Group 1 Book Overviews- 160-400 Lexile Level
240-Dinosaurs Before Dark-Jack and Annie's very first fantasy adventure in the bestselling series—the
Magic Tree House! Where did the tree house come from? Before Jack and Annie can find out, the
mysterious tree house whisks them to the prehistoric past. Now they have to figure out how to get
home. Can they do it before dark . . . or will they become a dinosaur's dinner? ( by Mary Pope Osborne)
250-The Statue of Liberty- Engaging, simple details the construction and symbolism of the skyscrapersized "Lady Liberty, "France's unique gift to the United States, who watches over New York Harbor. (by
Lucille Recht Penner)
272- Ghostopolis- A page-turning adventure of a boy's journey to the land of ghosts and back. Imagine
Garth Hale's surprise when he's accidentally zapped to the spirit world by Frank Gallows, a washed-out
ghost wrangler. Suddenly Garth finds he has powers the ghosts don't have, and he's stuck in a world run
by the evil ruler of Ghostopolis, who would use Garth's newfound abilities to rule the ghostly kingdom.
When Garth meets Cecil, his grandfather's ghost, the two search for a way to get Garth back home, and
nearly lose hope until Frank Gallows shows up to fix his mistake. (by Doug TenNapel)
290- Signet Classic The Invisible Man- A brilliant scientist uncovers the secret to invisibility, but his
grandiose dreams and the power he unleashes cause him to spiral into intrigue, madness, and murder.
The inspiration for countless imitations and film adaptations, The Invisible Man is as remarkable and
relevant today as it was a hundred years ago. (by H.G. Wells)
290- Pirates Past Noon- Jack and Annie are in deep trouble when the Magic Tree House whisks them
back to the days of desert islands, secret maps, hidden gold—and ruthless pirates! Will Jack and Annie
discover a buried treasure? Will they find out the identity of the mysterious M? Or will they walk the
plank? The magic treehouse whisks Jack and Annie back to the days of deserted islands, secret maps,
hidden gold, and nasty pirates. (by Mary Pope Orsborne)
290- Afternoon on the Amazon- Jack and Annie travel back in time to a South American rain forest in
search of the elusive magician Morgan le Fay. Will they find a new clue to her whereabouts before they
are trampled by stampeding killer ants? Eight-year-old Jack, his seven-year-old sister, Annie, and Peanut
the mouse ride in a tree house to the Amazon rain forests, where they encounter giant ants, flesh-eating
piranhas, hungry crocodiles, and wild jaguars. (by Mary Pope Orsborne)
290- The Time Machine (Bullseye Step into Classics)- When a turn-of-the-century scientist travels into
the distant future in his time machine, he expects to find progress and superior people. But instead he
discovers a world in decay. A scientist invents a time machine and uses it to travel to the year 802,701
A.D., where he discovers the childlike Eloi and the hideous underground Morlocks. (by H.G.Wells)
290- The Titanic: Lost and Found- A simple account of the sinking of the Titanic and the discovery
of its remains many years later. (by Judy Donnelly)
300- Frankenstein- From the bits and pieces of dead bodies, and the power of electricity, the brilliant
Victor Frankenstein creates a new form of life—only to discover, too late, the horrible damage he has
caused. A monster assembled by a scientist from parts of dead bodies develops a mind of his own as he
learns to hate himself and hate his creator. (by Mary Shelley)
300- Mummies in the Morning- Jack and Annie find themselves taken back in time to ancient Egypt,
where they come face to face with a dead queen—and her 1,000-year-old mummy! (by Mary Pope
Orsborne)
300- Stage Fright on a Summer Night- The show must go on!That's what Jack and Annie learn when the
Magic Tree House whisks them back to Elizabethan England. There they meet William Shakespeare
himself—one of the greatest writers of all time! But Mr. Shakespeare's having a hard time with some of
the actors in his latest show. Are Jack and Annie ready to make a big entrance? Or will it be curtains for
Shakespeare? (by Mary Pope Orsborne)
310- The Knight at Dawn- A castle with a secret passage! That's what Jack and Annie find when the
Magic Tree House whisks them back to the Middle Ages for another wild adventure. In the Great Hall of
the castle, a feast is under way. But Jack and Annie aren't exactly welcome guests! (by Mary Pope
Orsborne)
320- Midnight on the Moon- Jack and Annie are whisked forty years forward in time and land at an
international space station on the moon. There they don space suits and go exploring the lunar surface
in search of the fourth object needed to free the enchantress Morgan le Fay from a powerful spell. (by
Mary Pope Orsborne)
320- Revolutionary War on Wednesday- It is a dark and snowy night when the Magic Tree House whisks
Jack and Annie back to colonial times. General George Washington is about to lead his army in a sneak
attack against their enemy. But now the terrible weather is making the great general question his plans.
Can Jack and Annie keep history on track? The fate of the country rests in their hands! Using their magic
tree house, Jack and Annie travel back to the time of the American Revolution and help General George
Washington during his famous crossing of the Delaware River. (by Mary Pope Orsborne)
340- Tonight on the Titanic- Titanic trouble!Jack and Annie are in for an exciting, scary, and sad
adventure when the Magic Tree House whisks them back to the decks of the Titanic. Is there anything
they can do to help the ill-fated ship? Will they be able to save anyone? Will they be able to save
themselves? (by Mary Pope Orsborne)
340- Thanksgiving on Thursday- It's a time for giving thanks . . . when the Magic Tree House whisks Jack
and Annie back to 1621 on the first Thanksgiving Day. The Pilgrims ask them to help get things ready.
But whether it's cooking or clamming, Jack and Annie don't know how to do anything the Pilgrim way.
Will they ruin the holiday forever? Or will the feast go on? (by Mary Pope Orsborne)
340-Basketball Bats- Henry and his friends on Rockford Road are a basketball team unstoppable on
their driveway court. But without team t-shirts or an official name can they take on The Tigers, a team
that plays at the huge YWCA and has a player old enough to shave? Young readers will cheer as The Bats
take on a name and stick together to beat the odds. (by Betty Hicks)
340-Bad Island- Something on this island is up to no good . . .When Reese is forced to go on a boating
trip with his family, the last thing he expects is to be shipwrecked on an island-especially one teeming
with weird plants and animals. But what starts out as simply a bad vacation turns into a terrible one, as
the castaways must find a way to escape while dodging the island's dangerous inhabitants. With few
resources and a mysterious entity on the hunt, each secret unlocked could save them . . . or spell their
doom. One thing Reese knows for sure: This is one Bad Island. (by Doug TenNapel)
350- Deep Trouble- Something scary is happening.In DEEP TROUBLE, find out why Billy Deep and his
sister, Sheena, are afraid of dark lagoons, coral reefs, and anything that appears to be half-human, halffish! (by R.L. Stine)
380- Hour of the Olympics- Hour of the Olympics- Jack and Annie are off on another adventure! This
time they are sent to ancient Greece, where a very important event is taking place. Join them as they
race against time and witness the very first Olympic games! Their magic tree house takes Jack and Annie
back to retrieve a lost story in ancient Greece, where they witness the original Olympic games and are
surprised to find what girls of the time were not allowed to do. (by Mary Pope Orsborne)
400- The Puzzle of the Shark Surfer Girl- Learn all about the beach and sharks; and solve a mystery along
the way! (by Carole Marsh)
410- Chasing George Washington- Dee, José, and Annie are touring the White House when they
accidentally knock an old painting of George Washington off the wall - and the first president escapes!
As they race to put him back, the three meet other famous people who lived in the White House. (by
The Kennedy Center)
410-The Vacation Under the Volcano- Who wants to vacation next to a volcano?Jack and Annie are
about to find out when the Magic Tree House whisks them back to the days of the Roman Empire. They
arrive in Pompeii and soon discover that it is the very day the city will be destroyed. Now Jack and Annie
must race against time to find an ancient library before it is buried in ash! (by Mary Pope Orsborne)
410-Viking Ships at Sunrise- Jack and Annie are off in search of another story in jeopardy, this time at a
monastery in ancient Ireland. Trouble arrives when Vikings land, and Jack and Annie must find a way to
escape! Their magic tree house takes Jack and Annie back to a monastery in medieval Ireland, where
they try to retrieve a lost book while being menaced by Viking raiders. (by Mary Pope Orsborne)