Series · adventure
Magic Tree House
The Magic Tree House series by Mary Pope Osborne has 67 books and is best read in publication order, starting with Dinosaurs Before Dark (1992).
- Books
- 67 books
- First published
- 1992
- Status
- ongoing
- Last checked
Start here: Dinosaurs Before Dark (1992) — then read straight through in publication order.
Reading order
The order the books were released — the default way to read the series.
- Book 1:
Dinosaurs Before Dark
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Dinosaurs Before Dark - Book 2:
The Knight at Dawn
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Knight at Dawn - Book 3:
Mummies in the Morning
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Mummies in the Morning - Book 4:
Pirates Past Noon
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Pirates Past Noon - Book 5:
Night of the Ninjas
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Night of the Ninjas - Book 6:
Afternoon on the Amazon
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Sunset of the Sabertooth
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Midnight on the Moon
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Dolphins at Daybreak
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Ghost Town at Sundown
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Lions at Lunchtime
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Lions at Lunchtime - Book 12:
Polar Bears Past Bedtime
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Vacation Under the Volcano
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Day of the Dragon King
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Day of the Dragon King - Book 15:
Viking Ships at Sunrise
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Hour of the Olympics
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Tonight on the Titanic
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Tonight on the Titanic - Book 18:
Buffalo Before Breakfast
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Tigers at Twilight
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Dingoes at Dinnertime
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Civil War on Sunday
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Revolutionary War on Wednesday
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Twister on Tuesday
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Earthquake in the Early Morning
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Stage Fright on a Summer Night
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Good Morning, Gorillas
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Thanksgiving on Thursday
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High Tide in Hawaii
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Magic Tree House: Christmas in Camelot
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Magic Tree House: Haunted Castle on Hallows Eve
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Magic Tree House: Summer of the Sea Serpent
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Magic Tree House: Winter of the Ice Wizard
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Magic Tree House: Carnival at Candlelight
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Magic Tree House: Season of the Sandstorms
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Magic Tree House: Night of the New Magicians
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Magic Tree House: Blizzard of the Blue Moon
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Magic Tree House: Dragon of the Red Dawn
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Magic Tree House: Monday with a Mad Genius
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Magic Tree House: Monday with a Mad Genius - Book 39:
Magic Tree House: Dark Day in the Deep Sea
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Magic Tree House: Dark Day in the Deep Sea - Book 40:
Magic Tree House: Eve of the Emperor Penguin
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Magic Tree House: Eve of the Emperor Penguin - Book 41:
Magic Tree House: Moonlight on the Magic Flute
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Magic Tree House: A Good Night for Ghosts
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Magic Tree House: Leprechaun in Late Winter
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Magic Tree House: Leprechaun in Late Winter - Book 44:
Magic Tree House: A Ghost Tale for Christmas Time
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Magic Tree House: A Ghost Tale for Christmas Time - Book 45:
Magic Tree House: A Crazy Day with Cobras
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Magic Tree House: Dogs in the Dead of Night
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Magic Tree House: Dogs in the Dead of Night - Book 47:
Magic Tree House: Abe Lincoln at Last!
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Magic Tree House: A Perfect Time for Pandas
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Magic Tree House: Stallion by Starlight
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Magic Tree House: Hurry Up, Houdini!
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Magic Tree House: High Time for Heroes
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Magic Tree House: Soccer on Sunday
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Magic Tree House: Shadow of the Shark
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Magic Tree House: Balto of the Blue Dawn
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Magic Tree House: Balto of the Blue Dawn - Book 55:
Magic Tree House: Night of the Ninth Dragon
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Magic Tree House: Night of the Ninth Dragon - Book 56:
Magic Tree House: A Big Day for Baseball
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Magic Tree House: A Big Day for Baseball - Book 57:
Magic Tree House: Hurricane Heroes in Texas
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Magic Tree House: Warriors in Winter
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Magic Tree House: To the Future, Ben Franklin!
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Magic Tree House: To the Future, Ben Franklin! - Book 60:
Magic Tree House: Narwhal on a Sunny Night
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Magic Tree House: Narwhal on a Sunny Night - Book 61:
Magic Tree House: Late Lunch with Llamas
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Magic Tree House: Late Lunch with Llamas - Book 62:
Magic Tree House: Camp Time in California
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Magic Tree House: Sunlight on the Snow Leopard
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Magic Tree House: Sunlight on the Snow Leopard - Book 64:
Magic Tree House: Rhinos at Recess
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Magic Tree House: Rhinos at Recess - Book 65:
Magic Tree House: Time of the Turtle King
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Magic Tree House: Time of the Turtle King - Book 66:
Magic Tree House: Windy Night with Wild Horses
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Magic Tree House: Windy Night with Wild Horses - Book 67:
Magic Tree House: Sea Otter Sunrise
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Magic Tree House: Sea Otter Sunrise
About the Magic Tree House series
Jack and Annie are ordinary siblings from Frog Creek, Pennsylvania who discover a mysterious tree house in the woods behind their house -- one packed with books that, when pointed at and wished upon, transport them anywhere and anywhen. Dinosaur-age forests, the deck of the Titanic, ancient Egypt, the Wild West, the surface of the moon: every book sends the pair on a short, brisk adventure where they solve a specific problem, learn something real about the time and place they've landed in, and make it home before anyone notices they're gone.
Mary Pope Osborne built the series to work as a genuine bridge between early readers and true chapter books: short chapters, simple sentences, constant forward momentum, and a reliable structure that removes any guesswork about what's coming. Each adventure quietly teaches real history, science, or geography without ever feeling like a lesson, which is exactly why the series has become a staple of elementary classrooms and home libraries alike. A magical librarian named Morgan le Fay oversees the tree house's true purpose (collecting stories from across time) and eventually recruits Jack and Annie for higher-stakes "Merlin Missions" once they've proven themselves on the earlier, gentler adventures.
With well over 30 million copies sold and dozens of tie-in nonfiction "Fact Tracker" companions, Magic Tree House remains one of the most trusted go-to series for getting newly independent readers hooked on chapter books.
How to read this series
Start with the original series (Dinosaurs Before Dark onward) and read in publication/number order -- Jack and Annie's understanding of the tree house's magic, and their relationship with Morgan le Fay, builds gradually across these books. Once a reader has finished the original run, the Merlin Missions are the natural next step: longer, slightly more advanced adventures for the same two characters, also best read in their own numbered order.
After the Merlin Missions, the series continues under the plain Magic Tree House name again with further Jack-and-Annie adventures. Publishers have renumbered the covers of these books more than once over the decades (the Merlin Missions were pulled out of the main numbering entirely in a 2017 reprint), so cover numbers alone can be an unreliable guide -- following original tier, then Merlin Missions, then the later continuation, in the order given on this page, is the most reliable path through the whole story.
Frequently asked questions
How many Magic Tree House books are there?
This page tracks 67 books: the original 28-book series, the 27-book Merlin Missions, and 12 further books continuing the same story since 2017, through Sea Otter Sunrise (2025).
What order should I read Magic Tree House in?
Read the original series first (Dinosaurs Before Dark onward), then the Merlin Missions, then the later continuation books, each tier in its own numbered order.
What are the Merlin Missions?
A slightly more advanced continuation of the same Jack-and-Annie story, aimed at readers who've outgrown the original series' reading level but aren't ready to leave the tree house behind.
Is Magic Tree House finished?
No, it's ongoing. Mary Pope Osborne has continued publishing new adventures roughly once a year.
Do I need to read the Fact Tracker nonfiction books too?
No, the Fact Trackers are optional nonfiction companions that expand on the real history or science behind a specific fiction adventure; they're not required to follow the story.
Reading order last verified .