with a Mad Genius | August 28, 2007 | In the Happiness arc #2 | Jack and Annie travel to Florence, Italy, to help Leonardo da Vinci and find another secret of happiness. |
| 39 | Dark Day in the Deep Sea | March 25, 2008 | In the Happiness arc #3 | Jack and Annie are rescued by scientists on the HMS Challenger (1858) in the Atlantic Ocean while looking for a secret of happiness. |
| 40 | Eve of the Emperor Penguin | September 23, 2008 | In the Happiness arc #4 | Jack and Annie go to Antarctica to find their last secret of happiness, with help from penguins. |
| 41 | Moonlight on the Magic Flute | March 10, 2009 | In the Inspiring arc #1 | Jack and Annie go to 18th-century Austria to help the musician Mozart. |
| 42 | A Good Night for Ghosts | July 28, 2009 | In the Inspiring arc #2 | In New Orleans, Jack and Annie encounter ghosts and meet a young Louis Armstrong, learning about jazz. |
| 43 | Leprechaun in Late Winter | January 12, 2010 | In the Inspiring arc #3 | The kids meet a leprechaun girl in Ireland who grows up to be Lady Gregory, a famous storyteller. |
| 44 | A Ghost Tale for Christmas Time | September 14, 2010 | In the Inspiring arc #4 | The kids travel to Victorian England to help the famous author Charles Dickens. |
| 45 | A Crazy Day with Cobras | January 11, 2011 | In the Penny's spell arc #1 | To break a spell on Merlin's penguin, Penny, Jack and Annie travel to an Indian desert and meet the Great Mogul. |
| 46 | Dogs in the Dead of Night | August 9, 2011 | In the Penny's spell arc #2 | Jack and Annie travel to the Swiss Alps to find another magical object to break Penny's spell. |
| 47 | Abe Lincoln At Last! | December 27, 2011 | In the Penny's spell arc #3 | Jack and Annie travel to the time of the Civil War to help a friend of Abe Lincoln and find a gift for Penny's spell. |
| 48 | A Perfect Time For Pandas | July 24, 2012 | In the Penny's spell arc #4 | Jack and Annie visit China during the Great Sichuan Earthquake of 2008. |
| 49 | Stallion by Starlight | March 26, 2013 | In the Greatness arc #1 | Jack and Annie go back to Ancient Macedonia and have an adventure with young Alexander the Great and his horse, Bucephalus. |
| 50 | Hurry Up Houdini! | August 23, 2013 | In the Greatness arc #2 | Jack and Annie meet the famous magician Harry Houdini. |
| 51 | High Time for Heroes | January 7, 2014 | In the Greatness arc #3 | Jack and Annie meet Florence Nightingale in Egypt. |
| 52 | Soccer on Sunday | May 27, 2014 | In the Greatness arc #4 | Jack and Annie travel to a soccer field in Mexico. |
| 53 | Shadow of the Shark | June 23, 2015 | Jack and Annie accidentally travel back to ancient Mayan times and encounter sharks and Mayan warriors. | |
| 54 | Balto of the Blue Dawn | January 5, 2016 | Jack and Annie meet Balto, a famous Siberian husky, in Alaska, 1925. | |
| 55 | Night of the Ninth Dragon | July 26, 2016 | This adventure involves Dragons and other mythical creatures. |
Non-fiction books
The Magic Tree House Fact Trackers are non-fiction books that go along with the fiction stories. They are written by Mary Pope Osborne, Will Osborne, and Natalie Pope Boyce. These books give you more detailed information about the topics Jack and Annie explore in their adventures.
| No. | Title | Companion To: | Date Published: |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dinosaurs | Magic Tree House #1: Dinosaurs Before Dark | August 1, 2000 |
| 2 | Knights and Castles | Magic Tree House #2: The Knight at Dawn | August 1, 2000 |
| 3 | Mummies and Pyramids | Magic Tree House #3: Mummies in the Morning | February 27, 2001 |
| 4 | Pirates | Magic Tree House #4: Pirates Past Noon | May 22, 2001 |
| 5 | Rain Forests | Magic Tree House #6: Afternoon on the Amazon | September 25, 2001 |
| 6 | Space | Magic Tree House #8: Midnight on the Moon | February 26, 2002 |
| 7 | Titanic | Magic Tree House #17: Tonight on the Titanic | August 27, 2002 |
| 8 | Twisters and Other Terrible Storms | Magic Tree House #23: Twister on Tuesday | February 5, 2003 |
| 9 | Dolphins and Sharks | Magic Tree House #9: Dolphins at Daybreak | June 4, 2003 |
| 10 | Ancient Greece and the Olympics | Magic Tree House #16: Hour of the Olympics | June 1, 2004 |
| 11 | American Revolution | Magic Tree House #22: Revolutionary War on Wednesday | September 14, 2004 |
| 12 | Sabertooths and the Ice Age | Magic Tree House #7: Sunset of the Sabertooth | February 1, 2005 |
| 13 | Pilgrims | Magic Tree House #27: Thanksgiving on Thursday | September 1, 2005 |
| 14 | Ancient Rome and Pompeii | Magic Tree House #13: Vacation Under a Volcano | April 25, 2006 |
| 15 | Tsunamis and Other Natural Disasters | Magic Tree House #28: High Tide in Hawaii | February 27, 2007 |
| 16 | Polar Bears and the Arctic | Magic Tree House #12: Polar Bears Past Bedtime | September 25, 2007 |
| 17 | Sea Monsters | Magic Tree House #39: Dark Day in the Deep Sea | March 25, 2008 |
| 18 | Penguins and Antarctica | Magic Tree House #40: Eve of the Emperor Penguin | September 23, 2008 |
| 19 | Leonardo da Vinci | Magic Tree House #38: Monday with a Mad Genius | January 13, 2009 |
| 20 | Ghosts | Magic Tree House #42: A Good Night for Ghosts | July 28, 2009 |
| 21 | Leprechauns and Irish Folklore | Magic Tree House #43: Leprechaun in Late Winter | January 12, 2010 |
| 22 | Rags and Riches: Kids in the Time of Charles Dickens | Magic Tree House #44: A Ghost Tale for Christmas Time | September 14, 2010 |
| 23 | Snakes and Other Reptiles | Magic Tree House #45: A Crazy Day with Cobras | January 11, 2011 |
| 24 | Dog Heroes | Magic Tree House #46: Dogs in the Dead of Night | August 9, 2011 |
| 25 | Abraham Lincoln | Magic Tree House #47: Abe Lincoln At Last | December 27, 2011 |
| 26 | Pandas and Other Endangered Species | Magic Tree House #48: A Perfect Time For Pandas | July 24, 2012 |
| 27 | Horse Heroes | Magic Tree House #49: Stallion by Starlight | March 26, 2013 |
| 28 | Heroes for All Times | Magic Tree House #51: High Time for Heroes | January 7, 2014 |
| 29 | Soccer | Magic Tree House #52: Soccer on Sunday | May 27, 2014 |
| 30 | Ninjas and Samurai | Magic Tree House #5: Night of the Ninjas | September 23, 2014 |
| 31 | China: Land of the Emperor's Great Wall | Magic Tree House #14: Day of the Dragon King | December 23, 2014 |
| 32 | Sharks and Other Predators | Magic Tree House #53: Shadow of the Shark | June 23, 2015 |
| 33 | Vikings | Magic Tree House #15: Viking Ships at Sunrise | September 22, 2015 |
| 34 | Dogsledding and Extreme Sports | Magic Tree House #54: Balto of the Blue Dawn | January 5, 2016 |
| 35 | Dragons and Mythical Creatures | Magic Tree House #55: Night of the Ninth Dragon | July 26, 2016 |
Movies Based on the Books
An animated film called Magic Tree House was made in Japan. It came out in October 2011 and was widely released on January 7, 2012.
In 2016, it was announced that Lionsgate would be making a live-action movie based on the 29th book, "Christmas in Camelot."
