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
Card catalog description
Jack and Annie travel in their magic tree house to Elizabethan London, where they become actors in a production of A Midsummer Night's Dream and try to rescue a tame bear.
From the Inside Flap
In the latest offering from the Magic Tree House series, Mary Pope Osborne treats readers to an inside look at one of her favorite subjects—the theater. Jack and Annie are whisked back to Elizabethan England where they meet the Bard of Avon himself, William Shakespeare, and luckily for them he is desperate for two small actors for his latest play! A wonderful adventure as well as the perfect introduction to Shakespeare for young readers.
Stage Fright on a Summer Night (Magic Tree House Series #25) FROM OUR EDITORS
The Barnes & Noble Review
Jack and Annie are no strangers to adventure. Through the discovery of a magic tree house, the siblings have met a magical librarian, traveled through time, solved ancient riddles, and helped save Camelot. In this escapade, they find themselves in Elizabethan England. With only a book about 16th-century England to help them, they must solve a secret rhyme: "To find a special magic,/You must step into the light/And without wand, spell, or charm,/Turn daytime into night." Along the way, the kids meet a playwright who requires serious help. He needs two people to appear in his play -- and fast! Jack and Annie agree and soon find themselves onstage, performing A Midsummer Night's Dream. And they discover that the mysterious playwright is none other than William Shakespeare! The Bard's magical language and superlative theater soon help them solve the riddle.
Author Mary Pope Osborne has achieved great success with the Magic Tree House series. With exciting story lines and a heavy dose of truly interesting historical facts, Osborne succeeds in enchanting younger readers into a world where learning is fun. In Stage Fright on a Summer Night, she includes a letter to readers explaining that the theater is one of her passions and that she drew upon her own experiences of stage fright and sheer excitement to crate Jack and Annie's reactions onstage. Osborne also includes a list of many of the words and expressions Shakespeare introduced into literature -- such as "All the world's a stage" from As You Like It and "Parting is such sweet sorrow" from Romeo and Juliet. A delightful journey into the world of Merrie England and a fantastic introduction to the world of Shakespeare. (Amy Barkat)
ANNOTATION
Jack and Annie travel in their magic tree house to Elizabethan London, where they become actors in a production of A Midsummer Night's Dream and try to rescue a tame bear.
FROM THE PUBLISHER
Mary Pope Osborne treats readers to an inside look at one of her favorite subjects—the theater. Jack and Annie travel back to Elizabethan England where they meet the Bard of Avon himself, William Shakespeare, and luckily for them he is desperate for two small actors for his latest play!
FROM THE CRITICS
Children's Literature
Eight-year-old Jack and seven-year-old Annie are summoned to the Magic Tree House by the sight of a shooting starﾽthey know the star is actually their guide, Morgan le Fay. She has a treat in store for them this time. In order to say thank you for all of the help the siblings have provided in earlier volumes in the time-travel series, Morgan tells them they will now learn some magic of their own. The children study the reference book she has provided, and are instantly whisked to "Merry Olde England." Their charge is to "turn daytime into night" without any magic spells. Jack and Annie encounter a man named Will who needs their help. Two of the fairies from the play he is putting on at the Globe Theater did not appear for the performance, so the children are drafted to take over the roles. Annie becomes "Andy," since female performers were not permitted. During their adventures, Jack overcomes stage fright and comes to understand the magic involved in theater. As with the other books in the "Magic Tree House" series, in this 25th book, readers are provided basic information about the era woven into an easy-to-read story with familiar characters. 2002, Stepping Stone/Random House, Judy Rowen
Art & Photography
Book Info
