Dinosaurs Before Dark
by Mary Pope Osborne

Genre: Action & Adventure
Age: 5-8
Length: 80 pages
First Published: 1992

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Malinda’s Review

Rating

Here is what I like about this book. Jake is the sensible one, and Annie has an adventurous spirit. While these two siblings may not always see eye to eye on everything, you can tell they love each other. Jake would do anything for his sister, while Annie is always there to help Jake see past the book pages.

What I don’t love about this book is their disregard for safety. I would love to say that kids should be able to explore and be safe at all times, but our world is not safe. Running off into the woods alone and heading into a mysterious tree house a reasonable distance up in a tree is unsafe from a parent’s perspective. Or at least this parent.

If your child understands that you need to know where they are at all times and they need permission to explore within your rules, this book is excellent. It has adventure, problem-solving, and a look at how a time in history might have been. While pointing to the importance of working together, the bonds of siblings, and how fun books can be.

I would recommend this book to a younger reader who understands the boundaries and knows this is a story, nothing more. It is also a great book to read to your children. One way to make it more fun is having them read a paragraph then you and switch back and forth. Reading together helps build your bond and is a way to share a good story.

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Publisher’s Description

Read the #1 bestselling chapter book that started it all! Magic. Mystery. Time-travel. Get whisked back in time in the magic tree house with Jack and Annie!

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?

The Magic Tree House series has been a beloved favorite for over 25 years and is sure to inspire a love of reading—and adventure—in every child who joins Jack and Annie!

Did you know that there’s a Magic Tree House book for every kid?
• Magic Tree House: Adventures with Jack and Annie, perfect for readers who are just beginning chapter books
• Magic Tree House Graphic Novels:  Jack and Annie’s original adventures come to life with full-color, vibrant art, perfect for graphic novel fans and reluctant readers
• Merlin Missions: More challenging adventures for the experienced reader
• Super Edition: A longer and more dangerous adventure
• Fact Trackers: Nonfiction companions to your favorite Magic Tree House adventures

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About Mary Pope Osborne

Widely regarded among parents, teachers, and librarians for its power to instill a passion for reading, Mary Pope Osborne’s award-winning, #1 New York Times best selling Magic Tree House series is an international phenomenon and has sold more than 134 million books worldwide since its debut in 1992. The books have been translated into 33 different languages in over 30 international markets. All Magic Tree House books are available in print, as ebooks and Listening Library audio books, which are all narrated by Mary Pope Osborne. Visit WWW.MAGICTREEHOUSE.COM for more information about the series, activities, and more.

MARY POPE OSBORNE is an ardent advocate and supporter of children’s literacy, and the award-winning author of more than 100 books for children and young adults, including novels, retellings of mythology and folklore, picture books, biographies, and mysteries. From 1993–1997, Ms. Osborne served as president of the Authors Guild, the country’s leading organization for published authors. She has traveled extensively in the U.S. and abroad, visiting schools and speaking on issues related to children’s literacy. She spoke at the UN regarding the importance of worldwide literacy and was profiled on NBC’s Rock Center with Brian Williams for her continued efforts. Mary has donated over 350,000 books to underserved children across the country through her Gift of Books program. She resides in Connecticut. The creator of the Magic Tree House series, Ms. Osborne is also the coauthor of the companion Magic Tree House Fact Trackers series with her husband, WILL OSBORNE, and her sister, NATALIE POPE BOYCE.

Follow Mary on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MaryPopeOsborne

The Magic Tree House Classroom Adventures Program is a free, comprehensive set of online educational resources for teachers developed by Mary Pope Osborne as a gift to teachers to thank them for their enthusiastic support of the series. Complete with free online resources, including lesson plans, curriculum guides, and creative activities, the Classroom Adventures Program incorporates every book in the series, including the nonfiction Fact Tracker titles, enabling teachers to build upon students’ interest in Jack and Annie’s adventures, while simultaneously meeting core curriculum standards across a multitude of subjects. Educators can learn more at WWW.MTHCLASSROOMADVENTURES.ORG.