If you’re like me, it’s not always easy finding books kids will love to read. Harder still is finding books we parents enjoy reading to them night after night, day after day. My wife, ever mindful of our children’s development, was on the hunt for new reading material for them. She heard about Magic Tree House Books, by Mary Pope Osborne. Our friends loved them so we took a chance and bought the 28-book set (now 38-books in the series). We’re glad we did.

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*Scroll to the bottom if you’re only looking for the book series list titles to see how many books are in the Magic Tree House set or some frequent questions people ask about Magic Tree House books*

In and Out of a Reading Slump

We were in a reading slump. Our children’s book collection, though impressive and filled with fun favorites and classics in my biased opinion, was getting stale. In the midst of COVID-19 closures, libraries still barred us weary souls from finding fresh material.

Our 6 year old, nearly 4 year old, and 1 year old love books. They love books almost as much as they love electronics and video games. With schools closed and my wife powering through home schooling sessions, it was clear something had to be done to increase not only the quantity of book reading in the home, but also the joy of reading. The current stock wasn’t cutting it.

Rewind a couple weeks, we bought the 28-book set (now 38-books in the series) of Magic Tree House Books by Mary Pope Osborne. The worst that could happen is we bought new books at new book prices our oldest wouldn’t care for. Maybe the younger two would enjoy them later. The best we could hope for is a fresh renewal for fun bedtime stories or a few minutes of additional peace and quiet during the day.

Dinosaurs Before Dark – Book #1

We cracked open Book #1, Dinosaurs Before Dark, and the older boys were hooked! I don’t just mean they placated our desire to make our money well spent. They were magically bound, hanging on every page to know what happened next with inquisitive brother Jack and adventurous sister Annie. Dinosaurs Before Dark was exciting. It is a portal type book in which the main characters teleport from their quaint home in Fog Creek Woods, Pennsylvania to a different land and time. There is adventure, wonder, learning, and magic.

Each book, (we were on Book #10 – Ghost Town at Sundown when writing this but have since finished them all), takes Jack and Annie from home to a magical adventure and back again. While each contains some frightful moments or high-stake risks, they are subtle enough for young kids to enjoy. The moments of panic are often short and subdued enough to keep attention spans focused without dragging on unnecessarily.

As an Evangelical Christian, there have been situations that left me feeling uncomfortable. While some Christians are very opposed to books about magic (sorcery, spells, etc.), I’m not particularly one of those. I am a Harry Potter fan after all! To acknowledge many of you who do hold strong beliefs one way or the other, there was language in Book #3, Mummies in the Morning, for example, that made me hesitate.

During book #3, Mummies in the Morning, Jack and Annie find themselves in Egypt among the great pyramids helping a dead queen travel through the afterlife. They were to find her Book of the Dead as she communicated to them in ghost form. The story presented the ghost queens need to decipher clues to help her make it to her next lift. So far, this has been the only book that presents such a specific belief system as if it were true reality. Perhaps I took it one way and you’ll take it another. It certainly wasn’t enough to cause me to stop reading, though I must admit I left a few words out of it here and there – an increasingly difficult thing to do with a voracious reader of a 6-year old who follows along and reminds me when I missed a word.

Why Read Magic Tree House Books?

If you’re looking to freshen up your children’s book collection or find a book gift idea, Magic Tree House has been a bit hit in our home. Our older boys are eager to continue reading them each day and as a parent it feels good having a new set of books to enjoy.

For those of you writing children’s books or trying to break into the children’s book market, these are a great resource to be familiar with. As a #1 New York Times Bestselling Series, the books shed light on what has appealed to large numbers of people. Some items I’ve noticed that has led to this strong reception are:

1. Concise writing – very little fluff. The books have 10 chapters, all short.
2. Immediate action – there isn’t a lot of waiting around for things to happen. Jack and Annie get into adventure quickly to hold kids’ attention spans.
3. Peril – The books aren’t just sunshine and rainbows. There are moments of fright and fear. Will Jack and Annie make it? Of course, but in some scenes it’s not obvious how!
4. Repetition – These books have a good kind of repetition that kids can appreciate and expect. Jack and Annie want to visit their magical tree house. Jack and Annie see a magical book they wish to visit the pages of. Jack and Annie find themselves in a new place with quests, dangers, and rewards. Jack and Annie make it home safely.
5. Kids are the main characters – In any children’s book, children must be the focal point. That’s who kids identify with most and it helps them transport into the pages.

How Many Magic Tree House Books Are There?

Originally, there were only 28 books as part of the Magic Tree House series. The original book #29, Christmas in Camelot, launched a distinct series titled Merlin Missions for older and more advanced readers. Then, in an albeit confusing way, Merlin Missions books were separated as their own book series and re-numbered from 1 to 27. The newer book #29 became A Big Day for Baseball. Afterwards, additional books were added to the Magic Tree House book series to continue the plot all the way to book #39.

Many people ask how many books there are in the Magic Tree House series. There are a total of 39 books in Mary Pope Osborne’s Magic Tree House series and they are listed in order below for your convenience. Unfortunately, there is no boxed series set including all 39 books so you’ll need to purchase separate bundles or separate books. The best bundle I found was a Boxed Set of Magic Tree House Books 1-28.

Magic Tree House Book Series List

1. Dinosaurs Before Dark (Book #1)
2. The Knight at Dawn (Book #2)
3. Mummies in the Morning (Book #3)
4. Pirates Past Noon (Book #4)
5. Night of the Ninjas (Book #5)
6. Afternoon on the Amazon (Book #6)
7. Sunset of the Sabertooth (Book #7)
8. Midnight on the Moon (Book #8)
9. Dolphins at Daybreak (Book #9)
10. Ghost Town at Sundown (Book #10)
11. Lions at Lunchtime (Book #11)
12. Polar Bears Past Bedtime (Book #12)
13. Vacation Under the Volcano (Book #13)
14. Day of the Dragon King (Book #14)
15. Viking Ships at Sunrise (Book #15)
16. Hour of the Olympics (Book #16)
17. Tonight on the Titanic (Book #17)
18. Buffalo Before Breakfast (Book #18)
19. Tigers at Twilight (Book #19)
20. Dingoes at Dinnertime (Book #20)
21. Civil War on Sunday (Book #21)
22. Revolutionary War on Wednesday (Book #22)
23. Twister on Tuesday (Book #23)
24. Earthquake in the Early Morning (Book #24)
25. Stage Fright on a Summer Night (Book #25)
26. Good Morning Gorillas (Book #26)
27. Thanksgiving on Thursday (Book #27)
28. High Tide in Hawaii (Book #28)
29. A Big Day for Baseball (Book #29)
30. Hurricane Heroes in Texas (Book #30)
31. Warriors in Winter (Book #31)
32. To the Future, Ben Franklin (Book #32)
33. Narwhal on a Sunny Night (Book #33)
34. Late Lunch with Llamas (Book #34)
35. Camp Time in California (Book #35)
36. Sunlight on the Snow Leopard (Book #36)
37. Rhinos at Recess (Book #37)
38. Time of the Turtle King (Book #38)
39. Windy Night with Wild Horses (Book #39) (pre-order, releases May 7, 2024!!)

Have you already come across this magical series? Let us know what you and/or your kids thought of them in the comments below! If you get these books, be sure to come back and let us know what you and your kids thought of them!

Magic Tree House Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. How many Magic Tree House books are there? There are thirty-five (39) books in the series.
2. What is the last Magic Tree House book? Currently, Windy Night with Wild Horses, Book #39, is the last book in the series. But never say never – Tracey West has continued writing so we will stay tuned!
3. Do you need to read the Magic Tree House books in order? You don’t HAVE TO read them in order, but you really should, because there are sub-plots and miniature stories within the overall series arc that develop characters, quests, and provide background in other books. But, if you are missing a book and don’t want to wait for it, you could totally read a later book in the meantime, as each story begins and ends a new “plot” for each book. There is a lot of repetition in the stories, though each is fresh and unique.
4. Are Magic Tree House books historical fiction? Yes, while there are some historical facts throughout the series, the majority of content is fantastical fiction. No attempt is made to pretend it’s all true and it does take a parent to know or research which elements are completely true or have a shred of truth in them. Often place names or key historical people are based on truth but the events are less so and then blended with fantasy.
5. Are Magic Tree House books Christian? No, absolutely not. Author Mary Pope Osborne makes no attempt to associate the story line with a preconceived religious connection.
6. Where can I buy Magic Tree House books? Scroll up and you’ll see a convenient list of book titles with Amazon links. You can also buy the series typically wherever books are sold.
7. What is Magic Tree House about? A simple and short answer is that Magic Tree House books are about two young kids, Jack and Annie, who go on fantastic adventures through magical books. There is light peril, a mixture of themes and plots, and a gentle repetition for young readers to understand and enjoy. Jack and Annie find a magic tree house and through a specific phrase, teleport to the place and time various books are about. They work with new friends, solve riddles, and always make it back home in the blink of an eye.
8. What age and reading level is good for Magic Tree House books? Our family found a 6 year old could read and understand the majority of the books content without being scared or bored. It’s a bit too wordy for kids younger than 4 in my opinion, so I recommend the series is best for kids aged 6-9.
9. Who wrote Magic Tree House books? Mary Pope Osborne created the series and many others. Scroll to the top to see more information on this talented and prolific author.

Curious what book series we moved onto next? Dragon Masters by Tracey West!

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