Magic Tree House #29: A Big Day for Baseball by Mary Pope Osborne - ESSENTIAL

Osborne, Mary Pope  Magic Tree House: A Big Day for Baseball, 75 pgs.  CHAPTER BOOK  Random House, 2017  $13.99  Content: G.  

Jack and Annie are nervous about baseball tryouts, so when they go on an adventure in the magic tree house they find themselves in the year 1947.  They are batboys during a game when Jackie Robinson is playing for the Dodgers.  They meet new friends and learn about courage.  When they return from their adventure they aren’t scared to try out for baseball because they know that it’s okay to try hard things.  

I love the Magic Tree House series for many reasons, including that it got both my boys interesting in reading.  This book has a good moral that we can try new things and the characters that Jack and Annie meet are inspirational.  There are a few illustrations throughout this quick and entertaining chapter book.  

EL (K-3) – ESSENTIAL.  Reviewer, C. Peterson.

Magic Tree House Research Guide: Snakes and Other Reptiles by Mary Pope Osbourne and Natalie Pope Boyce. Illustrated by Sal Murdocca

Osbourne, Mary Pope. Boyce, Natalie Pope. Murdocca, Sal. Magic Tree House Research Guide #23: Snakes and Other Reptiles: A Nonfiction Companion to Magic Tree House #45: A Crazy Day with Cobras (A Stepping Stone Book(TM)), 128 pages. Random House Books for Young Readers, 2011. $4.99.Language-G; Violence-G; Sexual Content-G. This book tells you really cool facts about snakes and other reptiles like how old they can grow to be, how long they can be, and how venomous they can be. It is also very interesting for people who have less knowledge about these reptiles. I really liked this book. It was easy to read and it wasn’t scary. EL- ESSENTIAL. Student Reviewer: ML- age 11.

Magic Tree House Fact Tracker: Baseball by Mary Pope Osborne and Natalie Pope Boyce - ADVISABLE

Osborne, Mary Pope and Natalie Pope Boyce  Magic Tree House Fact Tracker: Baseball, 117 pgs. CHAPTER BOOK  Random House, 2017.  $6.99  Content: G.  

This nonfiction book explains the rules of baseball including the different positions played on the field and the equipment.  The history of the sport and the ways that it has changed over time are explained as well.  Because this book is a companion book to Magic Tree House #29: A Big Day for Baseball there is a whole chapter on Jackie Robinson.  There are also shorter biographies on a couple of other influential players.  

This is a very simple and basic explanation of the game of baseball.  

The reading level is easy and if your reader likes nonfiction books, this is a great mix of history, biography and how the game works.  I read this before I read A Big Day for Baseball and thought it was great to have background information.  

EL (K-3) – ADVISABLE.  Reviewer, C. Peterson.

Mummies in the Morning (Magic Tree House #3 Full Color) by Mary Pope Osborne - ADVISABLE

Osborne, Mary Pope.  Magic Tree House #3: Mummies in the Morning, illustrated by Sal Murdoca.  77 pages.  Random House Press, 2014.  $14.99.  Content: G.  Jack and Annie do not know who the mysterious M is, but when they find a book in their tree house about Ancient Egypt they are eager to go.  They enter a pyramid and meet a ghost—Hutepi, Queen of the Nile.  She is trying to find her way to the afterlife but she can’t read the small hieroglyphs that tell her where to go.  Jack and Annie are happy to help her and of course learn a little about Egyptian burials, sarcophaguses, mummies, and more.  A few pages at the end of the book explain more about the Egyptian culture.  Magic Treehouse series is very popular and most libraries already own this title.  What makes this new edition special is that it is in full color and the pages are high quality.   Illustrator, Sal Murdoca’s pictures are even better in color and sure to appeal to beginning chapter book readers.   

EL-ADVISABLE.  Samantha Hastings, MA, MLS.

Magic Tree House #45: A Crazy Day with Cobras (A Stepping Stone Book) by Mary Pope Osborne. Sal Murdocca (Illustrator)

Osborne, Mary. Murdocca, Sal. Magic Tree House #45: A Crazy Day with Cobras (A Stepping Stone Book), 128 pgs. Random House Books for Young Readers , 2011. $12.99. Language-G; Violence-G; Sexual Content-G. Teddy and Kathleen accidentally turn their friend Penny the penguin into stone. They ask Jack and Annie to find the four things that will break the spell. In their travels, “they discover an amazing world filled with great danger.” (Inside cover). They run into a couple of incidents where they are shrunk in size and another where they turn into King Cobras. I loved this book. It was easy to read and understand. There was no violence. It was fun to read and full of adventure! EL. ESSENTIAL. Student Reviewer: ML- age 11.

Magic Tree House: Incredible Fact Book by Mary Pope Osborne and Natalie Pope Boyce - ADVISABLE

Osborne, Mary Pope and Natalie Pope Boyce  Magic Tree House: Incredible Fact Book, 130 pgs.  Illustrated by Sal Murdocca  Random House, 2016.  $16.99  Content: G.  

Jack and Annie take the reader through some of their favorite facts.  Some of the subjects include animals, the human body, space, landmarks and places.  This book is basically a large fact book similar to National Geographic’s Weird but True Fact Books.  The illustrations throughout are bright and attractive and the facts are interesting 3-5 sentence long explanations.  There are up to 2-3 facts per page.  This is a fun book for your nonfiction readers.  

EL (K-3), EL – ADVISABLE.  Reviewer, C. Peterson.   

Soccer on Sunday by Mary Osborne - ESSENTIAL

Osborne, Mary Pope Magic Tree House #52 Soccer on Sunday pgs. 115 Random House, 2014

Language: (0 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content-G; Violence: G;

As usual the Magic Tree House doesn’t disappoint.  Jack and Annie are sent to Mexico during the 1970 World Cup soccer game to discover the secret of greatness.  Merlin has sent them on another mission.  They meet a charming local boy name Roberto who is a soccer fanatic.  He shows them to the way to the stadium.  It’s Roberto’s birthday and his family has bought him a ticket to the game even though his family can’t afford for the rest of them to go. 

It proves to be an exciting adventure of friendship, soccer excitement and the key to discovering your greatness.  You expected the kids to actually be able to meet a famous soccer player and yet she weaves the story perfectly and still helps them accomplish their mission.

EL, MS - ESSENTIAL

Emilee

Dinosaurs Before Dark by Osborne - ESSENTIAL

Osborne, Mary Pope  Dinosaurs Before Dark (Magic Tree House Special Edition), 77 pgs.  Random House Children's Books, 2012. $ 15.99.  Language: G ( 0 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: G; Violence : G.  

Brother and sister pair, Jack and Annie discover a treehouse that serves as a magical time travel machine right in the woods behind their home. In this first book in the iconic series, Jack and Annie travel to prehistoric times and discover that they can have great adventures and be home in time for dinner. 

Originally written in 1992, the special edition includes updated color illustrations and bonus author's notes. Also included are dinosaur facts from the Magic Tree House Fact Tracker, a non-fiction companion to the novel.

Having made my way through the series three times now as a parent, I found this special edition a refreshing update to what has become an early reader classic. A nice feature is the MTHClassroomAdventures.org, which provides resources for teachers to better incorporate the novels into the classroom experience, encouraging students to become lifelong readers. A great tribute to a series of books that continues to inspire the imaginations of elementary early readers.

EL (K-3) - ESSENTIAL. Reviewer: Joy

Danger in the Darkest Hour (Magic Tree House Super Edition #1) by Mary Pope Osborne - ESSENTIAL

Osborne, Mary Pope.  Danger in the Darkest Hour (Magic Tree House Super Edition #1), illustrated by Sal Murdoca.  208 pages.  Random House Press, 2015.  $14.99.  Content: G.   Jack and Annie receive a carrier pigeon from their friend Teddy, an apprentice sorcerer from Camelot.  He asks for them to come help him in Glastonbury, England in one of the darkest hours of history.  When they arrive they learn that their other Camelot friend Kathleen is missing during World War II in France.  Jack and Annie parachute into France to find Kathleen and help her complete her mission.  They meet resistance fighters and come close to Nazis.  They figure out Kathleen’s riddle and are able to locate her and help her to safety.  The illustrations are two-pages wide and very serviceable.  I read an advanced reader’s copy that did not include any bonus materials, however, the final book is to include: overview of WWII, map of Europe, spies and technology in WWII, aircraft and war machines, names of the resistance and more.  This super edition is more than twice as long as many of the original series, but the plot moves quickly and the characters are just as likeable. 

EL-ESSENTIAL.  Samantha Hastings, MA, MLS.

The Magic Tree House Survival Guide by Mary Pope Osborne and Natalie Pope Boyce –ADVISABLE

Osborne, Mary Pope and Boyce, Natalie Pope The Magic Tree House Survival Guide 144 pages, Random House Books for Young Readers, 2014. $12.99
This book is a survival guide from the point of view of Annie and Jack. Each chapter starts off with a reference to a book in the series, such as in the siblings facing off against pirates, then real-life (mostly) tips are given to survive in a similar situation. Examples are stampedes, shark encounter, zero gravity, train a horse, and tiger encounter.
Students will be drawn to the real working compass on the cover of the hardcover edition (Please note: it can’t be removed without damaging the cover). It’s a great way to tie fiction to non-fiction. There are tons of bright color illustrations, notecards, photographs, and interesting fun to look at pages. For the most part the information is pretty realistic, though I don’t think a student could train a horse after reading the tips. I love the subtle way the authors broached the subject of a dinosaur attack, citing that a T-rex can eat 500 pounds in one gulp, but never stating that this amount would encompass a students entire weight. A great accompaniment to the series.
EL(K-3), EL –ADVISABLE Reviewer: Stephanie Elementary School Librarian & Author.

A Ghost Tale for Christmas Time by Mary Pope Osborne

Osborne, Mary Pope. A Ghost Tale for Christmas Time, illustrated by Sal Murdoca. 113 pgs. Random House, 2010. $12.99. Content-G. Jack and Annie are on a Merlin Mission in Magic Tree House #44. They need to help Charles Dickens get past a writer’s block. They have a magic violin to help them and a book about Victorian times. Both are dressed as boys and they have money in their pockets. They take a hackney coach to Dickens’ house, but don’t get to see him because he isn’t seeing anyone. Annie has the idea to change clothes with some chimney sweeps as a way to enter the house. As soon as they see Dickens, he leaves. They are accused of stealing by the vagrant who stole their money. Dickens saves them from arrest and tells them about his childhood. Jack plays the magic violin and Annie makes up a song that makes Dickens’ see three ghosts, similar to the ones in A Christmas Carol. Details about Victorian life and the dichotomy between the haves and the have-nots are littered throughout the story. The numerous illustrations help tell the story. Fans of the series will eagerly clamor for another tale of two children. EL – ESSENTIAL. Samantha, Public Librarian.

The One and Only Willa Bean by Cecilia Galante - ADVISABLE

Galante, Cecilia  The One and Only Willa Bean (Little Wings, book 4), 103 pages. Illustrated by Kristi Valiant. Random House, a Stepping Stone book, 2012.

Riding the cloud bus to Cupid school one day, Willa Bean meets a new girl who she tries to befriend. When she finds out that the new girl's special winged friend is an owl, just like hers, Willa isn't so sure how she feels about the girl who ruined the "onliest-ness" of her owl.

This is a cute story for readers not quite ready for some of the intermediate readers' series, like Magic Tree House or Rainbow Magic. The fantasy elements are lots of fun, and beginning readers will relate to the cupid's wish to be unique.

EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE. Reviewed by PKFoster, teacher-librarian

The Dragon in the Library by Kate Klimo - OPTIONAL

Klimo, Kate The Dragon in the Library (Dragon Keepers Book 3), 218 pgs. Random House, 2010.

Content - G

Jesse and Daisy are having a hard time putting up with a grumpy Emmy and now they have to figure out how to storm a castle too. With "The Big Book" missing and the professor taken prisoner by a witch, they have a lot on their plate. With the help of friends and each other, can they still lose?

Despite it being meant for younger kids, it was an alright book. It's also one of those books that you don't have to read all the books in a row to get what's going on. It reminded me of The Magic Tree House books. They're both about two kids, a boy and girl, and their magical adventures, with some help from adults in on the magic.

EL, MS - OPTIONAL. Reviewer: CCH

Queen Liliuokalani: Royal Prisoner (The Treasure Chest #6) by Ann Hood–OPTIONAL

Hood, Ann Queen Liliuokalani: Royal Prisoner (The Treasure Chest #6) 176 pgs. Grosset & Dunlap, 2013. $12.31.  Content: Language: G (0 swears); Mature Content: G; Violence: G.

Although the magic Treasure Chest is locked up, making time travel impossible –Maisie had previously hidden a crown from it. They decide to use it when they need a break from their divorced parents who are both seriously dating other people. The twins end up in 1800’s Hawaii where they meet the last queen and learn a valuable lesson about embracing change.

On all accounts, this should be a Librarians dream series, much like a Magic Tree House, but for a couple grades older. There are real life issues, magic, history and adventure. But this really didn't cut it for me. The relationship between the two siblings didn't feel authentic to me. The vocabulary was advanced at times, too much for elementary students. The part that was the worst for me was when the twins tell their Great-Uncle, the owner of the The Treasure Chest –whose health it directly affects, that they won’t stop trying to use it no matter what he says. This man is having to watch his partner die of old age, while the use of the Treasure Chest keeps his young. Snotty kids. 

ELEMENTARY – OPTIONAL Reviewer: Stephanie Elementary School Librarian & Author.

Rags and Riches: Kids in the Time of Charles Dickens by Mary Pope Osborne and Natalie Pope Boyce

Osborne, Mary Pope & Boyce, Natalie Pope. Rags and Riches: Kids in the Time of Charles Dickens, illustrated by Sal Murdoca. 113 pgs. Random House, 2010. $4.99. Content-G. A nonfiction companion to A Ghost Tale for Christmas Time, this book highlights the Victorian age, particularly the lives of children, and biographical information on Charles Dickens. Authors Osborne and Boyce gently, but openly deal with the grislier details of Victorian life, such as child labor, sanitation, mortality rate, etc. Illustrations and pictures from the time period highlight the facts and add to the flow of the book. Jack and Annie, from the Magic Tree House series, give short comments and explanations in the margins. A good book to transition children between facts and fiction. EL – ADVISABLE. Samantha, Public Librarian.

Piper Green and the Fairy Tree by Ellen Potter -- ADVISABLE

Potter, Ellen Piper Green and the Fairy Tree (Piper Green and the Fairy Tree #1), illustrated by Qin Leng. Knopf Books for Young Readers (Random House), August 4, 2015. Content: G.

Piper Green lives on a remote island off the coast of Maine. When her brother goes away to boarding school, all she has left of him are his earmuffs. She's determined to keep them on day and night, no matter what her parents, friends, and brand new teacher say. But when she discovers a magic tree that requires gifts in order to give favors of its own, she has a choice to make.

This is a sweet start to a new series. The unusual setting is fascinating and very fun to talk about with my five-year-old. Piper is spunky enough to have personality, but not outright bratty. The pictures are adorable and provide a nice accompaniment for the text. This makes a great read-aloud; as soon as my daughter and I finished the sequel, she wanted to go back immediately and reread both. Looking forward to the next installment in the series.

EL (K-3) -- ADVISABLE. Reviewer: Caryn

Abraham Lincoln: Pro Wrestler by Steve Sheinkin - OPTIONAL

Sheinkin, Steve Abraham Lincoln: Pro Wrestler (Time Twisters,#1), 147 pages.  Illustrated by Neil Swaab.  Roaring Brook Press (Macmillan), 2018. $14 Content: G.  

Abby and Doc are siblings that find history boring.  One day while in the library, Abraham Lincoln arrives after time traveling to warn them that if they don’t start to appreciate history, then historical figures are going to stop doing what they are supposed to.  Abby and Doc try to convince their classmates to care about history, but their classmates are more interested in the pro wrestler that is coming to their school.  When Abe Lincoln finds himself in the middle of the pro wrestling match, Abby and Doc have to convince him to return to his place in history and help the country.  

This story has a similar feel to the Magic Tree House series, but isn’t as well done.  The illustrations aren’t great and the rules for time travel aren’t well established.  The occasional true historical facts are so mixed up with the weird story line that it’s hard to decipher what are real Abe Lincoln facts and what isn’t real.  This is geared towards 2^nd-3^rd grade new readers and there is an author’s note at the end clarifying what is real and what is not.  

EL (K-3), EL – OPTIONAL.  Reviewer, C. Peterson.

Abraham Lincoln by Mary Pope Osborne - ADVISABLE

Osborne, Mary Pope Abraham Lincoln (Fact Tracker), 113 p. Scholastic, 2011.  NON-FICTION.  Created as a companion to Magic Tree House #47: Abe Lincoln at Last! This short non-fiction book is a valuable addition to almost any collection.  Now that I have read it, I want to go back and see what other subjects Osborne has covered, but this one was excellent!  I can see my reluctant middle school students using these when they are require to read non-fiction.  And maybe they will pick another one up just for fun.  EL – ESSENTIAL.  MS – ADVISABLE. Cindy, Library Teacher

Ghost Town At Sundown by Mary Pope Osborne

Osborne Pope, Mary Ghost Town At Sundown, 96 pages. $6.40. Language-G (0 swears), Sexual content -G; Violence-G. Jake and Annie are out for another adventure in their magic tree house. They need to help the girl who is stuck in the book, but they have to find the 3 m's to help this girl get out. This week their adventure is to go to New Orleans to help jazz musician Louis Armstrong keep pursuing jazz music so he doesn’t change the way his future turns out. When the kids are hiding, they find out that New Orleans is haunted. Will they be haunted for life... read more to find out. EL- ADVISABLE. Student Reviewer: MM

Amelia Earhart: Lady Lindy (The Treasure Chest #8) by Ann Hood -NO

Hood, Ann Amelia Earhart: Lady Lindy (The Treasure Chest #8) 176 pgs. Grosset & Dunlap, 2014. $6.99 Content: Language: G (0 swears); Mature Content: PG Violence: G.

Maisie and Felix use the Treasure Chest to travel back in time to the jungles of the Congo. Although they are trying to find someone, instead they find themselves in grave danger and leave their friends, the Ziff twins behind! Now the twins take off for Kansas, during the time when airplanes are first being shown off. They meet two little girls and encourage them to be brave and go for their dreams.  

Although I would love for this series to be a stand in for a more sophisticated Magic Tree house type of series, it’s a giant mess. There are a ton of characters, most of them really uninteresting. The parts about their parents love life are cringe worthy. The time travel and plot in this book made no sense. They start in the Congo, and its a really long drawn out thing referencing like 5 characters from past books. But this didn't really gel with the flight/Amelia Earhart plot. That portion of the book was also confusing and strange. This is the fourth book in this series I have read and I think I am done giving it a chance.

EL –NO Reviewer: Stephanie Elementary School Librarian & Author.