Magic Tree House: #1-4

by Mary Pope Osborne, Salvatore Murdocca (Illustrator)

Magic Tree House Boxed Set, Books 1-4: Dinosaurs Before Dark, The Knight at Dawn, Mummies in the Morning, and Pirates Past Noon

Genres: Childrens, Fantasy, Fiction, Magic, Adventure, Historical Fiction, Time Travel

80 pages, Paperback

First published July 24, 1996

About the author

Mary Pope Osborne is an American author of children's books and audiobook narrator. She is best known as the author of the Magic Tree House series, which as of 2017 sold more than 134 million copies worldwide. Both the series and Osborne have won awards, including for Osborne's charitable efforts at promoting children's literacy. One of four children, Osborne moved around in her childhood before attending the University of North Carolina. Following college, Osborne traveled before moving to New York City. She somewhat spontaneously began to write, and her first book was published in 1982. She went on to write a variety of other children's and young adult books before starting the Magic Tree House series in 1992. Osborne's sister Natalie Pope Boyce has written several compendium books to the Magic Tree House series, sometimes with Osborne's husband Will Osborne.

Reviews

[Nikki Sojkowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

So this will we a review of every Magic Tree House book EVER. I LOVED this series growing up. My life practically revolved around going to the library to get the next book! I stopped reading after #34 where they were coming out new and I had to wait forever for the library to get them and i was growing up and reading new things. I slowly forgot about this beloved series and was on to bigger and better things (Magic Tree house wasn't exactly a challenging read for any 5th-9th grader lol but the other day i tripped over a box in my basement. What was in the box? My old magic tree house books! I had the box set 1-4 and a couple other random numbers thrown in there.

I can't really remember what it was that had me so captivated by the books but I think it was because Jack and Annie were so different. Jack stuck to facts, was a total nerd, and needed to loosen up and have some fun. Annie needed to grow up a bit, she was funny, a tiny bit annoying and rushed into things sometimes, but the brother and sister pair balanced each other out. The books were cute, hilarious, factual, and made learning easy. Definitely something everyone should read in their childhood!!

[Maya Orama · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was about this boy nam e jack and this girl. Name Annie and then jack and Annie was waking in the forest And Then Annie said look a tree hose and then jack clim up to and then jack saw a thrall Tavares and then and then Annie Clim up the magic tree hose and then Annie was going on the tragic and then jack pick up a timer and then jack. ow Saw iota of diner savers and then jack ran because Annie all mossy fell Downey and then jack saw a diner core and Then jack Was around the tree and then jack was safe home.

[Whitney Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

My 5yo needs a lot of time to calm down at bedtime so I bought this for my kindle and I’ve been reading aloud to her- we both love hearing about Jack and Annie’s adventures and this book series came highly recommended to me from many other parents!

[Margie West · Rating 4 out of 5]

my daughter was about four and a half when we started dinosaurs before dark. she is now five, and we made our way through these first four magic tree house books. the writing is simple enough for my three year old to sit down and listen to - for a short period of time.

at times the stories get a bit "scary" for my daughter, so we will take some time away, and go back and finish the scary bits when she's ready. which is excellent, because it helps her tap into her emotions on another level. AND also understanding it's okay to set something down if it feels too heavy.

[Marybeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

These books introduce a variety of historical time periods in creative, clever ways. The endearing main characters speak to both adventurous and studious types! Jack demonstrates the love of books that allows him to solve problems while his sister Annie epitomizes the somewhat reckless but always curious sidekick that gets the two of them into their adventures.

I could see using these books before, during or after a study of dinosaurs, medieval times, ancient Egypt or piracy. Although the stories are engaging enough on their own, some background knowledge about the time period would allow students to make strong academic connections. The books also offer resources to complement each book.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Grace (6) likes some of these books, but Lily (4) loves them. She has already read 4 and is currently reading another one. She can't get enough. Of course, she can't read them by herself yet, but even with just a few pictures she has loved having these books read to her at night. She begs for more chapters. I gave it 3 out of 5 stars because it's not that well written and all the books pretty much follow the exact same formula. The only thing that changes is the location. Good for kids, but kind of boring for parents.

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'd probably give these 4 stars, but my reluctant reader LOVES them. These are the first chapter books that he has been excited about. A brother and sister stick together through all kinds of adventures and learn about different times and places (dinosaurs, mummies, the amazon, egypt, etc.). It takes us two 25-30 minute readings to finish a book together. There is usually a picture in each chapter, which is kind of fun too.

[Judy Fisher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read these books to my kids when they were little (a long time ago). Kept going as they learned to read and would then read them to me. I always enjoyed the stories as much as my boys did.

[Renee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh... my 7yo daughter said she liked this but I found them very basic and predictable.

[Nehemiah Jacques · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think book number 1 and 2 were pretty good.Number 3 and 4 were ok.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

These books are a great read for the blooming reader. They are full of evens in time from a historical fiction point of view. In the first book the reader are placed in Frog Creek Pennsylvania with two young children who find a tree house that transports them into a place in that are in the books. These books are engaging and detailed for the young child. They mix excitement and love of learning through the adventures of Jack and Anne.

[Tasha W · Rating 5 out of 5]

Following along the adventures of the Magic Tree House series is a fun and thrilling box set. It t is full of surprises for young chapter book readers. As main characters jack and Annie discover a magic tree house in their back yard, the reader learns that they are part of the series as a friend.
A total of twenty-eight books are imaginative themes are exciting and captivating because of the page turning adventures

[Charly Troff (JustaReadingMama) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know how many times my kids will want to relisten to these, but every time I listen with them, I remember how well done are (for chapter books aimed at young kids).

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simple but fun.

[Marvelous · Rating 5 out of 5]

*making this review on behalf of the whole series: MY!! CHILDHOOD!!! 2008 me was absolutely thriving with this level of literature

[Diane Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

My kids and I listened to these while traveling. It was good, light listening.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reread these in a fit of peak nostalgia and I very much enjoyed them. They go a lot faster as an adult than they did as a kid :)

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

We got this series based on a friend's recommendation and it was spot on. My son DOES love it, but I don't. It's trite and the writing isn't particularly good. I love the concept and theme, but the application just isn't a winner for me. The issues:
--Grammar and syntax aren't up to snuff. I know they are books for kids, but still.
--The kids never change. We're already 10 books in and by book 2 we know that Annie is impulsive and Jack is thoughtful. When Annie's choices get them in trouble, nothing is learned. She's just as rash the next time. And Jack says wait, let's think about this... but never does.
--Jack takes a bunch of notes about really mundane facts. Why can't he take notes about something useful to develop that researcher/scientist angle?
--Morgan le Fay is from Camelot but speaks as if she is from the 21st century.
--Everyone (even the Japanese and Innuit) speak English.
--It seems like Osborne tries to add a lot of drama to areas that don't need them ("Then everything was still. Absolutely still." Really? Again? Got it, it's still.) and then sort of speeds over areas that may actually be dramatic (like sharks and thin ice, etc).

In summary, it's not literature. Everything is glossed over: character development, sentence structure, climax building, plot intrigue, thought-provoking situations... It's no Roald Dahl or CS Lewis or JK Rowling or...

But it is for him, aged 6 1/2, and that's why we got them. He doesn't pick up on any of these annoyances. Unfortunately, we're reading them to him, so we have to make it through all 40-something, repetitive stories. Then we can get back to the good stuff.

[JenBsBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

My youngest (1st grade) is showing an interest in reading. This series always gets good reviews as a good "chapter" book starter. My older kids have read a few of them here and there but they never totally clicked (nothing much clicks with my boys). But #5 seems to be liking this reading stuff (yea!). We read the first three books together, then we decided he could read them on his own. He's basically been reading a book a day. I will usually still grab the book and quickly read it myself (it takes 10-15 minutes, and I find I actually don't mind reading these little stories) and then we "discuss" them (I do want to make sure he understands and can remember what he read. Comprehension has always been a problem with my boys).

These are great little books for kids. Every one has 10 chapters. They build on each other (which also introduces youngsters to the idea of a book series ... #5 has been reading these out of order which drives me CrAZy). Each book introduces the reader to a different time or location. Mostly easy words, although every book has a few challenges (they are almost always given pronunciation and explanations as part of the story though) so they are good learning tools as well as interesting reads.

I won't be putting all the Magic Tree House books I'm reading here *Ü*, but DID want to mention I have been reading them myself, along with my 1st grader.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this one to the kids at bedtime. They thoroughly enjoyed it and frequently asked me to read it to them. I can't say for sure how many nights it took, but probably a couple nights per story, and there are four stories in this collection. The book is intermixed with nice little illustrations which the kids also enjoyed. On that note, my kids are ages 6, 4, and 2 and they all seemed to like it equally. The protagonists are a boy and a girl, so I wouldn't say that the book is geared toward either gender.
The one thing I didn't care for was some of the writing. It was filled with one word sentences, fragments, and other poor grammar. If it was a child reading it, I think it would give the wrong impression of proper writing, for one that is learning the proper methods. This wasn't an issue necessarily in my case, since I was reading them aloud to the kids.
I mostly put three stars because the kids like them, but dropped some because of the writing, but then also dropped a star because they wouldn't really be for me.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved reading this series when I was growing up. This series was actually what got me to be the avid reader that I am today. I stopped reading the series avter Christmas in Camelot since I started getting interested in expanding my library. Today I had a hard time deciding what to read and then remembered the series. When I found out that Mrs. Osbourne has written over 40 books for this series I decided I would read the series again and keep reading it until the day she finishes it. Even though I'm almost 21 years old I still love this series and itbrings back a lot of my childhood memories :)

[Kimberly Gill · Rating 4 out of 5]

These books are about Jack and Annie, a brother and sister that discover a magical tree house that is filled with books. The first book, Dinosaur Before Dark, brings Jack and Annie to prehistoric times. In each book, the characters go through a magical journal to different places around the world.
The MGH books are great for early chapter book readers. They are interesting and engaging for this age group. For more advanced readers, the Merlin Missions are MGH books but are longer. These books are perfect for when students are looking for bigger books.

[Bri · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book swept me away to this other wonderful world. The setting was brilliantly set. I could totally see it in my mind. But the characters were definitely my favorite part. They are all so colorful, interesting, exciting, and hilarious. The main character is just perfect. The plot moved fast enough that I couldn't stop reading lest I miss something, but the author still took the time to flesh out the details. The details are what really make or break a story.

[Ak]

I read this such a long time ago! I honestly really liked these books when I was younger. I think these books sort of made me the person I am today. It really got me into fantasy and magic. Ummm, overall, they were cute books that hold lots of information!!

[Intrepid47 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I personally did not like this series as a 12 year old, but I remember in about 1st grade, I was obsessed with all of the non stop action and drama. I loved all of the magical tree and house and wizard stuff too. Yet, as I said, that was 1st grade.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

These are our first chapter books. Kids Jack and Annie discover a magic treehouse that is a portal to other times and places. It's a nice mix of fantasy, science,and history. Plots are engaging for 6 year old

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

My 3 year old is loving these as his first read aloud chapter books. He loves adventure and the story is engaging without being too wordy. I'm sure he will love reading these himself when he is older.

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

My 7-year old twin daughters are very much into this series and so we've begun reading them together. I love them as much as they do... the concept of "traveling" into the world of each books is so fantastic. They inspire imagination and fantasy!

[Alissa Faust · Rating 4 out of 5]

My kids really like this series. I like that they are learning something about history or science while they are reading these too.

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Love this series! To me, it is historical-fiction for kids. Love it! My kids love it! Word of warning, you really need to read them in order to appreciate them.