Book Review: Blizzard of the Blue Moon (Magic Tree House, Book 36)
What Parents Should Know
Parents need to know that there's nothing objectionable in
this Magic Tree House series entry. This mild book wraps its
fantasy around a history lesson, but kids will be so
entertained they probably won't notice.
Families can talk about -- and look up -- the Unicorn
Tapestries. Kids might want to see a picture of the unicorn
that Jack and Annie set out to rescue. They might also want to
dig deeper into the mythology surrounding unicorns.
Jack and Annie are sent by the wizard Merlin to rescue a unicorn in New York, circa 1938.
This, the 36th book in Mary Osborne's wildly popular Magic Tree House, continues a sort of "Merlin Mission" sub-series. Kids won't need to have read any of the previous books to fall into this one. Previous books in the series had more realistic settings -- despite the magic portal that got them there. But the Merlin Mission books have added elements of fantasy to help the history lessons go down easy.
Osborne is a pro, and children won't know -- or mind -- that they're getting an education as they dive into the somewhat thin but generally entertaining plot. It's not great literature, but for kids hungry to graduate to chapter books (and for the parents who are hungry to see them move ahead, too) this book offers plenty of a low-key adventure. A couple of bad guys show up to keep things interesting, but the action never rises above a G-rated level.
Fans of Mary Osborne won't run out of her Magic Tree House books anytime soon, but those interested in other early reader fantasy books might like these:
What the Witch Left by Ruth Chew
No Flying in the House by Betty Brock
Half-magic by Edgar Eager
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