Magic Tree House Collection, Books 33-35

August 1, 2006
Gr 2-4 -Jack and Annie head back in history on three challenging missions in these tales (all Random, 2005-06) by Mary Pope Osborne. In "Carnival at Candlelight", they -re off to Venice in the late 1700s during the annual carnival festivities. They must solve riddles, track down people, and ultimately use magic to fly on a golden lion in order to save the city from flooding. "Season of the Sandstorms" takes them back 1,200 years to the Golden Age of Baghdad. The pair overcome stubborn camels, wild sandstorms, and bandits to bring a priceless treasure to the caliph. Magic rhymes help them once again, but courage and quick thinking ensure their success. "The Night of the New Magicians" takes Jack and Annie to the 1889 Paris World -s Fair where they must face many challenges while fulfilling their mission from Merlin to meet four new magicians and warn them of the evil sorcerer who is after their secrets. Osbore reads the stories, giving each character a different voice. Although she doesn -t have the dramatic polish or depth of a professional actor, there is something special about the author reading her own work, giving voice to the characters as she envisioned them. Young fans of the print editions will enthusiastically welcome the audio version. -"Teresa Wittmann, Westgate Elementary School, Edmonds, WA"

Copyright 2006 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.