Magic Tree House

 
 
In the first Magic Tree House book Jack and Annie discover a magic tree house full of books near their home in Frog Creek, Pennsylvania.  As they read one of the books they are magically transformed to another time, thus allowing Osborne to teach children history through Jack and Annie’s adventures.
 
Osborne was a published author for 10 years before the first Magic Tree House book, Dinosaurs Before Dark, was published.  When it was suggested she write a series she spent a year thinking up her idea, and when she was done her idea was solid.  Her stories are directed toward young audiences, easy to read, and often contain cliff hangers to keep readers captivated and wanting more.  Parents and educators love that these books are educational and historical.  The adventures are what draw children to these beginning chapter books, and they often learn of history and folklore along the way.  In fact, nonfiction research guides have been printed to go along with the Tree House books to complete the library. 
 
There are currently over 48 Magic Tree House books!  Broken up into two series, the first series is full of adventure as we join Jack and Annie as they try to free Morgan from a spell, become master librarians, and save four ancient stories.  After the first series (and its incredible success) Mary Pope Osborne started a second series of adventures with Jack and Annie, this time we go with them on quests given to them by Merlin the wizard.  Young audiences have come to love Jack and Annie and their adventures. 
 
Mary Pope Osborne has taken young readers on adventures to the Middle Ages, Ancient Egypt, Dinosaur times, the ice age, the North Pole, Ireland, and many, many more.  New books in the series continue to come out and so children vested in the series never have a shortage of books to read!