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Welcome to our Fantasy Gifts
Imaginations are such an important
part of growing up. It is through a childs imagination
that they often express their fears and conquer
insecurities. This site is designed for children
and adults who love fantasy.
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The Magic Tree House Series
Magic Tree House books and stories by Mary Pope Osbourne.
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Haunted Castle on Hallow's Eve (Magic Tree House, 30)
In the second of the "Merlin Missions"--hardback additions to Mary Pope Osborne's Magic Tree House series--plucky heroes Jack and Annie must once again must travel back in time to rescue Camelot from looming danger. One wonders why Merlin can't handle this sort of thing himself, but then of course we wouldn't get a chance to see Jack and Annie have another seat-of-the-pants adventure, getting mixed up with shape-shifting magic, armies of birds, a puzzling gem of power, and all sorts of other trouble. With the help of their old pal Teddy (Morgan le Fay's apprentice, last seen in dog form in four earlier Tree House stories), the two "Master Librarians and Magicians of Everyday Magic" must solve the mystery behind a castle full of ghosts and a menacing army of ravens. Not surprisingly, half the trouble comes in unraveling Merlin's riddles and helping Teddy use his rhyming magic correctly. Osborne doesn't challenge readers overmuch (including the constant restatement of plot elements, perhaps worried that kids might otherwise forget or lose interest) and many parts of the story barely convince (like Teddy's "period" dialogue, e.g., "'Tis cool indeed"), but fans of the Magic Tree House will no doubt love another installment. (Ages 6 to 9) --Paul Hughes
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Buffalo Before Breakfast (Magic Tree House 18, paper)
Morgan Le Fey, a magical librarian from the time of King Arthur, has charged a brave young pair of children with the task of freeing an enchanted dog from a spell by collecting four gifts. In the 18th easy-to-read chapter book in Mary Pope Osborne's Magic Tree House series, eight-year-old Jack and seven-year-old Annie travel back almost 200 years to the Great Plains to find a "gift from the prairie blue." Along the way, Annie and Jack make friends with young Black Hawk, narrowly miss a buffalo stampede, and learn about how the Lakotas view the earth and their place in it. (Ages 8 to 12)
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Revolutionary War On Wednesday (Magic Tree House 22, paper)
If it's Wednesday, it must be Revolutionary War day. Jack and Annie, stars of the Magic Tree House series, are in for another adventure in their time- and space-traveling tree house. Mysterious magical librarian Morgan le Fay has set four new tasks for the siblings. Jack and Annie must find four special kinds of writing for Morgan's library in order to save Camelot, the ancient kingdom of King Arthur. In Civil War on Sunday, the pair traveled back to the 1860s to collect a list of rules ("something to follow") from famous nurse Clara Barton. Now they discover they must visit another war era: the Revolutionary War. Jack and Annie set aside their apprehension and soon they're spinning back through time to Christmas Day, 1776, on the banks of the Delaware River in Pennsylvania, where they encounter none other than the man on the dollar bill himself, George Washington! The children accidentally-on-purpose end up embroiled in the famous commander-in-chief's mission, where they not only play a part in convincing Washington to carry on with his patriotic duty, but also find the second kind of writing for Morgan's library: "something to send." Award-winning author Mary Pope Osborne's young adventure series, The Magic Tree House, is immensely popular among children and teachers alike, promoting a fascination with history--and reading--no textbook can match. (Ages 6 to 9) --Emilie Coulter
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Civil War On Sunday (Magic Tree House 21, paper)
Traveling back in time from the rumbling thunderstorms of present-day Frog Creek, Pennsylvania, to the booming of Civil War cannonballs near Richmond, Virginia, Jack and Annie set out on their 21st Magic Tree House adventure. The mysterious Morgan le Fay, magical librarian of Camelot, the long-ago kingdom of King Arthur, has left the brother and sister a message in their magic tree house, asking for their help saving Camelot. "Please find these four special kinds of writing for my library: Something to follow, Something to send, Something to learn, Something to lend." Jack and Annie enthusiastically transport themselves to a field near the fighting, and soon are enlisted as volunteer nurses assisting none other than Clara Barton, legendary "Angel of the Battlefield," as she drives her horse-drawn ambulance right onto the battlefields to help save wounded soldiers--including one with a very special connection to Jack and Annie. Mary Pope Osborne's tremendously popular Magic Tree House series launches into a new realm, as Jack and Annie are challenged to save Camelot. Young readers will effortlessly learn the basics of Civil War history, while losing themselves in another gripping tale that has turned many a nonreader into a bookworm. (Ages 5 to 8) --Emilie Coulter
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Stage Fright on a Summer Night (Magic Tree House #25)
Spurred on by another mysterious rhyme from Morgan le Fay, the magical librarian of Camelot, siblings Jack and Annie climb into their magic traveling tree house once again, this time on a journey to Merry Olde England--and Shakespeare's theater. Their quest? To find "a special magic" that will, "without wand, spell, or charm / turn daytime into night." Armed only with their backpacks and a book about 16th-century England, Jack and Annie manage to solve the riddle, save a bear from a cruel fate, and make their stage debut in "A Midsummer Night's Dream." Following the wildly successful formula of her Magic Tree House series (Earthquake in the Early Morning, Twister on Tuesday, etc.), Mary Pope Osborne delivers another exciting chapter book for young readers (and read-aloud listeners). Additional information about Shakespeare is included, plus a partial list of the more than 2,000 words and expressions he invented. As always, illustrator Sal Murdocca's appealing black-and-white drawings are well matched to Osborne's story. (Ages 5 to 9) --Emilie Coulter
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Earthquake In The Early Morning (Magic Tree House 24, paper)
The year is 1906, the place is San Francisco. Annie and her brother, Jack, have just traveled here in their magic tree house, on a mission from Morgan le Fay, the mysterious magical librarian from King Arthur's time. In an effort to save Camelot, the children have already found three special kinds of writing for Morgan's library: something to follow (Civil War on Sunday), something to send (Revolutionary War on Wednesday), and something to learn (Twister on Tuesday). Now it's time to find "something to lend." It's a quiet, peaceful morning in San Francisco, and Annie is eager to start exploring. So eager, in fact, that she pulls Jack away from his research just before he would have learned a very important piece of information... All too soon, the siblings figure it out for themselves: they have arrived in this lovely city a moment before one of the biggest earthquakes the U.S. has ever known shakes the Bay Area to pieces! Stunned, Jack and Annie wander the streets, but quickly find a purpose. Lots of people need help transporting goods to safety, and many more are left without any idea where to go or what to do. But what about their mission? Will the kids find something to lend before the entire city goes up in flames? Mary Pope Osborne's tremendously popular Magic Tree House series offers young readers a chance to immerse themselves in spellbinding adventures even as they learn about history. The terrible San Francisco earthquake is described with great historical accuracy, but with admirable age-appropriateness. (Ages 5 to 8) --Emilie Coulter
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Fantasy Stories
Fantasy Books are a literary form
related to mythology and folklore.
Fantasy literature is typically
set in non-existent realms and features
supernatural beings. Fantasy is
known as a type of fiction that
bends or transcends the rules of
the known world, allowing such conventions
as time travel, talking animals,
and super-human creatures. 
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