Revolutionary War On Wednesday (2010) - Plot & Excerpts
How have I never read books from this series before? I was never given them to read growing up (I think they were published a little late for me) and I don't have children. But now that I have found them, I want to devour every single one. The basic idea is that Jack and Annie have this magic tree house that will take them anywhere and anytime they want to go. Apparently, these aren't just one-off adventures either, as there are mysteries give to them by Morgan le Fay to solve over three or four books. I just randomly picked up the titles I thought would be most interesting and ended up right in the middle of one of these adventures. I didn't keep me from enjoying the story, as Osborne explains the entire mission at the beginning of the book for any readers just starting out. In this volume, Jack and Annie travel to colonial America and witness Washington's crossing of the Delaware. They are able to meet Washington and give him the encouragement he needs to lead the battle against the Hessians. The story is very simplistic, but I was impressed by Osborne's ability to take very sophisticated topics, such as courage or the suffering of war, and introduce them young readers with great sensitivity towards the age and understanding of her readers. I was very impressed with this, the first book of the Magic Tree House that I've read, and will definitely be picking up the entire series more in the future.
This book is the second in this set of four missions to collect special writings for Morgan's library in Camelot. The poem they are using includes the line "something to send" and that is what Jack and Annie must find during the Revolutionary War.Being in Pennsylvania, of course they are sent to Valley Forge at Christmas of 1776 when Washington and his troops are preparing to cross the Delaware. The children meet an officer who is from their own hometown, Frog Creek, PA, and he gives them a letter to send to his children in case he does not make it back.My favorite part of this adventure is that Jack and Annie get to learn the words of Thomas Paine, directly from the mouth of General Washington: "These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country. But he that stands it now deserves the love and thanks of man and woman . . . The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly. It is dearness that gives everything its value."Read in Austin from Drew's library.
What do You think about Revolutionary War On Wednesday (2010)?
My 6-year old and I have read all of the MTH books up until this point, and this one is by far the best. I haven't bothered to rate them all because they're all pretty much the same 4-ish star quality - this is the exception. I actually found myself learning more about Revolutionary War history in this book than I remember learning in school - ha! And the best part is that I grew up in Philadelphia, so during the part when General Washington is leading his men in a secret mission across the Delaware River, my daughter said "Hey, that's near where Mimi and Papa live!" So now she's excited to drive by the Delaware river next time we visit them. It's so cute to see her excited about American history, and how it relates to her own family history.
—Liz
Title: Revolutionary War on WednesdayAuthor: Mary Pope OsborneSeries: Magic tree House #22Rating: ★★★Summary: 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 a 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!Review: Fighting for freedom and reliving history.Things I Loved: It was like a fun history lesson; you don't get that all the time, do ya?Things I Hated: N/A
—luhvBOOKS
Magic Tree House stories are not only great fantasy early reader novels, but they can also fall into the category of historical fiction as well. This story focuses about going back in time to the middle of the Revolutionary War where Jack and Annie are sent of an adventure of course. Even though this is a cross over of fantasy and historical fiction I still think it is a useful story to highlight different points in our historical past, especially for young readers when history can be a dry subject for some. Other related titles within Magic Tree House that are also historical fiction are "Civil War on Sunday", "Tonight on the Titanic", and "Thanksgiving on Thursday". These stories also provide a lot of information about the time periods and happenings in which they travel. Another great aspect of Magic Tree House is that it is a pretty lengthy series of books to keep readers interested and reading. Magic Tree House is targeted towards early elementary students and are usually some of the first chapter books elementary students read.
—RLL52013_Kaitlin Larson
